Even though it’s an important feeling to be offered something totally free, employees of the European Commission, the manager body of the European Union, can now not accept such gifts – be it Olympic passes or concert tickets.
The Commission reportedly told its staff in an email that it could ban free gifts because they “may raise questions about compliance with the expected ethical conduct of members and staff or create reputational risks for the Commission and the individuals concerned.” Politico reported On Wednesday.
The rule is claimed to use to major events for which tickets are sometimes difficult to acquire, resembling the Eurovision Song Contest and the Olympic Games. There is not any clear limit on the worth of gifts that staff can accept. Although commissioners are allowed to just accept certain gifts so long as they’re price lower than 150 euros, they’re encouraged to refuse them.
An exception applies, for instance, to sporting events if the worker represents the Commission or the tickets are offered as a favor.
“The reputational risk of accepting a ticket is high if the general public has difficulty obtaining tickets,” the e-mail said.
The general policy for workers is that “a simple offer of tickets constitutes a gift that should in principle be refused,” said a European Commission spokesman. AssetsIf the worker needs to just accept the gift for diplomatic or other reasons, she or he must ask for permission.
“Commissioners may not request or accept gifts unless there is a valid reason to do so,” the spokesman said.
The latest rules have been created in light of comparable scandals involving Commission members. For example, Henrik Hololei, who worked on the Ministry of Transport, accepted free flights last 12 months while negotiating a significant deal. The Commission often accepts travel paid for by third parties, either partially or completely, Politico found.
In June last 12 months, the European Commission proposed adoption a standardised approach for all EU institutions regarding the acceptance of gifts, hospitality and travel arrangements from third parties.
High-ranking politicians generally come under scrutiny for ethical conflicts for such actions. Such actions could create a quid pro quo relationship that offers politicians more power Influence the business.
There are also quite a few examples outside the European Union.
Last month, for instance, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly accepted £76,000 price of tickets, clothing and other gifts from donors following the 2019 general election. The Financial Times reportedThese fees are normally intended for disclosure within the House of Commons Register of Interests, excluding international travel.
Starmer defended his decision, free tickets for football matches and said it was dangerous for safety reasons to let him sit within the stands.
