In MEPs’ declarations of interest, approximations to the detriment of transparency

In the declaration of interests of Didier Parisonly one word appears in the box dedicated to “volunteer duties which may give rise to a conflict of interest” : “ nil ». The Renaissance deputy from the Côte-d’Or did not consider it necessary to include his position as co-chair the National ***ociation of Vine and Wine Elected Officials (ANEV), which defends the interests of the sector.

“It’s a simple ***ociation of elected officials, and this position is unpaidjustified Didier Paris. I was not persuaded that a statement had to be made. » Having recently exchanged with the High Authority for the transparency of public life (HATVP), the elected representative nevertheless promises to rectify his declaration ” shortly “. The rule, however, had been clearly recalled by the HATVP in 2016 : since they have clearly “a purpose of lobbying”, clubs of elected officials such as the ANEV must appear in the declarations of interests of parliamentarians.

Didier Paris is not an isolated case. Omissions and approximations abound in the declarations of interests and activities of the deputies elected in 2022, made public on February 15. This casts doubt on the ability of this transparency tool to effectively play its role of preventing conflicts of interest.

“I have no explanation”

These “oversights”, voluntary or fortuitous, take different forms. Nicolas Dupont-Aignan (Debout la France, Essonne) for example failed to declare his salary community councilor of Val d’Yerres in 2017 because he “can’t find the number”. Same problem on the side of Philippe Juvin (The Republicans, LR, Hauts-de-Seine), who “can’t find payslip” for his mandate as Community Councilor of the Grand Paris metropolis in 2021 and 2022.

The chosen one from Bouches-du-Rhône Sabrina Agresti-Roubache (Renaissance) has for her part forgotten to declare the directorship of the company World Trade Center Marseille Provence, which she exercised until her election, while the HATVP requires going back five years to prevent the risk of conflicts of interest related to past functions. The deputy of Var Franck Giletti (National Rally), he did not list any parliamentary collaborator in its latest amending statement. “I have no explanation”he declares, calling for reference to his previous statementon which they figured well.

Admittedly, the quality of declarations of interest has progressed very markedly compared to the era of stammering transparency: in 2014, the first declarations by parliamentarians were digitized from hastily completed handwritten documents, full of illegible mentions and erasures.

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