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EU: Draft European Parliament and European Commission: Agreement on the establishment of a "Transparency Register"
01 February 2011
EU: Draft European Parliament and European Commission:
Agreement on the establishment of a "Transparency Register" (pdf). The proposed Register would include governing the issuing of passes to enter the European Parliament, the: "
monitoring of the organisations and individuals engaged in EU policy making and policy implementation" and it is expected that registration will also become a condition for getting an EU grant.
First reactions to the draft Agreement:
- "
[Article] 9.All organisations, irrespective of their legal status, engaged in activities falling under the scope of the register are expected to register [Footnote 3]" - but Footnote 3 says: "
EU Member States governments, third country governments, international intergovernmental organisations as well as their diplomatic missions are not expected to register." -
Why should they be exempt?
- Whereas Article 14 states:
"Networks, platforms or other forms of collective activity without a legal status or legal personality but which constitute de facto a source of organised influence, and engaged in activities falling within the scope of the register are expected to register. In such case
its members should identify one of their number as its responsible contact person for their relations with the administration of the register." - Tell us who your "leader" is?
- For non-compliance and complaints (Articles 18-19 and Annex 4) there is no right of appeal - for example to the European Ombudsman
-
Academic institutions: Annex 1: the scope of the obligatory register is extended to cover:
"Academic institutions: Institutions whose primary purpose is education but that deal with the activities and policies of the European Union."
Only 13 universities in the EU have joined the Commission's existing voluntary register.