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The European Transparency Initiative
About the European Transparency Initiative
For any public institution, transparency goes hand in hand with legitimacy. Political decision-makers are ultimately accountable to the public, so they must be open to public scrutiny. Citizens have a right to know how their taxes are being spent and how the power entrusted to political bodies is handled. Good governance demands nothing less. That is why the Barroso Commission identified transparency as one of its strategic objectives.
The European Transparency Initiative (or ETI) is one of the ways the Commission seeks to further strengthen public trust in the EU Institutions through increased openness and accessibility. Launched in 2005, the European Transparency Initiative is a package with four main components:
- Transparency of interest representatives seeking to influence EU decision making and upholding minimum standards of consultation
- Transparency about the use of EU funds
- Ethical rules and standards for public officials
- Public access to documents
See also: Reactions to the initiative
Key documents
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Launch of a European Transparency Initiative (Nov. 2005
[56 KB] ) -
Commission staff working document [138 KB] , Report of the inter-departmental working group on a possible "European Transparency Initative"
Annexes: 1 [20 KB] - 2 [91 KB] - 3 [53 KB] - 4 [27 KB] - General principles and minimum standards for consultation of interested parties
Key speeches and articles
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19-10-2007 - "The European Transparency Initiative: an Issue for Berlin?" [31 KB]
- 18-09-2007 - "Lobbying: What Europe can learn from the US" - American Chamber of Commerce - EU Plenary meeting in Brussels
- 16-07-2007 - "The European Transparency Initiative" - Committee on Constitutional Affairs, European Parliament
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23-04-2007 - "The European Transparency Initiative" - SEAP's General Assembly [21 KB]
- 18-01-2007 - "Lobbying: Political Transparency and Representation of Interests" - 1st RETI Seminar (Madrid)
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11-07-2006 - "The European Transparency Initiative" - Hearing in the European Economic and Social Committee [22 KB]
- 06-02-2006 - Article on lobbying in the Wall Street Journal
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25-01-2006 - "The European Transparency Initiative" – European Public Affairs Consultancies' Associations (EPACA) Annual General Meeting. [84 KB]
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04-11-2005 - Article on transparency in the EUobserver [26 KB]
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20-10-2005 - "Transparency restores confidence in Europe" European Policy Institutes Network (Centre of European Policy Studies) [30 KB]
- 03-03-2005 - "The need for a European Transparency Initiative" - Nottingham