Brussels, 07/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 8 May, the European Parliament adopted the report of Alexander Stubb (after Mr Stubb became the Finnish minister for foreign affairs, Ingo Friedrich took responsibility for the report. Friedrich is also a member of the EPP-ED group: Ed) for defining a framework governing lobbyists' activities at the EU institutions. In this report, the EP calls for the setting up of a common and mandatory register for the three institutions, or “one-stop shop” for lobbyists working with the Council, Commission and EP. MEPs are also calling for the elaboration of a common code of conduct, with sanctions against lobbyists who breach the rules, as well as the publication of a raft of financial information involving registered lobbyists. After the almost unanimous vote at the constitutional affairs committee on 1 April (EUROPE 9633), final approval of the report during the EP's plenary session on Thursday almost appears certain since the PES announcement on Wednesday 7 May that it would give its total support to the text voted on at the committee. During a press conference, Socialist MEPs, Jo Leinen (Germany), Richard Corbett (United Kingdom) and Carlos Carnero (Spain) explained how well they thought of the text, which they believed would ultimately create, “genuine and increased transparency” in the lobbying activities at the EP and other institutions. On one important point, the entry into force of new measures, the PES is even prepared to reinforce the text. On Thursday, the Socialists are in effect ready to support a draft amendment from the Greens, which stipulates that the common register and code of conduct should be in place and in force, “before the 2009 European elections”. The current text, voted on during the committee stage, is much more ambitious in terms of the deadline because it only asks for one joint working group at the three institutions to be created, “to examine the implications of a common register before the end of 2008”. In the event of it proving impossible to rapidly conclude an inter-institutional agreement with the Commission on these questions, the EP is expected to go forward alone to ensure that the new rules are in place before the European election, explained Mr Corbett. (H.B).