20.04.2008

The ethics and integrity of the European Commission is a top priority for Anti-Fraud Commissioner Siim Kallas, who has been working, since 2000, on improving public confidence in the Commission.

In his new guidelines proposal entitled, "Enhancing the Environment for Professional Ethics in the Commission" (submitted in March), Kallas outlines the need to improve the following areas: Awareness-raising and ethics policy; ethics infrastructure; clarification of certain rules in the staff regulationsrelated to potential conflicts of interests.Kallas proposes this be done using the following methods: upholding public interest and accountability; competence responsibility and objectivity; safeguarding public assets and information.