The European Commission is banning staff from free tickets for the Olympics, Euros and Eurovision
Even if it would be nice to be offered something at no cost, the staff at the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, can no longer accept it – whether it’s Olympic tickets or concert tickets.
The commission reportedly told its staff in an email that it would ban the freebies because they raise “questions about compliance with the ethical conduct expected of members and staff, or could create reputational risks for the commission and the individuals involved.” Politico Reported Wednesday.
This rule is said to apply to major events for which tickets are often hard to come by, such as the Eurovision Song Contest and the Olympic Games. There is no clear threshold for the value of gifts that staff can accept. Although commissioners can accept certain gifts as long as they are worth less than €150, they are encouraged to refuse them.
Examples of exceptions include sporting events where a team member is representing the committee or if tickets are provided free of charge.
“The reputational risk of accepting a ticket is high when the general public has difficulty obtaining tickets,” the email said.
A European Commission spokesman said the general guidance to staff was that “a simple offer of tickets constitutes a gift that should generally be refused”. luckIf an employee must accept a gift for diplomatic or other reasons, he or she must obtain permission.
“Commissioners may not solicit or accept gifts unless there is a proper justification,” the commission spokesman said.
The new rules have come in light of scandals involving committee members in similar accounts. For example, Henrik Hololei, who served in the Ministry of Transport, took free trips during negotiations for a major deal last year. The committee follows a pattern of accepting trips paid for by third parties either Partially or completely, Politico is found.
Last June, the European Commission announced Proposal for adoption A unified approach for all EU bodies on accepting gifts, hospitality and travel arrangements from third parties.
Prominent political figures often come under scrutiny for such behavior due to ethical conflicts. Such behavior can create a quid pro quo relationship, giving politicians more power. to impact business.
There are many examples even outside the European Union.
For example, last month British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly received £76,000 worth of event tickets, clothing and other free gifts from donors after the 2019 general election. the Financial Times ReportedThese charges are normally supposed to be disclosed to the UK House of Commons Interest Register, except for international travel.
Starmer defended his decision to accept. Free tickets For football matches, saying that his sitting in the stands was for security reasons.
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