EN E-001332/2021
Answer given by Vice-President Jourová on behalf of the European Commission (21.6.2021)
In its contacts with interest representatives, the Commission follows the principles of transparency, integrity and equality of access, to promote the general interest of the Union. The Commission applies a comprehensive transparency policy concerning interest representation with a view to, among others, protecting its policy-making procedures, as well as its Members and staff, against excessive lobbying practices.
Indeed, the Commission requires decision-makers at the political level1 and those directly responsible for advising them2 to meet only interest representatives that are registered in the Transparency Register3 and to publish certain information concerning those meetings4. Furthermore, the Commission recommends all its staff members (who are in any case bound by the Staff Regulations’ provisions concerning ethics and integrity) to accept meetings only with interests representatives registered in the Transparency Register. Furthermore, the Commission actively disseminated among its staff the European Ombudsman’s recommendation concerning interaction with interest representatives.
In addition, the decision-making process of the Commission is protected against undue influence, notably by thorough preparatory work between several departments, legal scrutiny and the collegial character of the decision-making. Legislative proposals of the Commission are discussed and adopted by European Parliament and Council. Legislation is always published, states reasons and can be contested in courts.
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1 Members of the Commission.
2 Members of Cabinets, Directors-General and Heads of Service.
3 https://ec.europa.eu/transparencyregister/public/homePage.do?redir=false&locale=en
4 Commission Decision 2014/838/EU, Euratom of 25 November 2014 on the publication of information on meetings held between Directors-General of the Commission and organisations or self-employed individuals, OJ L 2014, 28.11.2014, p.19; Commission Decision 2014/839/EU, Euratom of 25 November 2014 on the publication of information on meetings held between Members of the Commission and organisations or self- employed individuals, OJ L 2014, 28.11.2014, p.22.
Source : © European Union, 2021 – EP