Commission and Parliament Implement New Rules on Transparency Register

A new version of the EU Transparency Register is being launched today following joint work by the European Commission and the European Parliament. This ‘second generation’ of the Register implements the provisions of the revised Inter-institutional Agreement signed between the European Parliament and the European Commission in April 2014. The new system brings changes to the way human resources invested in lobbying are declared, requires additional information about involvement in EU committees, forums, intergroups or similar structures, and legislative files currently followed; it also extends the requirement to declare estimated costs related to lobbying to all registrants. Additionally, a streamlined ‘alerts & complaints’ procedure allows for greater scrutiny and more efficient treatment of allegedly misleading information, and new incentives are given to increase the added value of registering, such as a requirement to register for all those seeking to meet with Commissioners, Cabinet Members or Directors-General or for any organisation wishing to speak at hearings organized by the European Parliament. A more user friendly website improves the public interface and provides for a more straightforward registration process with guidance provided in a step-by-step approach.

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