Decision imminent on register for lobbyists

Date: 05/10/1995

By Fiona McHugh

THE European Parliament will decide next month whether or not to peel away some of the veils of secrecy surrounding MEPs' outside interests by introducing a register of lobbyists open to public scrutiny.

Under a new regime which has been approved by the rules committee but must now go before the full Parliament at its November plenary session, MEPs would be forced to publicly declare any gifts in cash or kind worth more than 1,000 ecu received from lobbyists.

Lobbyists for their part would have to tell officials who they are working for and the purpose of their visit before gaining entrance to Parliament buildings. They would also have to keep track of payments made to MEPs or their assistants. Parliamentary assistants would have to swear they are not in the pay of companies or interest groups.

The tough new rules come amid widespread public worry about the vested interests of elected representatives and cries for greater transparency in the EU's institutions. They are also designed to answer complaints from members who feel they are being harassed by lobbyists allowed to roam freely around the buildings.

But lobbyists say the proposal casts undeserved aspersions on their characters.

“We are simply representing our clients' interests at the European Parliament and that is a perfectly legitimate thing to do in a democratic society,” said one lobbyist.