10 Amendments of Hilde VAUTMANS related to 2020/2222(INI)
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Acknowledges that the need to respond swiftly and effectively to a crisis often has a direct impact on the balance between the different powers of the state and recognises that governments and local authorities may be forced to adopt emergency measures with less public consultation than would generally be expected; recalls attention to thehowever that great importance ofshould be given upholding an effective system of checks and balances for all actions taken in response to an emergency;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Is of the opinion thatUnderlines that during the response to the current COVID-19 crisis may have, there has been an increased the risk and instances of corruption; believeof corruption, confirmed by high-level prominent cases in some Member States; highlights that the response to the COVID- 19 crisis is also a reminder thatmust abide by the highest standards of openness, transparency, accountability and law enforcement, ares essential components of democratic governance;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Recalls the importance of preventive measures for mitigating risks associated to corruption in developing strategies and mechanisms of public procurement; calls on the Commission and Member State authorities to enhance existing and develop new dedicated mechanisms for special and crisis situations, with a particular focus on preventive measures; highlights that in this regard, the importance of enhancing the use of risk mitigating tools such as ARACHNE for both EU and national funds; reiterates its calls on the Commission to make the use of ARACHNE mandatory for EU funding;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Points out that corruption in general undermines the functioning of the state and public authorities at all levels and is one of the key enablers of organised crime; emphasises that effective anti-corruption frameworks and transparency and integrity in the exercise of state power can strengthen legal systems and trust in public authorities and democratic processes; calls on all Member States to update or develop their national anti-corruption strategies, with dedicated sections to spending public money in times of crisis;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses that the incorrect management of public funds and ineffective responses to a crisis may intensify growing distrust in government; believes that the public has the right to be informed and to be provided with up-to- date, transparent and reliable information and data during crises; regrets that during the Covid-19 pandemic, several Member States adopted measures that hampered public access to documents; underlines that in this context, media professionals experienced important difficulties and unmotivated denials, as well as pressure and threats concerning access to public documents; recalls the role of the free press as a key component of a functional democracy and stresses the importance of protection mechanisms at national and European level in order to preserve and strengthen a free media; recalls that timely public access to documents in a machine-readable format is a key component to ensuring transparency and scrutiny of public spending;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the critical role of civil society organisations in fighting corruption; emphasises that the success of any emergency response greatly depends on the active participation of all actors in society; believes that the current COVID- 19 crisis has highlighted the importance of maintaining a robust system of citizen participation in public decision-making; regrets that, during the COVID-19 crisis, several Member States adopted emergency legislation imposing restrictive measures on the activities of the civil society, beyond the proportionate necessities called for by the situation; urges Member States to develop comprehensive crisis management plans in order to prepare for future similar situations and to include safeguards for the civil society's role of public watchdog;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Underlines the essential role of the EPPO within the EU framework for preventing and fighting corruption; calls on remaining non-participating Member States to collaborate and eventually join the EPPO; highlights that Member States can benefit from valuable expertise by actively collaborating with the EPPO; recalls the need of ensuring proper human and budgetary resources for the proper functioning of the Office;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Highlights that the respect for the rule of law and a fully independent judiciary are essential for preventing and fighting corruption and that upholding them is crucial in periods of crisis; underlines that for their efficient operation, Member States should do a comprehensive evaluation of the equipment and human resources needs of law enforcement authorities, taking into account the rapid evolution and diversification of irregular and illegal paths; recalls the importance of effective information flows and enhanced communication between the different relevant national authorities, as well as at European level; calls on the Member States to take the necessary measures for providing law enforcement with the necessary IT tools and resources for enhancing their cooperation in preventing and fighting corruption;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Acknowledges the current role and future potential of using artificial intelligence and big data in fighting corruption and the misuse of public funds; points out that all publicly available information and data should be easily accessible; highlights that this information and data must be processed in a proper way to ensurecompliance with the norms concerning data protection and the right to privacy of citizenindividuals;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls on the Member States to follow the recommendations of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)Reminds that the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) issued several recommendations concerning the use of public money in crisis situations, in the context pf the COVID-19 pandemic; calls on the Member States to follow all of the GRECO recommendations and welcomes the possibility of the EU joining GRECO as a full member.