New code to bind lobbyists

Date: 15/05/1997

By Rory Watson

THE small army of lobbyists who monitor and try to influence every move made by the European Parliament will have to obey a clear set of rules from now on or risk being refused access to the institution's premises in Brussels, Strasbourg and Luxembourg.

After an eight-year search for an acceptable formula, MEPs this week overwhelmingly adopted an eight-point code of conduct drafted by British Socialist MEP Glyn Ford.

In exchange for agreeing to the new standards and procedures, lobbyists will be given a pass guaranteeing them regular entry to the Parliament.

The rules will, in principle, come into effect at the institution's next plenary session - a two-day meeting opening in Brussels on 28 May. But given the sheer numbers involved, it is likely to be some time before details of the 3,000 or so lobbyists in regular contact with MEPs are fully processed in the centralised register.

“I am happy with what we have got through. This is probably as tough a system as any that now operates in the Union. It is important to realise that this is not a voluntary code of conduct, it is compulsory. Any lobbyist who does not sign up to it will not get a pass,” said Ford.

Under the code, lobbyists will have to declare whom they represent, and agree not to obtain information dishonestly or circulate parliamentary papers for a profit. They must not offer MEPs gifts, must declare any assistance they provide them and will require members' prior approval before offering any work to their assistants.

But in adopting Ford's recommendations by 397 votes to 17, with three abstentions, the Parliament failed to endorse two of his more far-reaching proposals.

There was insufficient support for the idea that in exchange for the annual renewal of their entry passes, lobbyists should provide a detailed report each year of their efforts to influence the Parliament's decision-making process.

Most MEPs argued that such a requirement was excessively bureaucratic and Dutch Liberal Florus Wijsenbeek dismissed it as “complete nonsense”.

MEPs also decided to postpone any attempt to clarify the status of parliamentary assistants, despite Ford's insistence that only those working full-time for members should enjoy the same wide-ranging access to the Parliament's premises as the institution's staff.

The status of assistants, along with the position of the cross-party intergroups, will now be considered in separate reports being prepared by the Parliament.

The code has been welcomed by leading Brussels-based consultancies, which already operate their own voluntary guidelines drafted several years ago.

“I am delighted that after such long-running discussions we now have a code of conduct which clarifies the situation and has been adopted by such an overwhelming vote. It shows the Parliament wants transparency and also recognises the role of lobbyists,” said Maria Laptev, secretary to the public affairs practitioners' code of conduct.