Euro MPs to vote on new rules governing lobbyists

Date: 13/06/1996

THE way is now clear for the European Parliament to apply firm rules for the first time to the conduct of the growing army of lobbyists seeking to influence EU legislation.

MEPs will be asked to approve the new regulations at their Strasbourg plenary session next month alongside parallel measures designed to tighten existing rules on the outside professional and financial interests of the Union's elected representatives.

If Euro MPs back this two-pronged approach, they will go a long way towards rebutting the criticism they attracted when they failed to adopt similar proposals back in January.

But if political divisions block the initiative a second time, the Parliament's credibility would be badly dented.

The final elements of the proposed package fell into place this week when the Parliament's rules committee overwhelmingly approved a set of general principles for lobbyists drafted by British Socialist MEP Glyn Ford.

“MEPs have to get it right this time. They cannot on the one hand insist - as they successfully did last year - that Commissioners demonstrate greater openness by revealing details of their annual expenses and yet on the other hand reject moves to shed more light on their activities,” said one senior official after the vote.

In a bid to avoid the political pitfalls which have dogged attempts to establish clear guidelines over the past decade, Ford proposed a general framework which could be fleshed out by parliamentarians in the months ahead.

“The rules committee has now established a solid foundation for a register and for the activities of lobbyists. Now we need to get the full Parliament's support in July and then fill out subsidiary issues such as assistants, Intergroups and a code of conduct. Once you have a general rule, then it is easier to adjust, amend or tighten it up at a later stage,” he said.

Lobbyists, outside consultants or anyone wishing to have access to MEPs for more than five days a year would, under Ford's proposal, have to be put on a register and respect a code of conduct.

They would have to wear a pass displaying their name and the identity of the firm or organisation they represent whenever on parliamentary premises. The new rules would also require MEPs' assistants to reveal whether they had any outside interests.

Although the Parliament would still have to draft and approve the lobbyists' code of conduct, it is expected to take as its starting point a voluntary code drafted and now applied by a group of leading Brussels consultants.

Ford's proposals are unlikely to generate much alarm or hostility among the vast majority of lobbyists ploughing the Euro-parliamentary field.

“I am quite happy with the solution so long as whatever applies to lobbyists applies also to MEPs, their assistants and their respective families,” said Stanley Crossick of Belmont European Community Office this week.