EU Ombudsman to look into ‘revolving doors’ Commissioners with double salary

Diamandouros said he is looking into the issue of “revolving doors” whereby former Commissioners or EU officials move to the private sector in a consultation with the national ombudsmen in the Member States.

Former European Commissioner Joe Borg is reported to be getting a ‘double salary’ as part of his transition into the job market from his former Brussels post. Borg is receiving both a salary from Fipra, a PR consultancy lobbying on maritime issues, and an €11,000 monthly allowance from the European Commission.

The Commission pays the transitional money for three years after a Commissioner is not reappointed, and the sum is between 40-65% of the basic salary of a commissioner (€20,278 per month), depending on the length of service.

Speaking in an event co-organised with Transparency International in Brussels, entitled “Transparency at the EU level and in the Member States”, he said: “Only if European citizens feel that the EU administration is transparent, accessible and accountable, will they develop the necessary trust and willingness actively to participate in the democratic life of the Union.”

More than one-third of the Ombudsman’s inquiries concern complaints about lack of transparency in the EU administration. Such complaints concern, for example, access to information or documents, the composition of working groups, or the institutions’ policy making.

“The Lisbon Treaty provides for greater transparency in the activities of the EU administration,” Diamandouros said. “It requires the Council to meet in public when it deliberates on draft legislation and contains the citizens’ right of access to documents of all EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, including, for the first time, the European Council. The Treaty also requires the EU administration to conduct its work as openly as possible, in order to promote good governance and the participation of civil society. I am committed to informing citizens about their right to know what the EU administration is doing.”

The Ombudsman also receives an increasing number of complaints that raise ethical concerns.

They range from the question of what gifts EU officials may accept to the issue of “revolving doors” whereby former Commissioners or EU officials move to the private sector thereby running the risk of creating conflicts of interest. With a view to identifying best practices with regard to the fundamental ethical principles that should apply to EU officials, the Ombudsman recently launched a consultation with the national ombudsmen in the Member States.

More information about the “International Right to Know Day” event.