Transparency Register: no representation without registration

Negotiators of the EU Institutions today reached an agreement on a new inter-institutional Transparency Register, which marks an important step towards a more open and accountable European Union. “We applaud the fact that the Council accepts a coordinated approach together with the Parliament and the Commission”, explained Danuta Hübner MEP, co-negotiator for the European Parliament.

Under the new register, Member States' officials should also systematically meet with registered interest representatives only, in line with current practices in the European Parliament and the Commission. This builds on what the two institutions have already been doing since 2011 and improved in 2014, and what made registration obligatory in practice for lobbyists. Today's agreement covers all lobbying activities, whether they involve direct or indirect communications with Member States, the Parliament or the Commission.

Hübner is happy with the outcome: “This Parliament is one of the most transparent institutions in the world. EU Member States should adopt a similar approach by joining our open working method. This contributes to a healthy debate culture in Europe in which citizens can understand who is representing their interests. We have safeguarded the freedom of mandate for Members of Parliament, while putting in place terms for an instrument that will be truly effective.”

The agreement shifts the focus from the legal status representatives have to an activity-based approach. It defines covered and non-covered interests and creates an equal footing among the three institutions.

“We want to create necessary conditions for ethical interest representations at EU level and at the same time ensure meaningful participation of the Member States”, noted Danuta Hübner. “As such, we have pushed for an understanding of conditionality that is broader than the ‘no registration, no meeting’ rule. Now it will be rather 'no representation without registration'. Conditionality means that registration in the Transparency Register is an essential precondition for interest representatives to perform certain lobbying activities.”

Today's agreement still needs the formal validation of Parliament's Committee on Constitutional Affairs.