The European Network for Public Ethics welcomes a new member

Intended to promote public integrity and transparency, the European Network for Public Ethics was created in June 2022 at the initiative of the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life, which chairs it. It brings together 12 authorities from the European Union’s member States, which regularly exchange views on public integrity issues.

On July 5, 2023, the President of the High Authority, Didier Migaud, held a virtual meeting of the Network’s members to discuss recent European legislative developments in the field of ethics and the fight against corruption. He welcomed the preventive dimension of the proposal for a directive on fighting corruption presented on May 3 by the European Commission. However, members regretted the lack of ambition of the project for a European Ethics Body, which missions were presented on June 8 by the Vice-President of the European Commission, Véra Jourová, insofar as it does not have any power of investigation or sanction.

This fourth meeting was also an opportunity to define the positioning of the Network regarding the EU network against corruption, the creation of which was also announced by the European Commission on May 3. In this context, members agreed on the need to raise awareness of the relevance of the European Network for Public Ethics and its work on public integrity issues such as the prevention of conflicts of interest in the public sphere and the control of revolving-door movements between the public and private sectors.

The European Network for Public Ethics is also delighted to welcome a new member, the Transparency Entity of Portugal. Created in 2019, it aims to control the single declaration of incomes, assets and interests of holders of political office and senior administration.