BELGIUM:EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel has shrugged off criticism of his decision to stand in the Belgian elections, saying it will give him an opportunity to promote Europe during the campaign.
At a European Parliament committee hearing yesterday investigating his decision to take a one month's unpaid leave of absence from the commission, Mr Michel told MEPs his decision was not a "rude act" and fully conformed with the EU code of conduct.
"European matters come up in a national election campaign . . . One of the topics being dealt with will be the future of Europe, which is of interest to all citizens and me," said Mr Michel.
"So my standing, my nomination can support that." He will stand down on May 12th for a month to join the campaign.
Several MEPs on the parliament's development committee strongly criticised the Belgian commissioner for making a "politically very unwise act" and threatening to undermine the EU's work in the field of development at a very sensitive time".
Dutch MEP Maria Martens said the EU should rewrite its code of conduct to ensure that commissioners should not take leave again.
A formal legal opinion on Mr Michel's action ordered by the parliament's development committee found "nothing in the code prevents a commissioner, under the responsibility of the president of the commission, to be granted temporary leave with a view to participating in national elections in his own country".
Meanwhile, the European Ombudsman announced yesterday that he had received 3,830 complaints from EU citizens, companies, NGOs and associations in 2006. A quarter of the inquiries carried out in 2006 concerned lack of transparency in the EU administration, including the refusal of information.