EU parliament 'failed to comply' with law on MEP expenses

European ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros has criticised parliament for failing to comply with transparency laws for MEPs’ expenses.

It follows a complaint from a Maltese journalist, whose request for details of his country’s five MEPs’ allowances was rejected by the assembly on the grounds of data protection.

The journalist had lodged a complaint with Diamandouros, arguing that taxpayers have a right to know how MEPs spend public money.

Diamandouros consulted the European data protection supervisor who said that “in a transparent and democratic society” the public has a right to be informed about the MEPs’ behaviour.

The ombudsman subsequently called on parliament to disclose the requested information, but this was turned down.

Instead, it said it would publish general information on MEPs’ allowances on its website and alluded to the possibility of reassessing the situation in 2009.

In a new report, the Strasbourg-based ombudsman welcomed parliament’s decision to publish general information on MEPs’ allowances on its website, as well as its acknowledgment that the public has the right to know how MEPs spend public money.

But he said he regretted that the institution has interpreted the law “in a way that weakens the principle of transparency” and “conflicts” with a relevant recent judgment of the court of first instance.

Diamandouros said: “My role in dealing with this complaint concerned the principle of transparency and not the principle of financial accountability, which is the responsibility of the budget control authorities.

“I maintain my finding of maladministration but, unlike the court, I have no power to annul parliament’s decision.

“I welcome the news that parliament plans to reassess its position after the entry into force of the new statute for MEPs in 2009, but that cannot excuse its failure to comply with the law now.”

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