Agreement on Mandatory Transparency Register

Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Article 295 thereof, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), in particular Article 106a thereof, Whereas:
(1) The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission ('the signatory institutions') maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue with representative associations and civil society in accordance with the Treaty on European Union (TEU), in particular Article 11(1) and (2) thereof.
(2) That dialogue enables all stakeholders to present their views on decisions that may affect them and hence to contribute effectively to the evidence base on which policy proposals are made. Engaging with stakeholders enhances the quality of decisionmaking by providing channels for the input of external views and expertise.
(3) Transparency and accountability are essential to maintain the trust of Union citizens in the legitimacy of the political, legislative and administrative processes of the Union.
(4) The signatory institutions recognise the importance of coordinating their approach in order to further promote interest representation that is transparent and ethical through the adoption of a joint framework for their cooperation.
(5) Transparency of interest representation is especially important in order to allow citizens to follow the activities and potential influence of interest representatives, including influence through financial support and sponsorship. Such transparency is best ensured by means of a code of conduct which contains the rules and principles to be observed by interest representatives that sign up to a transparency register (‘register’).
(6) In view of the positive experience with the Transparency Register for organisations and self-employed individuals engaged in EU policy-making and policy implementation established by the agreement between the European Parliament and the European Commission of 16 April 20141 (‘the 2014 Agreement’), the signatory institutions consider that that Agreement should be extended.
(7) It is necessary to make the register mandatory by putting in place, by means of individual decisions adopted by each of the signatory institutions, measures of equivalent effect that make registration of interest representatives in the register a necessary precondition for carrying out certain types of interest representation activities.

For further detail, consult the statement in its entirety.