Lobbyisten in Brussel vrezen strengere toegangsregels Europees Parlement (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Brussels' thousands of lobbyists are feeling the heat as new rules make entering the European Parliament, one of the main forums for lobbying, more difficult.

The new rules contrast strongly with the laissez-faire system of the previous years which meant that some 15,000 lobbyists were given permanent passes to enter the building whenever they liked.

Under the proposals, which are still experiencing teething problems, only organisations with a base in Brussels, Strasbourg or Luxembourg are entitled to a pass and the number of passes issued to any organisation is to be cut from six to four.

But lobbyists and NGOs are unhappy claiming that the rules are time consuming and force them to rely too much on the goodwill of MEPs or assistants to sign them into the parliament - and then accompany them wherever they go - if they are unable to get a pass.

"I think it is going to put more pressure on MEPs", says Maria Laptev, vice-chairman of Brussels consultancy Fleishman-Hillard.

She also points out that it will affect the fast nature of the lobbyists' work. In the parliament "you're just going to attend meetings. You just want to whip in, make notes come back and advise your client".

Another Brussels lobbyist insists that the rules seem to be applied inconsistently noting that she herself received passes but some colleagues did not.

Safety comes first

All this is countered by Fernando Suarez, the battle weary parliament official in charge of security.

Arriving to a new job in September last year, Mr Suarez was amazed by the fact that so many people were allowed into the European Parliament at the same time, so - by-passing the normal bureaucratic channels - he got permission from the secretary general to start changing the system.

"I don't care about terrorism", he asserts adding that the main issue for him is one of safety. If an accident happens in the parliament and the building is overfull, who is liable, he asks?

"I would rather there are some queues than peoples' safety is compromised" adding that "a lot of badges were given to stagiaires and some used badges to get official recognition of their organisation".

He admits that proposals to make access easier - reducing queues and paperwork are not yet in place - but says that anybody refused access may always complain to the parliament's quaestors.

Mr Suarez also says parliament's social partners - a network of NGOs and charities - that advise the euro-legislators should not be treated in the same manner as lobbyists and should be granted easier terms of access.

Creating a monopoly of large, well-off lobbyists?

However, the new rules have led to some well-known charities falling foul of the new rules.

The UK's National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has not been able to get its pass renewed because it is not based in Strasbourg, Brussels or Luxembourg.

The Charity now wonders whether a monopoly of influence will be created in the parliament as only large, well-off organisations will be represented.

"The NSPCC has successfully lobbied the European Parliament for many years on issues such as child trafficking [and] sexual exploitation of children", says NSPCC's European policy advisor Tara Hopkins.

"By introducing the new rules private lobbyists will have a monopoly over the European Parliament leaving charities such as ourselves powerless to influence important EU legislation as we cannot afford to fund an office in one of the three seats", she told the EUobserver.