Corruption scandal: Parliament wants to speed up reforms

As a result of the corruption scandal, the EU Parliament wants to quickly implement reforms for more transparency and tougher lobbying rules. “Our aim is to move quickly,” European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said today after a meeting with leaders of parliamentary blocs. She spoke of the first steps of a more comprehensive reform process.

A parliament spokesman said the conference of heads of political groups fully endorsed Mitsola’s reform proposals. The president should now push action on that.

Metsola’s reform proposals include tougher rules for ex-MPs who want to lobby in the European Parliament. In the future, all meetings of deputies with third parties that relate to a report or decision must also be made public. Friendship groups with third countries, in which MPs maintain informal relations with certain countries, would be banned.

A corruption scandal rocked Parliament in December. The Belgian judiciary has charged the now ousted Vice President Eva Cayley and other suspects with involvement in a criminal organisation, money laundering and corruption. It is about the alleged influence on political decisions from the outside.