Blogs

The European Commission has published an annual report assessing the first year of the new EU lobby transparency register. Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič claims the report shows that “all our short-term objectives [have been] met”. CEO found his assessment surprising, given the clear flaws in the register highlighted by ALTER-EU. Perhaps the Commissioner needs to set slightly more ambitious targets if transparency in Brussels is to be improved.

“The Dalli case shows the system works,” an EU official told a public debate in Brussels last week, following a question on whether new ethics and transparency reforms will follow the Dalli-gate lobby scandal. The Commission is clearly in denial. The ex-Commissioner's resignation may still be shrouded in mystery, but the need for greater transparency and tighter rules to prevent undue influence could not be more clear. A quick look at lobby transparency systems in Canada and elsewhere can be instructive on this. CEO argues that a more robust, mandatory and better implemented system of lobby transparency in the EU would have prevented an unregistered lobbyist embroiling a high-level policy maker in a cash for access scandal.

Ex-Commissioner John Dalli knowingly met with lobbyists who were not registered in the European Commission and European Parliament’s Transparency Register. Lobbyists who choose to hide from the public who they're lobbying for, on what subject, or how much money they’re spending to influence public policy. Lobbyists who work in the shadows. Shocking? Yes, but it is a very common practice in the Commission to meet with unregistered lobbyists, a sure-fire indicator that despite what it says, the Commission is not really concerned about lobby transparency.

The resignation of the EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy John Dalli highlights the need for stronger measures to regulate EU lobbying to rule out the risk of privileged access and political corruption in EU decision-making. CEO outlines the need for the Commission to take action in five areas to tackle privileged access and prevent corruption.