MEPs consider Dalli inquiry

Green MEPs to present the mandate for an investigation at the European Parliament today (21 March).

MEPs are pressing for the European Parliament to launch its own inquiry into the John Dalli affair after political group leaders last night (20 March) were shown declassified sections of a report by the EU investigative arm OLAF that led to the resignation of the former European health commissioner. 

Because so much information is still missing, Green group president Rebecca Harms requested that a special committee be set up to look into the issue, and Green MEPs will present the mandate for an investigation today at the European Parliament. It would look not only into the circumstances of Dalli’s resignation, but also into the overall role of tobacco lobbying in EU decision-making. The leaders of the political groups will take a decision next month on whether to set up the committee.

The demand comes after the European ombudsman launched an investigation into Dalli’s resignation earlier this month. The ombudsman has asked the European Commission to hand over all files relating to his departure. The ombudsman’s investigation is a response to a complaint made earlier this year by the transparency campaign group Corporate Europe Observatory. It accused the Commission of selectively releasing documents relating to the case and failing to fulfil its obligations under EU transparency laws.

No clarity

“The Commission has unduly refused access to documents, failed to provide clarity about which documents falling under the scope of request actually exist, and used delaying tactics,” the group said. The ombudsman has asked José Manuel Barroso, the president of the Commission, to submit an opinion on the allegations.

In October, OLAF found that Dalli was aware that a Maltese businessman had solicited tobacco company Swedish Match for payment in exchange for influencing legislation on tobacco. The Commission has always said that Dalli’s resignation is a cut-and-dried case of impropriety, but there has been confusion over exactly which rules Dalli violated.

? Last month the ombudsman launched a separate investigation into so-called ‘revolving door’ lobbying at the Commission. The Commission was asked to provide details of all cases in the last three years in which Commission staff left to take up jobs in the private sector where there may be conflicts of interest. The Commission has three months to respond.