Registratie lobbyisten gaat niet alle europarlementariërs ver genoeg (en)
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - MEPs have voted to tighten up the rules governing the lobbyists, requiring those seeking to influence officials in the EU's three main institutions to register themselves and provide income details.
The resolution, passed by an overwhelming majority of euro-deputies, suggests that lobbyists have to adhere to a code of conduct and face sanctions, such as being barred from an institution, if they flout the rules.
MEPs want the rules to apply to the European Parliament, the European Commission, which is responsible for proposing EU laws, and the council of ministers, which represents member states.
Once a lobbyist - defined as anyone "influencing the policy formulation and decision-making processes of the European institutions" - is registered in one of these institutions, then they will be automatically registered in the other two as well, according to the one-stop-shop proposal agreed by the euro-deputies.
The register would require professional lobbyists to list their major clients and the amount they spend on lobbying, while think-tanks would be obliged to state their main sources of funding.
Meanwhile, a "legislative footprint" would list all those who have a "significant input" into laws worked on by MEPs, but this would only be voluntary.
"It is an important step towards more transparency in European legislation," said Ingo Friedrich, the German centre-right MEP, in charge of the dossier in the parliament.
However, the measures have been criticised by some MEPs, particularly from the Green group, as they fall short of strict financial disclosure, with the details to be thrashed out later.
In addition, they voted to exempt lawyers from the measures.
"Lawyers are exempted from the scope of rules, which, given all available evidence is absurd," said Italian Green MEP Monica Frassoni.
"Lawyers play an increasingly important role in influencing policy in Brussels and they promote themselves as such on their own websites," she added.
The measures are hoped to be in place for the European Parliament in time for the European elections next year in June. They would update the minimal register that has been in place in the parliament since 1996.
For its part, the European Commission, which has been working on transparency rules for the past three years, is expected to launch its voluntary online register next month.
The three institutions are to set up a working group to try and come up with some common rules in the area in light of the MEPs' vote. Of the three institutions, the council has shown the least interest in the transparency move so far.
There are thought to be about 15,000 lobbyists operating in Brussels, of which 5000 are registered in the European Parliament.
Brussels has been making noises about shedding light on the system since recent high-profile scandals in Washington came to light, with some fearing the same sort of corruption could be exposed in the EU capital.
In addition, MEPs are set to gain even greater powers over EU legislation when the proposed new EU treaty comes into place, possibly next year, increasing the need for more stringent controls.