In the debate in the late evening of Wednesday 5 October, MEPs generally welcomed the proposal on the table for a compulsory transparency register (see EUROPE 11634).
The Commission has proposed that the three institutions – the Council included – should apply the same minimum standards. Under these proposals, lobbyists wanting to arrange meetings with decision-makers on any of the three institutions will have to be included on the transparency register.
Danuta Maria Hübner (EPP, Poland) said that the inter-institutional agreement proposed is a way of responding to the concerns of citizens who are becoming ever more distrustful of the EU institutions. “The establishment of a mandatory transparency register framework would be a major step forward in enhancing transparency of our decision making and the democratic accountability of the European institutions” she said in the debate.
Sylvie Guillaume (S&D, France) said that the proposals tabled “are a step in the right direction, in particular, with the, at least partial, inclusion of the Council in the arrangements and also with the exclusion of local and regional authorities which represent public interests”. She said, however, that there was a problem with the requirement placed on members of the European Parliament to meet only registered lobbyists. “Even though this measure is not required in publication of meetings, some members will no doubt question whether it is consistent with their freedom to pursue their mandate, which is a principle in the treaties and which an inter-institutional agreement cannot sweep away. This, too, is a slippery issue that we will have to discuss”, she stated.
Maite Pagazaurtundua Ruiz (ALDE, Spain) felt that the proposal was “a step forward, which we welcome”. She said she hoped that the inter-institutional agreement would be accepted by the Council. “We have yet to see any real gesture from the Council” in support of the compulsory transparency register, she said.
Sven Giegold (Greens/EFA, Germany), too, stated that the proposals were “a step in the right direction” (see EUROPE 11639 for the Greens’ thoughts on transparency). He criticised the three main political groups (EPP, ALDE and S&D), however, for their refusal to vote for the report that he is drafting on the transparency, accountability and integrity of the EU institutions.
In the view of Kazimierz Michal Ujazdowski (ECR, Poland), more will have to be done on transparency, including on contacts with lobbyists and their influence on the legislative process. He called on Parliament to adopt Giegold’s report which contains measures to increase transparency.
Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans observed late in the debate that, if Parliament and the Council had followed the example of the action the Juncker Commission has taken on transparency, “we would already have made a couple of steps forward”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)