EU Parliament overhauls Committee to fight corruption

Brussels, 23 February 2023 (TDI): The European (EU) Parliament’s Special Committee on Foreign Interference will get new responsibilities following the surfacing of alleged foreign interference & investigation of corruption in the European Parliament.

The members of the European Parliament backed the revision of the title and responsibilities of the existing Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union (EU), including disinformation (ING2).

The committee’s new charge will be identifying lacunas and drawbacks in the Parliaments’ rules on transparency, accountability, integrity and ethic, and anti-corruption practices.

The task force will oversee protecting the parliament from corrupt practices. ING2 will also have to put forward short- and long-term recommendations for reforms.

The recommendation will be developed on existing European Parliaments resolutions and best practices from other parliaments and institutions across the globe.

The Special Commission will work in collaboration with Committee on Constitutional Affairs and Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Following the endorsed decision of all European Parliament members, the Commission’s new title will be “Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the EU, including disinformation, and the strengthening of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the European Parliament.

A new report will be presented by the Committee in July 2023, at the latest, with clearly demarcated rules and responsibilities for adoption in the plenary.

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The Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the EU is now mandated with the new task of curbing disinformation.

The new special committee is known as INGE2. The committee is now focusing on the 2024 European elections, formulating rules and regulations to ensure no foreign interference.

The task force as well envisages shielding existing and planned EU legislation from any loopholes. The step is crucial to counter counties outside the EU from malign activities against internal the European Parliament.