06/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - In a press release published on Monday 6 September, the European Commission has welcomed the fact that the 3,000 registrations mark for the optional register of interest representatives was reached in the middle of August. Earlier this year, the number of lobbyists registered was 2,300. The vice-president of the Commission, Maroš Šefèoviè, said that the steady increase in the number of registrations “shows that we are on the right way. It is an encouragement for the joint Commission-Parliament register we are working on”. The high-level group set up between the EP and the Commission which is responsible for this joint register will meet in Strasbourg this Tuesday 7 September to continue its work. The objective is to have the joint register up and running in June 2011. (L.C./transl.fl)