No matter how good it feels to get something for free, the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, can no longer accept anything for free – whether it’s Olympic passes or concert tickets.
The board reportedly sent an email to staff saying it would ban freebies because they “may raise questions about the expected ethical behavior of members and staff, or may create reputational risk for the board and its associates.” Politico Reported On Wednesday.
This rule is said to apply to large events where tickets are difficult to obtain, such as the Eurovision Song Contest and the Olympics. There is no hard limit on the value of gifts that employees can receive. Commissioners are allowed to accept certain gifts as long as they are worth less than €150, but are encouraged to refuse them.
One exception to this is when a staff member is acting on behalf of a committee at a sporting event or when tickets are provided as a courtesy.
“If the general public has difficulty obtaining tickets, there is a greater reputational risk in accepting tickets,” the email reads.
The general guidance for staff is that “the simple offer of a ticket is generally a gift that should be refused,” a European Commission spokesperson said. luckIf an employee needs to accept a gift for diplomatic or other reasons, permission must be obtained.
“Commissioners should not ask for or accept gifts unless there is a legitimate reason,” the spokesperson said.
The new rules come after scandals involving commission members with similar accounts. For example, Henrik Holley, who worked for the Department of Transportation, took free flights last year during major deal negotiations. The commission has a pattern of accepting trips paid for by third parties. Partially or completely, Politico establish.
Last June, the European Commission Proposed adoption Introduce a standardised approach for all EU institutions to accept gifts, hospitality and travel arrangements from third parties.
High-profile politicians are often investigated for such behavior because of ethical conflicts, which can create quid-pro-quo relationships and give politicians more power. Influence business.
There are numerous examples outside the European Union as well.
For example, last month it was reported that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had received £76,000 worth of event tickets, clothing and other freebies from donors since the 2019 general election. that much The Financial Times Reported. These expenses are generally intended to be disclosed on the House of Commons Register of Interests, excluding international travel.
Starmer defended his decision to accept. Free Ticket For soccer matches, he said it was a security issue to have him sit in the stands.
