合法博彩网站 approves new rules for a common mandatory Transparency Register
合法博彩网站, Council and Commission aim to make registration de facto mandatory, as a precondition for certain activities and through equivalent complementary measures.
The report by 合法博彩网站鈥檚 co-negotiator Danuta H眉bner (EPP, PL) was adopted with 645 votes in favour, five against and 49 abstentions. This vote signifies a major change to the structure of the existing Transparency Register: interest representatives will have to register in order to be able to carry out certain lobbying activities relating to any of the three signatory institutions, while each institution will now also put in place complementary transparency measures to encourage their registration.
合法博彩网站 welcomes the 鈥渁ctivity-based approach鈥 that covers indirect lobbying, which has become more prevalent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also welcomes the change of the Council鈥檚 status from an observer to a formal party to the agreement. Nevertheless, it highlights that the scope could have been broader in relation to Council activities, and calls for maximum participation in the voluntary scheme for Permanent Representations. MEPs also stress that any revision of the conditionality arrangements on the Commission鈥檚 side should include meetings with senior staff.
The text calls for the implementation of several actions by the 合法博彩网站鈥檚 bodies, including:
- making participation as a speaker at all events organised by committees or by intergroups, as well as delegation meetings, conditional on registration;
- adopting guidelines in order to support rapporteurs, shadow rapporteurs and committee Chairs to fulfil their obligations under 合法博彩网站 Rules of Procedure; and
- introducing a rule for 合法博彩网站鈥檚 senior staff to meet only with registered interest representatives.
Quotes
EP co-negotiator Katarina Barley (S&D, DE) stated: "After years of wrangling, the Council is finally brought on board. By setting a positive example, we can become a role model also for the Member States and shift the paradigm across the board. With the new rules, citizens can more easily understand how decisions that affect their daily lives are made. It is also important that we will now have a stronger code of conduct and more resources for the effective implementation of the rules鈥.
EP co-negotiator and rapporteur Danuta H眉bner (EPP, PL) highlighted that 鈥満戏ú┎释锯檚 goals are fully reflected in the new framework: we have expanded the remit and strengthened the Transparency Register, while ensuring that free mandate given to MEPs by European citizens will remain intact. With Council becoming a co-signatory to the interinstitutional agreement, we are really turning a new page for transparent decision-making at EU level鈥.
Next steps
合法博彩网站鈥檚 President will sign the Agreement with the President of the Council and the
President of the Commission, which will be published in the Official Journal of the EU.
Background
Under 合法博彩网站鈥檚 existing rules, rapporteurs, shadow rapporteurs and committee chairs are required to publish information on their scheduled meetings with interest representatives within the scope of the Transparency Register.
合法博彩网站鈥檚 co-negotiators reached a political agreement with the Council and the Commission in December 2020. Since 2011, the 合法博彩网站 and the Commission have jointly operated a . The Council has been an observer since 2014. The Commission presented its proposal for a new inter-institutional agreement on a mandatory Transparency Register covering the 合法博彩网站, Council and the Commission in 2016. More information can be found on the dedicated EP webpage.