Transparency: Commission proposes mandatory Transparency Register for all EU institutions

The European Commission is today proposing a mandatory Transparency Register covering all three EU institutions – the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission – delivering on a key transparency commitment of the Juncker Commission. The Commission has already led by example in making meetings with its decision-makers conditional upon interest representatives being publicly listed in a Transparency Register. Today we are calling on the European Parliament and Council to follow suit, making the Register mandatory for any interest representatives trying to influence policy-making in Brussels.  First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: “The EU institutions need to work together to win back the trust of our citizens. We must be more open in everything we do. Today’s proposals for a mandatory transparency register covering the Parliament, Council and Commission are an important step in the right direction. Citizens have the right to know who tries to influence EU law-making. We propose a simple rule: no meeting with decision-makers without prior registration. Through the Register, the public will see who is lobbying, who they represent and how much they spend.”