EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT : MEPS LIKELY TO BACK COMPULSORY REGISTER OF LOBBYISTS.

Europe Environment, May, 2008

At its plenary session in Brussels, on 8 May, the European Parliament is expected to call for a mandatory public register for lobbyists. If it does so, it will be following the recommendations of its Committee for Constitutional Affairs, which voted to that effect, on 1 April (see Europolitics 3501). The European Commission has so far endorsed an optional approach.

The report originally drafted by Alexander Stubb (EPP-ED, Finland), which has been taken over by Ingo Friedrich (EPP-ED, Germany - see above), provides for a common register for the Commission, Council and Parliament, creating a one stop shop', so to speak. Registration will oblige lobbyists and interest groups to abide by a common code of conduct, violations of which would be sanctioned (with...

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