Even though it is a great feeling to be offered something for free, employees of the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, can no longer accept such gifts – be it Olympic passes or concert tickets.
The Commission reportedly told its staff in an email that it would 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 said to apply to major events for which tickets are often difficult to obtain, such as the Eurovision Song Contest and the Olympic Games. There is no clear limit on the value of gifts that staff can accept. Although commissioners are allowed to accept certain gifts as long as they are worth less than 150 euros, they are encouraged to refuse them.
An exception applies, for example, to sporting events if the employee 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 email said.
The general policy for employees is that “a simple offer of tickets constitutes a gift that should in principle be refused,” said a European Commission spokesman. AssetsIf the employee needs to accept the gift for diplomatic or other reasons, he or she must ask for permission.
“Commissioners may not request or accept gifts unless there is a valid reason to do so,” the spokesman said.
The new rules have been created in light of similar scandals involving Commission members. For example, Henrik Hololei, who worked at the Ministry of Transport, accepted free flights last year while negotiating a major deal. The Commission regularly accepts travel paid for by third parties, either partially or completely, Politico found.
In June last year, 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 gives politicians more power Influence the business.
There are also numerous examples outside the European Union.
Last month, for example, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly accepted £76,000 worth of tickets, clothing and other gifts from donors following the 2019 general election. The Financial Times reportedThese fees are normally intended for disclosure in 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 in the stands.