Rule 9  : Members' financial interests, standards of conduct, mandatory transparency register and access to Parliament

1.    Parliament shall lay down rules governing the transparency of its Members’ financial interests in the form of a Code of Conduct which shall be adopted by a majority of its component Members, in accordance with Article 232 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and attached to these Rules of Procedure as an annex. (1).

Those rules shall not in any way prejudice or restrict Members in the exercise of their office or of any related political or other activity.

2.    Members’ conduct shall be characterised by mutual respect, be based on the values and principles laid down in the basic texts on which the European Union is founded, respect the dignity of Parliament and not compromise the smooth conduct of parliamentary business or disturb the peace and quiet of any of Parliament's premises. Members shall comply with Parliament's rules on the treatment of confidential information.

Failure to comply with those standards and rules may lead to application of measures in accordance with Rules 152, 153 and 154.

3.    The application of this Rule shall in no way detract from the liveliness of parliamentary debates nor undermine Members’ freedom of speech.

It shall be based on full respect for Members’ prerogatives, as laid down in primary law and the Statute for Members.

It shall be based on the principle of transparency and be so undertaken that the relevant provisions are made clear to Members, who shall be informed individually of their rights and obligations.

4.    At the beginning of each parliamentary term the Quaestors shall determine the maximum number of assistants who may be registered by each Member (accredited assistants).

5.    Long-term access badges shall be issued to persons from outside the Union institutions under the responsibility of the Quaestors. Such badges shall be valid for a maximum period of one year, which may be renewed. The rules governing the use of such badges shall be laid down by the Bureau.

Such badges may be issued to:

-    persons whose names appear in the transparency register (2) or who represent or work for organisations whose names appear therein, although registration shall not confer an automatic right to such a badge;

-    persons who wish to enter Parliament’s premises frequently, but who do not fall within the scope of the agreement on the establishment of a transparency register (3);

    Members’ local assistants and persons assisting Members of the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

6.    Persons who sign the transparency register must, in the context of their relations with Parliament, respect:

-    the code of conduct annexed to the agreement (4);

-    the procedures and other obligations laid down by the agreement; and

-    the provisions of this Rule and its implementing provisions.

7.    The Quaestors shall determine to what extent the code of conduct is applicable to persons who, whilst in possession of a long-term access badge, do not fall within the scope of the agreement.

8.    Badges shall be withdrawn by reasoned decision of the Quaestors in the following cases:

-    the holder has been struck off the transparency register, unless there are significant arguments against withdrawal;

-    the holder has been guilty of a serious breach of the obligations laid down in paragraph 6.

9.    The Bureau, acting on a proposal from the Secretary-General, shall lay down the measures needed to implement the transparency register, in accordance with the provisions of the agreement on the establishment of that register.

The provisions implementing paragraphs 5 to 8 shall be laid down in an annex (5).

10.    The code of conduct and the rights and privileges of former Members shall be laid down by a decision of the Bureau. No distinction shall be made in the treatment of former Members.