"Is Brussels the new Washington, D.C.?" - Lobbying transparency in the EU

Europagebouw in Brussel
© Kevin Bergenhenegouwen
datum 11 mei 2015 10:00 - 12:00
plaats Brussel, België
locatie Europa i Toon locatie
aanwezigen F.C.G.M. (Frans) Timmermans i, E. (Emily) O'Reilly i e.a.
organisatie Europese Ombudsman i

Invitation

Event organised by the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly

11 May 2015, 10.00 - 12.00

Résidence Palace, 155, rue de la Loi C, 1040 Brussels, room Polak

Brussels is fast becoming the second most important lobbying hub in the world, after Washington, D.C.. Lobbying obviously plays an important role in functioning democracies. High ethical standards and pro-active transparency about lobbying are, however, key for citizens’ trust in EU decision-making.

The Ombudsman dedicates a big part of her strategic work to ethical issues and transparency in lobbying activities between the various interest representatives and the EU institutions. Her investigations in this area concern, for example, "revolving doors" cases and the composition of expert groups in the Commission as well as more lobbying transparency in the TTIP negotiations.

The new Commission took important measures to increase lobbying transparency, by working towards a mandatory Transparency Register and by obliging all Members of the Commission and senior staff to publish contacts and meetings with stakeholders and lobbyists.

There is still room for improvement, though, not only in the Commission but also in other EU institutions. The Ombudsman would like to facilitate a debate about what has been achieved and what further measures could be taken to improve lobbying transparency in Brussels.

Speakers:

Emily O'Reilly, European Ombudsman

Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission

Carl Dolan, Director Transparency International, EU Office

Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law, HEC Paris, Global Clinical Professor, NYU School of Law

Karl Isaksson, Chairman of the European Public Affairs Consultancies' Association

Moderator:

Florian Eder, managing editor at Politico Europe

Want to be part of it? Please register by 29 April 2015 at:

The registration is closed and the event is fully booked.

Join the twitter debate at #EUlobbying

Aanvullende informatie:

Gundi Gadesmann

Head of the Medias and External Relations Unit

Tel.:+32 (0) 2 284 26 09

Contact : Gundi Gadesmann


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Europese Ombudsman

Europese burgers, bedrijven of instellingen kunnen een klacht over wanbeheer van een Europese instelling indienen bij de Europese Ombudsman. Deze stelt naar aanleiding van de klacht een onderzoek in. De meeste klachten betreffen onnodige vertraging bij procedures, weigering om informatie te verstrekken, discriminatie en machtsmisbruik. De Ombudsman kan ook op eigen initiatief een onderzoek instellen.

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