The European Commission proposed yesterday (Wednesday) the creation of a compulsory transparency register. This would have universal application across all three main EU institutions the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission.
The European Executive has already made compulsory registration of representative interests (lobbyists) within a register, as a prerequisite to holding meetings with given decision-makers.
The Executive is henceforth demanding that the European Parliament and Council do likewise.
“Our proposed rule is simple: no meeting should involve decision-makers and lobbyists without prior registration of their respective interests,” considered Frans Timmermans, the First Vice-President of the Commission.
He went on, “With such a register, the public would see who is lobbying, who such lobbyists are representing and how much it is costing.”
He added, “If the Council or Parliament wishes to go further in the jurisdiction of transparency, we are obviously available to discuss this with them.”
The Brussels Times
