Activities of Leila CHAIBI related to 2020/2272(ACI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the conclusion of an interinstitutional agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register
Amendments (19)
Amendment 1 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the sanitary emergency due to the COVID pandemic has led to an increase in interactions and the emergence of new forms of interaction between interest-representatives and decision-makers; whereas lobbyists are taking advantage of the crisis to push their agenda; whereas, for example, the plastics industry is using the pandemic to attack Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment 1a; whereas the Register needs specific human and financial resources to verify the declarations; _________________ 1aOJ L 155, 12.6.2019, p. 1; https://corporateeurope.org/en/2020/05/co rona-lobby-watch
Amendment 4 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas high ethical standards for interest representation underpin the trust that citizens have in the EU institutions; whereas an independent body with investigative, seizure and sanctioning powers is necessary in order for the EU’s ambition of being ethical and transparent to be truly effective; whereas the independence, transparency and accountability of public institutions and their elected representatives, Commissioners and also public officials, political advisers and parliamentary assistants are of the utmost importance for promoting the trust of citizens that is necessary for the legitimate functioning of democratic institutions;
Amendment 6 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas the Transparency Register should work together with an independent ethics body having the power to investigate on the basis of documents and on-the-spot checks, seize from and impose sanctions against both lobbies and the persons whom lobbies are seeking to influence; whereas this body is necessary for the EU’s ethics and transparency ambition to be truly effective rather than merely well-intentioned; whereas it is necessary to restore trust in the European institutions and their democratic legitimacy;
Amendment 7 #
Proposal for a decision
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the individual institutional measures that aim to implement the Agreement are taken in the European Parliament at various levels and range from implementing rules adopted by the Bureau to the modification of the Rules of Procedure; whereas the European Parliament should seize this opportunity to improve and strengthen these measures in order to lead by example with regard to transparency rules and their application;
Amendment 8 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. WelcomesNotes that the Agreement asmust now be substantially improved in order to be a further step enhancing standards of ethical interest representation; recalls nevertheless that under Article 295 TFEU, the institutions can only make arrangements for their cooperation, and therefore have to rely on their powers of self-organisation in order to create de-facto obligations requiring third parties to subscribe to the Register; reiterates its long-standing preference for establishing the Transparency Register via a legislative act, as the only way of legally binding third parties; deeply regrets that Parliament’s proposal for the adoption of a legislative act was not genuinely discussed during the negotiations;
Amendment 10 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Insists that, in line with the political statement, the institutions commit to a coordinated approach on reinforcing the common transparency culture with the view to improving and further strengthening ethical interest representation; considers, in this regard, that it makes sense to create an independent ethics body to harmonise the rules between the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the EU; highlights their obligation under the Agreement, and in accordance with Article 13(2) TEU, to practise mutual sincere cooperation when developing the scheme and that the institutions should therefore aim for the highest level of commitment; insists that the measures referred to in the Agreement represent a minimum which should be expanded further;
Amendment 13 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Welcomes the fact that the status of the Council of the European Union has changed from that of an observer to that of a formal party to the Agreement; considers nevertheless that its participation is limited to meetings with the most senior officials, and, under voluntary schemes only, meetings of the Permanent Representatives and Deputy Permanent Representatives during their presidency and six months before; insists that for the credibility of the scheme all Permanent Representations should take an active part in that voluntary scheme, continue to apply it after their presidency has ended and extend, it insofar as this is possible, to other officials it to other officials as soon as possible; stresses, furthermore, the importance of making public the minutes of Council meetings and of trilogues; takes the view that there is still a long way to go before European citizens are permitted to know the positions advocated by their Member State;
Amendment 18 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. WelcomesRegrets that the commitments made by Parliament in the negotiation process on conditionality and complementary transparency measures do not go beyond what already exists; considers that the modification of Rules 11 and 35 of its Rules of Procedure have provided a strong impetus in that regard; wbelcomieves the fact that the Agreement preserves the constitutional right of the Members to exercise their mandate freelyat there is an urgent need to establish a binding system to effectively prevent lobbies not registered in the Transparency Register from participating in meetings with Members of the European Parliament; stresses that it must be mandatory for all Members to make public their meetings with lobbyists; stresses that making it an obligation only for rapporteurs, shadow rapporteurs and committee chairs is not sufficient as the mandate and powers of Members are not limited to these functions; recalls that Members’ votes, both in committee and in plenary, can be influenced by their meetings with lobbyists, and that such meetings should therefore be declared;
Amendment 20 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the possibility of involvement by institutions, bodies, offices and agencies on a voluntary basisConsiders that the best way to strengthen, or restore, citizens’ trust in the European institutions is to apply high standards of transparency and accountability; notes the possibility of involvement by institutions, bodies, offices and agencies on a voluntary basis; is concerned that the other institutions, bodies, offices and agencies may not, on a voluntary basis, participate in the interinstitutional agreement; reiterates, therefore, the need to continue the dialogue in order to eventually reach agreement on a legislative act; believes that such involvement should be encouraged by the signatory institutions, in line with their obligation to promote the use of the Register and to make use of the Register to the fullest extent; insists that such participation will require the signatory institutions to provide the Register with further resources;
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Is of the opinion that the implementation of the conditionality measures and other complementary transparency measures through individual decisions is not only a way to respect the respective internal organisational powers of the three signatory institutions but that it offers a sufficient guarantee to ensure the transparency of meetings; considers that conditionality measures should be binding on all staff of the institutions, particularly elected officialso an opportunity to increase the level of commitment of the respective institutions with regard to the scheme throughout the implementation periodd Commissioners, but also public officials, political advisers and parliamentary assistants; welcomes in that regard the fact that the annual report has been expanded to cover the implementation of such measures adopted by the signatory institutions;
Amendment 27 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Proposes that the Court of Auditors be authorised to draw up regular reports on the equalisation of burdens and the resources made available to the Secretariat of the Register;
Amendment 29 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Insists on the need to ensure that, within Parliament, there is a high degree of political ownership of the implementation and review process; stresses the need to go further and to strengthen these measures; proposes therefore that a monitoring group is established within the Committee on Constitutional Affairs; suggests that the review process provided for in Article 14 of the Agreement should be informed and shaped in close cooperation with EP Vice- President responsible for Transparency;
Amendment 39 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 14 – point c a (new)
Paragraph 14 – point c a (new)
(ca) establishing a binding principle not allowing lobbyists who are not registered or whose registered information is incorrect or not up-to-date to meet Members, public officials, political advisers or parliamentary assistants;
Amendment 43 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 14 – point c b (new)
Paragraph 14 – point c b (new)
(cb) making public all meetings between Members and lobbyists;
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls on the Committee on Constitutional Affairs to consider, in the process of revision of the EP Rules of Procedure, further binding transparency measures which should be introduced in order to enhance Parliament’s commitment to the joint scheme;
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Welcomes clarification that, when they outsource part of their activities to others, registrants are not released from the obligation tmust also ensure the observance of the same ethical standards as those that apply to them; considers that where a third party plays a recurrent and significant role in lobbying strategies, as is the case with polling institutes, it should be entered in the Transparency Register;
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Highlights that the registrants are now obliged to provide information about legislative proposals, policies or initiatives targeted by them; considers that this should contribute to further transparency of the interests they represent; stresses that still too many interest representatives do not provide sufficient details; stresses, in particular, that 135 organisations do not report any costs relating to their lobbying activities and that 599 organisations report an implausibly low ratio between lobbying costs and full-time equivalents; stresses, therefore, the need to increase the human and financial resources of the Secretariat of the Register;
Amendment 53 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Calls on registrants who very significantly change their lobbying activities or expenses during the course of a year to update the details in the Register proactively; calls on the signatory institutions to amend Annex I as soon as possible so that all financial data are provided annually, with the exception of changes taking place within one year and exceeding EUR 200 000, which should be notified to the Secretariat within two weeks of when they are known, accompanied, where necessary, by an update concerning clients and goals;
Amendment 59 #
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Calls for connectivity between the Register’s website and related data, such as meetings of Members and staff of the institutions with individuals or organisations, to be developed;