The European Commission will present, on 28 October, a revision of its public register of interest representatives based in Brussels. It does not make any fundamental changes - the system remains voluntary – but provides clarifications on the disclosure of financial information.

The draft communication by Estonian Liberal Commissioner Siim Kallas will emphasise the fact that the register, launched in June 2008, “is functioning well” since “more than 2,000 organisations are already registered, with each representing an average of four to five lobbyists,” notes an informed source. In the last 16 months, “the number of registrations has risen constantly, so the political message is in place and the fundamentals should remain”.

To put it plainly: there is no question of making the register mandatory, as Kallas had hinted at one point had the results not been convincing. This has been the most controversial aspect from the beginning and certain interest representatives have upped the pressure to convince the Commission to set up a binding system, based on the US model, saying good-faith registrations are pointless.

ABOLITION OF PERCENTAGES

That question is now irrelevant, however. The revision makes do with providing clarifications, notably on questions related to the disclosure of financial information. At present, an organisation that registers must state its turnover and the relative share of each of its clients in its turnover, either in terms of percentage (in 10% brackets) or in absolute figures, at its own choosing. The percentage option, which is used most often, remains very vague and lends to confusion, especially for big organisations like Burson-Marsteller, which can have tremendous turnover and do not need to reveal the real amounts for each client. For the Commission, this represents a lack of transparency compared with small organisations, so the percentage bracket system is expected to be scrapped.

The revision could also define more precisely exactly what is meant by lobbying of the EU institutions. It is also expected to criticise once again think tanks and law firms, most of which are still not registering. According to the same source, the revision will subsequently entitle the Commission to adopt a decision on the creation of a joint register with the European Parliament. The latter already has a register of lobbyists, which is de facto mandatory because to enter the institution’s buildings, visitors need an access badge that is only delivered after registering.

Even if a joint register for the two institutions is put in place, though, it is not very likely that the Commission will decide to move into mandatory mode. For now, an interinstitutional working group, set up under the previous legislature, is reviewing the question. Its members include Siim Kallas and MEPs Ingo Friedrich (EPP, Germany), Jo Leinen (S&D, Germany) and Diana Wallis (ALDE, United Kingdom), joined recently by Isabelle Durant (Greens-EFA, Belgium). Pending the organisation of the new system, the two institutions have launched a joint web page providing access to their respective registers.

KALLAS COULD STAY ON

The revision of the Commission’s public register was announced at the time the system was launched, in June 2008. It was initially slated for early July 2009 but was postponed several times. Kallas will be part of the next Commission that will be taking up office in the coming months and it is said that he may keep the same portfolio. In the wings, some are betting that he has a 60% chance of keeping his present portfolio and 40% of being assigned a new one.

The revision makes do with providing clarifications, notably on questions related to the disclosure of financial information