EP Rules of Procedure, Rule 9 and Annexes: establishment of a joint Transparency Register between the Parliament and the Commission

The European Parliament decided to amend its Rules of Procedure following the establishment by the European Parliament and the Commission of a joint transparency register.

The main amendments are as follows:

• to institute to mandatory registration of lobbyists who approach Members of the European Parliament, the European institutions and their staff. This compulsory registration procedure should also entail registration of the people who have been approached. This requirement to register conversations with lobbyists should apply in equal measure to elected representatives, European officials and other staff of the European institutions. The information should be accessible to the public;
• to take account of new rights and obligations under the register procedure of Parliament bodies and of third parties in the context of their relations with Parliament;
• to safeguard Parliament’s power to lay down the rights and obligations, in the context of their relations with Parliament, of persons who, whilst in possession of a long-term access badge, do not fall within the scope of the register (representatives of political parties, churches, etc.);
• to stipulate that the Quaestors remain free to take decisions on the withdrawal of badges. Such badges shall be valid for a maximum period of one year, which may be renewed. The rules governing the use of such badges shall be laid down by the Bureau;
• to provide that the registration of Members’ financial interests must be altered as soon as a change occurs in a Member’s situation, not only every year;
• to take account of the new rights and obligations of Parliament bodies and third parties concerning the processing of complaints and the withdrawal of badges;
• to delete Annex 3 to the agreement which sets out a joint code of conduct which incorporates the provisions of this rule.