Commission launches public consultation on Transparency Register

Met dank overgenomen van Europese Commissie (EC) i, gepubliceerd op dinsdag 1 maart 2016.

During 12 weeks stakeholders, civil society and citizens are invited to introduce their ideas and suggestions in relation to the current regime for registration of interest representatives who seek to influence the work of the EU institutions.

The Commission believes that citizens have the right to know who is trying to influence the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission in the context of the legislative process.

This is the reason why the Commission has designed a two-part consultation which will allow for input from a broad range of stakeholders, civil society and citizens. The consultation documents are available in all EU languages to encourage broad feedback. The consultation will close on Tuesday 24 May.

The Commission has already made significant reforms to its own internal rules to promote greater transparency. Under the Juncker Commission, as a rule, Commissioners no longer meet with any organisations which are not listed in the Transparency Register. In line with the Transparency Initiative introduced in November 2014 all meetings between interest representatives and the Commissioners, their Cabinets, and Commission Director-Generals must be published within two weeks of taking place.

In its first year, the Commission published information on more than 6,000 meetings (approximately 5,500 for Commissioners and Cabinets and 600 for Directors-General). The introduction of this new system has effectively made entry on the Transparency Register a mandatory requirement for anybody who wants to meet the most senior EU decision-makers and officials.