Update on Alter-EU coalition

(27 October 2009) EPSU signed the founding statement of the ALTER-EU coalition in 2005, together with over 160 other public interest groups, academics and trade unions from across Europe. For four years now, groups in the ALTER-EU coalition have campaigned for ending corporate privileges and secrecy around lobbying in the EU. The coalition is now a leading voice in the debate in Brussels and in Europe on the European Transparency Initiative and the need for lobby disclosure and ethics regulation (see www.alter-eu.org for an overview).

Since its launch in 2005, ALTER-EU has been coordinated by a steering committee. On behalf of the coalition the steering committee has published reports which offer concrete proposals for improving and securing lobbying disclosure. To mention a few examples:

In June 2009, the coalition published a detailed report highlighting the failures of the Commission’s voluntary register;

Forthcoming is a report about corporate capture of «Expert Groups». It highlights how large private banks, insurance giants and a whole range of financial enterprises are staggeringly over-represented and wield significant power within the EU legislative process .

Before the end of their current term, the Commission is expected to present changes to the lobby transparency register. We fear the changes will be inadequate and we intend to respond publicly.