Monday

4th Dec 2023

'Law of silence' reigns over EESC leaders, says staff union

  • The EESC plenary made no mention of the abuse allegations against their future president - despite an Olaf report that had just been passed onto Belgian authorities (Photo: EUobserver)

RD, a trade union defending staff rights at the EU's smallest institution, has accused its leadership of perpetuating a "law of silence" in the wake of festering abuse allegations.

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), which bills itself as a platform for civil society, is gripped by controversy following revelations by this site that its future president Jacek Krawczyk is now under a Belgian probe for psychological harassment, which could lead to fines and even jail in the most severe cases.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Krawczyk has rejected the allegations, calling them a political attack aimed at dethroning his leadership ambitions to take charge as EESC president later this year.

But in a letter addressed to the EESC's current secretary-general, Gianluca Brunetti, the RD accused Brunetti of placing the EESC's reputation ahead of those staff who have issued numerous complaints against Krawczyk.

"You [Brunetti] have constantly tried to confuse the more-than-legitimate requests, aimed at obtaining all clarity, with the questioning of the reputation of your institution, as if the only possibility of defending it was to resign yourself to the law of silence," says the letter, drafted by RD's president Cristiano Sebastiani.

Sebastiani says full disclosure is needed in order to expose any failures, and any other enabling factors, leading to the alleged workplace abuse of so many people by someone that has so far avoided any real blowback - in an institution accused of power capture by a ruling circle.

The RD is demanding more severe sanctions against alleged bullies, including early retirement or the abolition of pension rights.

For its part, the EESC in an email disputed the RD's assessment. It noted Brunetti had addressed the issue of harassment with staff on several occasions in his present and previous capacity.

"He also spoke about the recent developments during the public meeting with the staff on 23rd January 2020," said the EESC press office.

The allegations against Krawczyk were passed onto the EU's anti-fraud office Olaf, which, after an investigation, informed Belgian authorities of at least one case of psychological abuse.

Like all other members of the EESC, Krawczyk is entitled to immunity, possibly complicating the Belgian case.

'Not my colleague'

Brunetti told this website that he intends to follow the recommendations of Olaf - but pointed out that he does not consider Krawczyk as a colleague.

"It is not a colleague. It is not a colleague. It is a member, it is not a staff member," he said before declining all other questions.

His comments were made at an EESC plenary session last week - on the same day Krawczyk was nominated to lead the EESC, and just 24 hours after this site revealed Olaf had passed its report on to the Belgian judiciary.

No mention of the Olaf report or the allegations were raised at the plenary, and when EUobserver asked Krawczyk for a comment, he declined.

Xavier Gonçalo Lobo, a Portuguese member of the EESC, and the only other candidate to challenge Krawczyk for the top job, said neither the Olaf probe nor the abuse allegations had been mentioned in the lead up to the vote.

"Every two-and-half years we have this rotation process, and each group appoints one person to be the president and to manage this institution" said the 46-year old Lobo.

The EESC is comprised of three groups.

Group one, labelled the "employers group" is composed of 96 members, which Krawczyk also presides over. Lobo stood against Krawczyk for the EESC presidency bid within the group but lost by 66 votes to 21, with eight abstentions.

Asked if there had been any discussion of the Olaf report or the allegations ahead of the vote, Lobo said "no" and then refused to comment further on the case.

Asked what sets him apart from Krawczyk, he said it was his youth and management style. "I am a completely different personality," he said.

The entire plenary of 350 members is set to elect Krawczyk into his new office as president this October.

Exclusive

Senior Polish member at EU body faces Belgian abuse probe

A Polish official seeking to become president of the European Economic and Social Committee, a minor EU institution, could face Belgian charges for psychological harassment after the EU's anti-fraud office Olaf alerted authorities.

Investigation

EU institution beset by harassment claims

Insiders at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the EU's smallest institution, have described a culture-of-fear environment in the workplace, in the wake of the probationary appointment of its newest secretary-general.

Investigation

The EU committee's great 'per diem' charade

Around 30 members of European Economic Social Committee, who live and work primarily in Brussels or nearby, have claimed €1.47m in a 'daily subsistence' allowance from European taxpayers to cover accommodation, food and local transport for meetings held in Brussels.

MEPs deliver blow to EU body embroiled in harassment case

MEPs have refused to sign off the accounts of the European Economic and Social Committee, in yet another blow to the reputation of the EU's smallest institution. The massive vote against was linked to ongoing psychological harassment cases.

Top lobbyist defends alleged bully set to chair EU body

Alleged bully Jacek Krawczyk is facing possible criminal charges in Belgium following serious complaints of harassment. Krawczyk is set to become president of the EESC, an EU body. BusinessEurope, a lobbyist outfit, is speaking out in his defence.

Opinion

The EU's U-turn on caged farm animals — explained

A European citizens' initiative — signed by 1.4 million people — saw the EU Commission promise to ban cages for 300 million farmed animals. Then the farming lobby got involved.

Opinion

'Pay or okay?' — Facebook & Instagram vs the EU

Since last week, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta corporation is forcing its European users to either accept their intrusive privacy practices — or pay €156 per year to access Facebook and Instagram without tracking advertising.

Latest News

  1. EU public procurement reform 'ineffective', find auditors
  2. COP28 warned over-relying on carbon capture costs €27 trillion
  3. Optimising Alzheimer's disease health care pathways across Europe
  4. Georgian far-right leader laughs off potential EU sanctions
  5. The EU's U-turn on caged farm animals — explained
  6. EU-China summit and migration files in focus This WEEK
  7. COP28 debates climate finance amid inflated accounting 'mess'
  8. Why EU's €18m for Israel undermines peace

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  3. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  4. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?
  5. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  6. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us