0:28, 17 November 2009
Trust Your Eyes. Source: Google images. (I would still give priority to freedom of expression)
In 2005, the European Commission published Transparency Initiative in a Communication issued on 9 November 2005 that suggested actions be taken in the following fields:
- Information about beneficiaries of EU funds;
- Improving public awareness and information about fraud.
- Ethical standards and accountability of EU lawmakers - The Commission inter alia proposed to make more of its mail public, including mail addressed to individual commissioners.
- Lobbying transparency.
The Transparency Initiative was launched by the Estonian Commissioner Siim Kallas who today is a vice-president of the European Commission and current holder of the administration, audit and anti-fraud portfolio. But now the law firms and think-tanks are boycotting the lobby register, Kallas has said on Tuesday, 8. September 2009.
What lobbying is? – According to the Commission, consultants, lawyers, trade associations, corporations and NGOs are trying to influence EU officials and MEPs in Brussels (where some of them have permanent offices). Since such influence is considered important, the lobby activities are wished to be controlled financially, by creating lobbyists registry, and by setting a code of conduct.
You can find the Transparency Initiative at http://www.euractiv.com/en/pa/transparency-initiative/article-140650
FOLLOW: On 12th of November 2009, the EP-EC working party on a common register and code of conduct for lobbyists resumed its work according to the Joint Agreed Minutes available at http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/kallas/doc/news74_en.pdf
The Commission’s one year review is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/kallas/doc/news68_en.pdf
