Register of lobbyists and transparency

14.8.2012

Question for written answer E-007608-12
to the Commission
Rule 117
Marc Tarabella (S&D)

In law, citizens have the right of access to information on lobbyists who participate in the decision-making process.

Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič explains on Twitter that pressure in terms of their reputation should be enough to encourage lobbyists to sign up voluntarily. However, the transparency register currently contains a little under 5 000 organisations, barely a quarter of the estimated number of lobbyists.

In the light of the above, in the interest of transparency for citizens but also in the interest of those lobbyists who have made the effort to sign up, should not the transparency register be compulsory, and should this not be encouraged by providing a legal basis in the Treaties?

OJ C 86 E, 25/03/2014