WHAT THE EP NEEDS IS AN ETHICS INFRASTRUCTURE

There is a need for the European Parliament to engage in systematic thinking and adopt a holistic approach in putting in place an ethics infrastructure, that will draw on a range of instruments in a coherent fashion. The design of an ethics infrastructure should involve both compliance and integrity instruments, as well as clear ethical principles integrated within the management and accountability structure of the European Parliament. It should pay particular attention to the relationship between MEPs, Assistant MEPs and staff members of the EP and private actors to ensure that it will be possible for EU citizens to scrutinize the work of the EP by means of active transparency, and empowerment of citizens in the legislative process. The implementation of an ethics infrastructure is not, however an off-the-shelf quick fix but rather it should comprise a set of guidelines on the most appropriate ways to achieve high ethical standards. The ethics infrastructure should be an ongoing process that continuously reevaluate principles, standards and instruments in view of the evolving societal and political attitudes and expectations and the changing role of the European Parliament.