Activities of Barbara SPINELLI related to 2016/2055(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the role of whistle-blowers in the protection of the EU’s financial interests
Amendments (7)
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Maintains that whistle-blowers play an essential role in helping Member State and EU institutions and bodies to deterprevent and tackle any breaches of the principle of integrity and misuse of power that might violatethreaten or violate public health and safety, financial integrity, economy, human rights, the environment and the rule of law at European and national levels, harm the economy and undermine the trust of citizens in democratic institutions and processes;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Regrets that not all EU institutions and bodies have yet adopted the rules to protect whistle-blowers;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Takes note that the Commission, in its EU Anti-Corruption report, stated that EU Member States have in place most of the necessary anti-corruption legal instruments and institutions, the capacity and efficiency of which should be improvedhowever, the results they deliver are not satisfactory across the EU and their capacity and efficiency should be improved; calls, therefore, on the Member States to enforce effective anti-corruption rules and, at the same time, to properly implement European and international standards and guidelines concerning whistle-blowers’ protection in their national laws;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Commission to take legislative action with the aim of improving transparency, by providing for a full access to documents, and fighting against corruption, including mafia- related type; regards it as essential to strengthen legislative provisions designed to guarantee greater transparency and traceability of financial flows, in particular as far as EU funds are concerned, including by means of a final audit to check that the funds have been properly used;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Points out that corruption, in particular in the context of the award of public contracts, makes it easier for organised crime to infiltrate the legal economy; calls, therefore on the Member States to take measures to curb the activities of professionals, banks, civil servants and politicians, who, although not members of criminal organisations, support them at various levels;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to set up an EU legal framework on the protection of whistle-blowers without undermining Member State competence common legislation to protect whistle- blowers, witnesses and persons who cooperate with the judicial process that includes the establishment of a specific fund aimed at giving protection to the person lodging the complaint, in order to support legal fees, medical bills, psycho- social counselling as a resettlement programme, taking into account that whistleblowing and filling of complaints generally cause the loss of job or deeply worsen the working conditions;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Finally believes that, in order to avoid any conflicts of interests that could undermine public perception as far as the integrity of the EU Institutions is concerned, the Commission should swiftly revise its Code of Conduct for Commissioners by strengthening its transparency and aligning it with the Treaty rules;