Invitation from Business Europe to the European Commission to attend a meeting in the Berlaymont Building

28.9.2015

Question for written answer E-013191-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Dennis de Jong (GUE/NGL)

1. What is the Commission’s attitude towards invitations such as that of 3 June 2015 from Business Europe, in which Mr J.-C. Juncker, Mr G. Oettinger, Mrs C. Malmström, Mrs E. Bieńkowska and Mr J. Katainen were asked to attend a CEO Event, including dinner, in the Commission’s own Berlaymont Building and the Commission, and does the Commission also receive such invitations from civil-society organisations, trade unions and SMEs?

2. What rules does the Commission apply for the purpose of making the Berlaymont Building available to external parties such as Business Europe, and is the Commission also prepared to provide facilities to members of the public, NGOs, civil-society organisations, trade unions and SMEs in this way?

3. In view of such private meetings with representatives of multinationals, how does the Commission defend itself against the possible criticism that it makes a meeting room available to powerful parties and that as a result these parties can exert influence from within?