The Law and Governance of the EU Public Ethics System

This book examines how ethical the EU’s governance system is; in what ways it is (un)ethical; and how it could be improved. The so-called Qatargate, the influence-buying scandal that has rocked the EU Parliament, is just the latest in a series of scandals highlighting the need for reform. Moreover, as the EU regulatory influence continues to grow beyond its borders, a wider range of stakeholders claim their rights to influence EU decision-making. Growing and rapidly changing corporate influence over the EU also calls for a re-assessment of the EU's ability to safely interact with interest groups, especially when the latter embrace a new repertoire of subtle, often covert, lobbying tools such as astroturfing – the practice of hiding the sponsors of a message or organization to make it appear as though it originates from, and is supported by, grassroots participants. Against this backdrop, the questions at the core of this volume are the following: What are the ethics and integrity rules for the EU? How do they score compared to the integrity frameworks existing at the Member States’ level or in other democracies? How do we design these rules in the EU and ensure their enforcement? Can an EU ethics system contribute to preventing or mitigating unethical conduct within the Union? How do we improve the enforcement of integrity standards in the EU? In addressing these questions, this edited volume rationalises the existing 'EU ethical framework' and identifies its major shortcomings while contextualising it within the unique transnational setting that characterises the EU public administration and its various institutions. Alberto Alemanno is Jean Monnet Professor of European Union Law at HEC Paris, France, and a visiting professor at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. His research focuses on the democratization of the European Union and the role of citizens in EU integration both at the level of agenda-setting and policy formation. He has established and leads The Good Lobby, a nonprofit whose mission is to equalize access to power, by enhancing the advocacy capacity of civil society while making corporate lobbying more ethical, responsible and sustainable.