On 27 June, the conference of the presidents of the European Parliament approved a package of new transparency rules on meetings between MEPs and interest representatives.
This package of measures confirms the mandate already given to the negotiators of the European Parliament in the inter-institutional talks underway on the transparency register (see EUROPE 12040).
Certain provisions of this mandate have even been reinforced, such as MEPs' 'public declarations'. For instance, MEPs will be able to opt to sign a declaration undertaking to follow the 'systematic practice' of meeting only lobbyists registered on the transparency register. MEP Sven Giegold (Greens/EFA, Germany) welcomed the move.
MEPs will be able to publish these personal statements on the Internet along with their meetings with lobbyists ('legislative footprint'). The legislative footprint rule already exists: MEPs acting as rapporteurs on legislative and non-legislative dossiers are invited to fill in a table attached to their report or opinion presenting an indicative list of interest representatives consulted during the course of the Parliamentary work.
Additionally, more precise rules are approved in the package, to ensure that unregistered lobbyists are denied access to the buildings of the European Parliament as guests of members of the European Parliament or as speakers at conferences or various workshops.
The inter-institutional negotiations on the transparency register will resume after the summer break under the Austrian Presidency of the Council. “The declaration to adopt the systematic practice of only meeting with registered interest representatives is an important step forward in order to reach an agreement which is legally and politically viable”, commented the Vice-President of Parliament, Sylvie Guillaume (S&D, France), who is involved in the negotiations on the transparency register.
“The enhanced system transparency will demonstrate the Parliament's and Members' commitment to transparency and accountability towards citizens, especially in the run-up to the 2019 European elections”, said the other negotiator-in-chief, Danuta Hübner (EPP, Poland). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)