Lobbying transparency

The Commission recognises that lobbying is a legitimate, even essential part of democratic decision making, whether it is carried out by public affairs consultancies, private companies, NGOs, law firms, think tanks or trade associations. The Commission needs and appreciates the input it gets from such organisations, but in return asks their cooperation in showing the public that the relationship is based on high standards of probity and transparency.

A Green Paper was published in May 2006 to spark a public debate on these issues. It identified the need for a more structured framework for the activities of lobbyists (see also: Follow-up to the Green paper 'European Transparency Initiative' ).

Following the Green Paper, the Commission proposed the creation of a voluntary register for lobbyists. In the interest of full transparency, organisations that register will be asked to disclose information about what their mission is, who they represent, and how they are funded, thus ensuring that both policymakers and the public can assess the strength of the interests promoting a particular policy option.

European Commission

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