Free Republic

Complacency and complex rules makes the EU’s own institutions vulnerable to corruption and conflicts of interest, a report by a leading transparency NGO has found. The 250-page “European Union Integrity System”, published by Transparency International on Thursday (24 April), is the first assessment looking at how ten EU institutions are dealing with internal corruption risks. “The EU institutions have done a lot to put their house in order; but strong foundations are being undermined by complex rules, complacency and a lack of follow up,” said Carl Dolan, director of Transparency International in Brussels. …

The European Commission has been forced to beat a hasty retreat from a proposed ban on jugs of olive oil in restaurants after the idea met with widespread ridicule. Barely a week after it was announced for “hygiene” and “consumer protection” purposes, the EU commissioner in charge, Dacian Ciolos, rushed to the same press room on Thursday (23 May) to announce he was withdrawing the measure. … The proposal would have banned jugs and dipping bowls of olive oil in restaurants from next year and was meant to prevent restaurant-goers from being served any old inferior oil. It had been...