Interinstitutional Body for Ethical Standards for Members of Institutions and Advisory Bodies of the EU

This page provides information on the establishment of the Interinstitutional Ethics Body. 

Background

In May 2024, eight EU institutions and advisory bodies adopted the Agreement establishing the Interinstitutional Ethics Body. The adoption of that agreement formally concluded the negotiations based on the Commission’s relevant proposal of 8 June 2023.

Participating Institutions

The following EU institutions and advisory bodies make up the Interinstitutional Ethics Body:

• European Parliament
• Council of the EU
• European Commission
• Court of Justice of the EU
• European Central Bank
• European Court of Auditors
• European Economic and Social Committee
• European Committee of the Regions

The European Investment Bank has the option to join the agreement in the future.

Composition and role 

The Interinstitutional Ethics Body is composed of:

• one senior member representing each participating institution and advisory body, holding a post corresponding to Vice-President or equivalent; and
• five independent experts in an advisory capacity. 

The Body is chaired each year by one of the participating institutions and advisory bodies. The rotating Chair coordinates the work of the secretariat of the Body.

The secretariat consists of the officials responsible for ethical issues in each participating institution. It is hosted by the Commission. 

Purpose and mandate

The Interinstitutional Ethics Body will promote a common culture of ethics and integrity among the participating institutions and advisory bodies and will strengthen the accountability of their members. 

• The Body is responsible for:setting up and periodically reviewing common minimum standards for ethical conduct, as well as general procedures to make sure they are respectedrequiring the participating institutions and advisory bodies to ensure that their internal rules are compatible with the ethical standards set by the Body
• facilitating the exchange of views on the alignment of internal rules with the agreed standards, including by publishing reports.

Independent experts will assist the Body in the performance of its duties. They may, at the request of a participating institution or advisory body, advise on:

•  Individual declarations of interests or other standardised written declarations by members of that institution or body, in special cases .
• Developing or updating the ethical standards.

Negotiations

The first political meeting took place on 7 July 2023. It was followed by six political meetings. The minutes of these meetings are published below.