On October 3rd, EPACA Chairwoman Isabelle De Vinck was invited to speak at a roundtable organised by the Belgian-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce (CCBP) on the role played by interest representatives in policy-making and transparent lobbying.
Topics of the conversation included the state of play of lobby regulation in different jurisdictions around Europe, public perception, lobbying practice and interaction with policy-makers.
Ms De Vinck’s intervention focused on the major role that the EU Transparency Register plays in the EU public affairs industry from a regulatory point of view, ever since it was created in 2008. Today there are 12.892 organisations in the Register, and the number continues to increase. There are several benefits deriving from the creation of the register, such as the establishment of a level playing field between all types of lobbyists, the feasibility of registered lobbyists in applying for a European Parliament access badge and meeting with certain high-level Commission officials, and the transparency in looking up, updating and cross-checking information and data.
For EPACA, the main takeaway is the importance of rebuilding the trust between lobbyists and EU policymakers. As part of the new mandate, policymakers need to be reminded about the constructive impact interest representation can have on the quality of policy outcomes.
The event brought together representatives of public affairs associations from Portugal, Belgium and the EU, together with the Chamber’s members: a great forum to exchange views on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the sector.