Brussels revises transparency rules for EU schmoozing

Paul the Clerck, ALTER-EU steering committee member, comments on the European transparency register: "often the register's data is inaccurate, misleading or out-of-date."

Because of the voluntary nature of the register, only peer pressure can make interest representatives disclose data. The financial reporting does not have to meet international accounting standards. The Commission itself is unsatisfied with the fact that many law firms and think-tanks have not registered.

Paul de Clerck welcomes the idea to link registration with the issuing of access badges to the European Parliament: "de facto it will mean the main lobby groups will register".