EU parliament head to set out transparency plan to respond to scandal

FILE PHOTO: European Parliament President Roberta Metsola attends a news conference on the day of a European Union leaders' summit in Brussels, Belgium December 15, 2022. REUTERS/Johanna Geron/File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The head of the European Parliament will set out a 14-point plan on Thursday to tighten within weeks rules for lawmakers on financial declarations and contacts with lobbyists, in a bid to restore trust after a criminal corruption scandal.

Parliament president Roberta Metsola will seek backing from political group chiefs on Thursday, a parliamentary source said. The plan would require declarations of all meetings with interest groups, a transition period during which former lawmakers could not lobby and greater light shed on gifts.