BRUSSELS (BNO NEWS) -- The European Union (EU) on Thursday announced that its Parliament's political leadership has decided to overhaul rules governing the access and behavior of lobbyists and to tighten the code of conduct for its members.

President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek and the leaders of the political groups met on Thursday and decided to set up a working group of members of the parliament (MEPs) to elaborate a new set of rules.

The political group leaders unanimously endorsed the proposals outlined by Buzek such as setting clear rules for the activities of lobbyists in the Parliament, strengthening the code of conduct for MEPs and proposing changes to the Rules of Procedure to enact these new rules. 

The political group leaders also gave their unanimous approval to the line of action taken since the publication in the Sunday Times of allegations of corruption against four MEPs. 

"I believe that we need to look very closely at the question of what we expect from Members of the European Parliament, both in terms of their own behavior and their contacts with outside interests of various kinds," Buzek said.

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