What changed between the plenary report and the adopted text

Changed:30. Stresses that transparency, accountability, and integrity are essential ethics principles within the Union institutions and in particular Parliament as the house of European democracy; welcomes the prompt actions taken by Parliament regarding the events related to alleged corruption cases concerning Members and employees in December 2022; welcomes the contribution of DG PRES to the 14-point action plan proposed by the President and its efforts in implementing the new rules on integrity and transparency; further welcomes the efforts by Parliament’s political authorities to enhance transparency, integrity and accountability in Parliament; calls on the administration to track the budgetary and financial impact of these measures; notes that Parliament reconfirms trust in the Union’s decision-making process by improving transparency, ethics and good conduct in the most representative Union institution through its actions; recalls that these events are commonly known as Qatargate;

Removed:31. Recalls that these events are commonly known as the Qatargate;

Added:34. Reiterates its concerns about large-scale foreign interference and disinformation campaigns targeting the Union, particularly by Russia; emphasises the need for an enhanced security culture within Parliament; calls for a mandatory and regular security and integrity training for Members and members of staff, appropriate security clearance and reinforced screening of members of staff, in particular those attending in camera meetings; calls for stricter scrutiny of the organisation of events, of the invitation of external guests to Parliament and of access to Parliament’s communication platforms; calls for an urgent investigation into allegations of Russian influence in Parliament;

Changed:36. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all Union funds are effectively traceable from the direct recipient to the final beneficiary when funds are passed on in a chain as reflected in the proposal for a recast of the Financial Regulation and as requested in the own-initiative report “Transparency and accountability of non-governmental organisations funded from the EU Budget” adopted on the 17th of17 January 2024; calls for a revision of the guidelines for registration in the transparency register to disclose all incoming and outgoing funds, including the transfer of funds from one entity stakeholder to another; underlines that all registrants or entities receiving money from third parties, whose registration in the transparency register is not required, need to disclose the source of their funding;

Added:38. Notes the revised code of conduct for Members and the increased focus on integrity and transparency regarding Members' declarations of financial interests, potential conflict of interests, meetings with representatives and declarations of input; stresses that the new rules are welcomed but that their interpretation has raised many questions and require action by Parliament’s administration and the Code of Conduct committee; highlights that in order for Members to be in compliance with the new rules, clear and reliable interpretation is necessary to allow the highest level of legal certainty; calls for regular information updates to be sent to Members' offices to allow for greater visibility and accessibility;

Added:47. Emphasises the need for Parliament and the other Union institutions to have adequate resources to safeguard their information space against information manipulation campaigns, while fully upholding Union values;

Added:56. Welcomes the adoption of the European Media Freedom Act which introduces a new set of rules to promote media pluralism and independence across the Union; is of the opinion that it represents an additional tool, within the Union’s continued efforts to fight against systematic campaigns of foreign information manipulation and interference aiming to destabilise the Union;

Added:59. Believes that granting access to Parliament’s resources, such as video recording studios or other communication platforms must not be used to undermine the Union’s values or for the purposes of disseminating hostile information by authoritarian regimes;

Changed:64.68. Acknowledges that the work of APAs is an integral part of the work of Members and that they play an important role in the legislative procedures of the Union; notes that following the adoption of the APA statute in 2009, the recognition of their work has increased gradually over the years; notes the efforts made by Parliament to create a framework for providing support to APAs; calls on the Bureau and the administration of the Parliament to regularly and formally consult the APA Committee on revisions and reforms that directly impact the rights of APAs; calls for due adherence to the rules in place; calls on Parliament’s administration to explore the feasibility of introducing a notice period within APA's contracts in the event of the unexpected departure of an MEP, whether voluntary or involuntary.involuntary;

Changed:66.70. Observes that the Bureau Decision on applicable rules on Committee missions outside of the three places of work as amended in November 2011, following discussions in the Conference of Presidents in April 2011 and in the Bureau in November 2011, currently prohibits APAs to accompany Members on official Parliament delegations and committee missions; notes that allowing APAs to participate to EP missions unofficially puts the Parliament in a serious reputational risk and imposes specific challenges with regards to their insurance coverage; reminds that MEPs are already accompanied by representatives of political groups on these missions;missions but points out that the technical support that APAs provide during missions is of key importance to the participating Members; reiterates its long-standing request to allow APAs, under certain conditions yet to be determined, to accompany Members on official Parliament delegations and missions outside of the three places of work, as reiterated by Plenary in several discharge resolutions; urges the Bureau and the Conference of Presidents to respond positively to this demand;

Removed:68. Notes that Members of the European Parliament are free to choose their own assistants within a budget set by Parliament; further notes that days of missions for local assistant should be limited to 10 days per annum;

Changed:71.74. In order to strengthen transparency and accountability in European parliamentary operations, and to promote fair distribution of resources, the following revisions are proposed regarding parliamentary assistance and overall ceilings and budget: 1. The minimum budget allocation for Parliamentary Assistance (APAs) shall be mandated at a minimum of 35%. 2. The maximum allocation budget for other beneficiaries shall be capped at 65% and shall be divided as follows: a. Service providers shall be limited to a maximum of 25% budget allocation. b. Local assistants shall be limited to a maximum of 25% budget allocation. c. Trainees shall be limited to a maximum of 15% budget allocation;

Added:1. The minimum budget allocation for Parliamentary Assistance (APAs) shall be mandated at a minimum of 35%.

Added:2. The maximum allocation budget for other beneficiaries shall be capped at 65% and shall be divided as follows:

Added:a. Service providers shall be limited to a maximum of 25% budget allocation.

Added:b. Local assistants shall be limited to a maximum of 25% budget allocation.

Changed:75.78. Suggests that in order to reconcile the needs of Parliament’s administration (including team cohesion, internal communication and on-boarding of newcomers) which would positively impact its performance as well as the attractiveness of Parliament as an employer, an analysis on the new ways of working continues to be carried out; notes the introduction of the possibility for staff to telework from abroad for five days per year; notes that some of the measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic have modified working conditions in specific services; calls for a proactive monitoring and evaluation of the new ways of working so the well-being and satisfaction of staff isare not negatively impact;impacted;

Added:80. Strongly believes that the sponsoring of events and trips should never serve as a means to compromise Union values or propagate hostile information by authoritarian regimes; reiterates its call for stricter rules for trips taken by Members that are paid for by foreign countries and entities; believes that similar rules should be drawn up for trips taken by APAs or political group staff;

Added:91. Points out that a large share of the seats available in the vehicle fleet commuting between Brussels and Strasbourg for plenary sessions seats remained unoccupied in 2022; reiterates its call on Parliament’s administration to widen the user group and allow Parliament’s staff to travel to and from Strasbourg with the service fleet without the presence of a Member, while making sure that Members’ seats are secured;

Changed:88.93. RecallsTakes note of the Bureauunanimous decision of the Bureau of 23 October 2019 to approve the creation of an IDEA Lab with the aim of testing new, innovative solutions in the context of offices and facility management; welcomes the creation of a permanent laboratory for innovation which could potentially lead to savings in future renovation projects and calls for the establishment of a separate budget line; points out that the IDEA Lab is supposed to be at the disposal of Members and thus,requests pointsthat outMembers will be informed about innovations and tested solutions that Memberswill havebe rolled-out in the future and those that are not beenpursued properlyany further and proactivelyfor informedwhat aboutreasons; theis innovationsof tothe beopinion testedthat norone theirof costs;the notespriorities of the highIDEA annualLab maintenanceshould costbe an innovative architectural solution to make better use of ITthe solutionsspace thatoccupied areby notthe beingunused implementedshowers in Parliament;the Members’ offices; calls on the Bureau working group on buildings and Parliament’s administration to ensure greater transparency regarding the functioning and budget for the IDEA Lab and to regularly present to the Committee on Budgetary Control the list of innovative solutions, their cost and the feedback produced, as well as the potential saving if implemented;

Changed:94.99. IsCommends concernedParliament for the accessibility adaptation works that have been undertaken in the Brussels buildings between 2017 and 2022 that amounted to EUR 3,3 Million overall; welcomes the fact that the tribune in the visitors’ area of the hemicycle in the SPAAK building is notnow accessible to people with reduced mobility; recalls that every European citizen should have equal access when visiting the EU institutions; recalls that the Union has been at the forefront of promoting inclusivity and equality for all its citizens; recalls that every European citizen should have equal access when visiting the Union institutions; calls foron anParliament to pursue the analysis of the needs of visitors with disabilities and forasks that the appropriate measures to be implemented;

Changed:96.101. Takes further note of the Bureau decision of 6th6 July 2022, on the building strategy for Strasbourg, focusing on improving hosting and accommodation capacity, optimising the use of Parliament premises, enhancing accessibility and consolidating staff functionality;

Added:108. Recalls the deaf community’s long-standing demand, since 2016, for the ability to submit petitions to Parliament in EU national sign languages; stresses that the measure would allow the deaf community to express their right to petition, which is one of the fundamental rights of all European citizens, enshrined both in the Treaty and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; notes the analysis carried out by DG LINC and DG ITEC on the most efficient solution with minimal cost sent to the Committee of Petitions in May 2020; calls on the administration to adopt this solution and to facilitate the submission of petitions expressed in EU national sign languages via the Petitions Portal;

Changed:111.117. ReiteratesRecalls Article 26 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union; reiterates its long-standing request to the Secretary-General to analyse the feasibility of international sign language interpretation for all plenary debates and to implement without delay this request; believes moreover that plenary sessions retransmission in the sign languages used in each Member State would increase participation of persons with disabilities in the EU democratic process; highlights the importance of using digital tools, including AI-powered assistive appliances; also insists on the need for accessible information through easy-to-read formats, pictograms and new technologies, for all persons with disabilities;

Removed:129. Notes that Parliament has systematically rejected OLAF’s requests to conduct inspections of MEPs’ offices and access their electronic servers and devices;

Added:135. Notes that Parliament has systematically rejected OLAF’s requests to conduct inspections of MEPs’ offices and access their electronic servers and devices; highlights that Members are protected by the non-liability for votes cast and opinions expressed in the performance of their duties and the protection from prosecutions and restrictions of their personal freedom during the sessions of Parliament; recalls that OLAF can only enter Members' offices after Parliament’s President grants access following a request issued by a responsible authority of a Member State, in most cases a judge; recalls that OLAF needs to respect these limits in the observance of its duties and investigations and stresses that alleged misconduct cannot be used as a pretext to request direct access;

Changed:131.137. Notes that in the year 2022, the amount of 261.891 EUR 261 891 was recovered by the European Parliament from individual MEPs on revenue budget line 3300 "Repayment of amounts wrongly paid"; notes that large part of this amount is not related to parliamentary assistance allowance; notes that in general, amounts recovered on revenue budget line 3300 (from individual MEPS but also from political groups/parties/foundations, third parties, staff, other individuals, etc.) for the largest part represent technical recoveries such as the regularisation of amounts spent related to contracts evolved or terminated and for a large majority they do not concern APAs; observes that these amounts also include cases which relate to the voluntary reimbursements by a limited number of MEPs and the specific case of corrections, which were due either to administrative errors in the EP calculations or retroactive change of the rules in some Member States and off-set; notes that changes in terms of contracts and potential related recoveries after validated adaptations of the terms of contract are also falling under this category;

Changed:135.141. Recalls the added-value of free and open source software in improving security since they make it possible for Parliament to identify and fix weaknesses, keep control over the data by hosting in its servers and designing solutions according to its own specifications, while being able to avoid vendor lock-in effects; recalls that only high standards of cyber security should guide the selection of the software used;

Added:147. Recalls the deaf community’s longstanding demand for the possibility to submit petitions in national sign languages used within the Union; notes the discussions held during the Committee of Petitions meeting on 29/11/2023 and 19/03/2024, specifically addressing Petition 1056/2016, and underlines Parliament’s commitment to enhancing accessibility for all European citizens; recalls that Parliament’s Rules of Procedure require petitions to be submitted in written form; calls on Parliament’s Administration to implement the necessary changes in the Petitions Portal in order to enable Petitioners to support their written petition with a video recorded translation in sign language; encourages the Administration to invite relevant stakeholders, including representatives from the deaf community, to provide input and feedback during the implementation process to ensure the effectiveness and inclusivity of the proposed measures;

Changed:150.157. Highlights that there should be mandatory anti-harassment training for members, APAs and members of staff;staff and that all members of staff, including medical personnel playing a role in anti-harassment procedures, should be specially trained for these procedures;

Changed:152.159. Highlights that the Advisory Committee dealing with harassment complaints concerning Members has a mandate to examine allegations of psychological or sexual harassment against Members from all categories of staff, including APAs, trainees, seconded national experts and political group staff; notes that with the aim of further reinforcing Parliament’s anti-harassment policies, on 20 November 2023, the Bureau adopted a number of additional amendments to the rules on the functioning of the advisory committee dealing with harassment complaints concerning Members; reiterates its calls on the Bureau to include independent experts on harassment issues in both advisory committees to assist in the performance of their duties;

Added:160. Stresses that sexual and psychological harassment are not acceptable under any circumstances; recalls that Parliament has successfully installed several contact points to deal with harassment cases, like the Advisory Committee dealing with harassment complaints concerning Members, and the Advisory Committee on harassment and its prevention at the workplace as well as confidential counsellors; is very concerned by media revelations of alleged sexual harassment by a Member since summer 2022 without action having been taken; recalls that all political groups are strongly encouraged to report potential cases to these committees and that establishing external structures with the same purpose leads to circumventing Parliament’s anti-harassment protocol and establishes a two-tier system; underlines that this leads to grave uncertainty for victims and establishes different rules for different political parties;

Changed:155.163. Recalls that staff members of the Union institutions have an obligation to report any information pointing to corruption, fraud and other serious irregularities that they discover in the line of duty; notes that Parliament recorded one case of whistleblowing in 2022; welcomes the ongoing work in 2022 to update the Internal Rules Implementing Article 22(c) of the Staff Regulations of 4 December 2015 with more comprehensive and detailed internal rules; welcome that a Bureau decision regarding the internal rules on whistleblowing was adopted on 20 November 2023 and applies from 1 December 2023; including provisions for the protection of whistleblowers, transmission of evidence to OLAF and, if appropriate, EPPO as well as deadlines for the handling of complaints; regrets, however, that these rules are still not aligned to Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council;

Changed:156.164. Following Bureau Notice n°No 18/2023 on the Internal rules on whistleblowing and the obligations placed upon APAs and staff members to report any violations, it is imperative that all services within the Parliament also be obligated to report any information they have of fraud, violations of financial rules, or any conduct that breaches the Parliament's ethical code. This obligation applies to all such information, regardless of its confidentiality, and should be reported to the relevant service within the Parliament;

Changed:157.165. Notes that the actuarial deficit of the Voluntary Pension Fund (VPF) on 31 December 2021 amounted to EUR 379 million (compared to EUR 371.4371,4 million on 31 December 2020); welcomes the amendments made by Parliament’s Bureau to Article 76 of the IMMS in relation to the Additional (Voluntary) Pension Scheme, which entered into force on 1 July 2023, aiming to reduce future pension obligations from EUR 362.7362,7 million to an estimated EUR 139 million, and the actuarial deficit of the fund from EUR 310 million to an estimated EUR 86 million;

Changed:159.167. Asks the administration and the Bureau to exploreaddress everythe legalmatter optiononce thatagain wouldonly guaranteeafter thatthe nolegal taxpayerassessment moneyof isthe usedCJEU foris anydelivered futurein bail-outorder ofto consider the VPF’sfuture investmentof portfolio;the VPF;