The EU is considering establishing a register for corporate lobbyists. As it is turning out, it becomes more a register of NGOs. Public Citizen, a powerful US consumer advocacy group, has written to the European Commission on how its standards fail to compare with more strict ones in the US, and why the European Commission proposals fall short of transparency. They raise the following points:
-# Meaningful disclosure must be mandatory.
-# The identities of lobbyists, lobbying firms and organizations, and their clients must be disclosed.
-# Definitions of reportable lobbying activity must be made as clear and non-subjective as possible.
-# Lawyers must disclose their lobbying activity on behalf of any particular client, but not their legal work on behalf of clients who are not attempting to influence government.
-# Reportable financial activity must be done in “good faith” and within reasonable levels of accuracy.
For the full letter please continue here
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