OSCE/ODIHR event at the European Parliament highlights importance of ethical standards in enhancing public trust in democratic institutions
Good practices and the challenges in developing and implementing ethics reform were the focus of discussions during an event co-organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on 1 March 2016 in Brussels as part of Ukraine Week in the European Parliament.
Organized in co-operation with the USAID RADA Program, in partnership with the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, the event brought together Members of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s parliament), and of the European Parliament, as well as parliamentary staff and civil society representatives, to raise awareness of ethical and professional standards for parliamentarians.
ODIHR’s work on parliamentary ethics is based on the OSCE principles of public accountability and political integrity, and encourages parliaments in OSCE participating States to elaborate standards of ethics and official conduct for their members and staff.
Referencing ODIHR’s background study Professional and Ethical Standards for Parliamentarians, participants highlighted the need to establish standards to regulate parliamentarians’ behaviour to ensure greater accountability and enhance trust in parliaments.
"Systems to regulate the ethical conduct of parliamentarians are successful when members of parliaments themselves feel and share ownership in the process,” said Oksana Syroyid, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada. “I urge parliamentary factions and relevant committees to engage in an inclusive dialogue to develop and enforce standards of parliamentary ethics in Ukraine’s parliament,” she said.
The event highlighted obstacles the Ukrainian parliament might face in designing and reforming parliamentary standards of conduct.
“Many OSCE parliamentary assemblies have responded to challenges associated with ethical standards of members of parliaments by facilitating ethical reforms aimed at increasing public trust and accountability,” said Kaja Kallas, Member of the European Parliament, noting that “the effectiveness of codes of conduct is assessed by parliamentarians’ adherence to the agreed rules and standards.”
The event was organized as part of the ODIHR’s project on Strengthening Dialogue among Civil Society and with Key Governmental Stakeholders in Ukraine, launched in April 2015.