Verbatim report of proceedings

Thursday, 1 December 2011 - Brussels

6.21. Amendment to Rules of Procedure regarding code of conduct for Members of the European Parliament in respect of financial interests and conflicts of interest (A7-0386/2011 - Carlo Casini)

- Before the vote:

  Carlo Casini, rapporteur. – (IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would just like to thank all those who worked on this text, starting with the working group, in which all the leading members of the parties present in this House met, but also my committee, which did some valuable work on this issue.

I believe that we need a very broad consensus to demonstrate that this Parliament is a transparent parliament, that it is concerned only with the common good, and that each one of us is personally honouring the commitment, made back at the time of the elections, to serve only the common good and European integration. Hence, I believe that there should be a very broad consensus, which is why I would ask Mr Gargani to withdraw his oral amendments; although they are worded very well, they would prevent this broad consensus from being reached.

  Giuseppe Gargani (PPE). – (IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I agree with the comments made by Mr Casini, but in the committee meeting, I tabled various amendments in the – very modest, but I believe very correct – belief that they improved the text. Those amendments were not accepted because there was a discussion, which was also held at a high level, with you in attendance, and hence an agreement had already essentially been reached.

I am tabling two oral amendments, one of which I consider to be very important because, as the Article states … I would like all the Members to listen to me for a moment, because I believe there is a problem … Two minutes … Do I have to speak later? May I continue?

(The President cut off the speaker)

- Before the vote on Amendment 8:

  Giuseppe Gargani (PPE). – (IT) Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I refer both to this amendment and to the next one, because I have tabled two oral amendments. I believe that this one is very timely and integral to the overall text, because the Article spells out the duties of MEPs in the text, in the introduction, but it is very muddled and actually stipulates what cannot be done, not what MEPs must do in accordance with what Mr Casini said about our transparency and our representation of the people, whom we must represent in a correct and very scrupulous manner. I believe that it is very muddled.

I would place even more emphasis on the other amendment, Mr President. Since we are stipulating that MEPs must not accept gifts worth more than EUR 150, my amendment, ladies and gentlemen, was far stricter in proposing a much lower amount, because I believe that MEPs should not accept any gifts or courtesies save for those of little, or negligible, value.

I believe that the proof of this is in a letter received by all the MEPs. This letter provides for, offers MEPs EUR 100 to take part in a survey. I believe that this is an offence against …

(The President cut off the speaker)

(The oral amendments were not adopted)

  President. – I would like to thank the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and all the colleagues who were so active in the codes of conduct. It was great work. Thank you very much.