After scandal: EU Parliament tightens lobbying rules

AAs a consequence of the corruption scandal surrounding the EU Parliament, the European representative body has tightened its lobbying rules. After the group leaders approved a plan by Parliament President Roberta Metsola, the European Parliament announced on Monday in Strasbourg that MEPs would not be allowed to lobby MEPs for six months after leaving the European Parliament. The reform will come into force on May 1st.

The EU Parliament also announced that former MEPs who want to work as lobbyists or representatives must be “registered in the transparency register”. As a result, they are “not entitled to access rights and opportunities that they had as former MPs”. Further measures against undue influence would be examined in the coming weeks, the message said.

Episode of the Eva Kaili scandal

The EU Parliament is still struggling with the corruption scandal surrounding its then Vice-Chair Eva Kaili, which became known in December. A central role in the criminal investigation is played by former Italian MEP Antonio Panzeri, who after leaving Parliament worked as a representative of an NGO. He has admitted to having passed large sums of money to MEPs. Investigators found 600,000 euros in cash on him during a search in December.

A total of around 1.5 million euros in cash were confiscated in the course of the scandal known as “Qatargate”. The affair is about alleged attempts by the Gulf Emirates of Qatar and Morocco to bribe representatives of the EU Parliament and thus influence the policies of the European Union. Both countries reject the allegations. As a consequence, the EU Parliament has already passed several reforms for better protection against foreign influence.