Activities of Claude TURMES related to 2007/2115(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Framework for the activities of lobbyists in the EU institutions (debate)
Amendments (18)
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
– having regard to the opinion of the legal service,
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas lobbying in the European Parliament has grown remarkably as the competencies of the Parliament have expanded, and lobbying the European institutions generally is growing constantly in terms of the amount of lobbying and the development of the sector,
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas lobbying is not only aimed at influencing policy and legislative decisions, but also at the allocation of Community funds and the monitoring and enforcement of legislation,
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas Parliament has had its own register for lobbyists1 from as long ago as 1996, as well as a Code of Conduct2 which obligesincludes a commitment for lobbyists to act according to high ethical standards,
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Strongly recommends that all lobby documentation provided to MEPs during a procedure be sent by the lobbyists concerned to a central contact point within Parliament that will make them available on Parliament's website in a easy-to-use database;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Invites its Quaestors to draw up a plan on how tond submit for Parliament's approval a plan for improveing the implementation and control of Parliaments' rules whereby a Member must declare any support which he or she receives, whether financial or in terms of staff or materials12; ;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for clarity on Intergroups, i.e. a list of registered and non-registered Intergroups on Parliament's website,s' website, with detailed information on membership and external funding including declarations of the financial interest of their respective chairs;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Calls upon the Parliament to publish on its website a comprehensive and complete list of all lobby events hosted by Members of Parliament, including at least the agenda and names of sponsors;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Emphasises that all actors falling within that definition and frequently influencing the European institutions should be considered as lobbyists and treated in the same way: professional lobbyists, companies' in- house lobbyists, NGO's, think-thanks, trade associations, trade unions and employers' organisations and lawyers when their purpose is to influence policy rather than case-law, profit-making and non-profit organisations and lawyers;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Believes that a credible and effective registration and reporting system in all EU institutions, including financial disclosure as well as transparency for all documents sent to Members of the institutions, must be mandatory for all lobbyists and must be linked to a common code of ethical behaviour;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Proposes that a joint working group of officials be set up as soon as possiblebe set up swiftly, with representatives from both Parliament and the Commission to consider the implicationsenable the development of a common register;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes the Commission's draft Code of Conduct for Interest Representatives; rReminds the Commission that Parliament has already had such a Code for over 10 years and asks the Commission to negotiate with Parliament for the establishment of a common Code; considers however that the system should be improved and sanctions strengthened; is of the opinion that any code should ensure rigorous monitoring of lobbyists and provide for the withdrawal of nominative passes and the creation of a public blacklist of unethical lobbyists;
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. NoteSupports the Commission's decision to ask for financial disclosure by interest representatives joining the register to apply to the following: – the turnover of professional consultancies and law firms attributable to lobbying the EU institutions, as well as the relative weight of their major clients; – an estimate of the co; is of the opinion that for all entities lobbying the EU institutions, the register must provide information on: – the issues they are lobbying on; – the names of the lobbyists employed; – annual income, with specified sources of income; – the total budget spent on lobbying activities, broken down by lobbying issue. For firms that provide lobbying services to clients, the register musts aslsociated with direct lobbying of the EU institutions incurred by in- provide information on: – the names of the clients on whouse lobbyists and trade associations; – the overall budget and breakdown of the main sources of funding of NGOs and think-tankbehalf they are lobbying; – the issues and budget broken down by client; – the names of lobbyists working for different clients;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16 a. Insists that the decision to ask for financial disclosure by interest representatives should apply only over a minimal threshold of financial turnover; emphasises that sufficiently detailed financial disclosure is a key benchmark of a credible EU transparency initiative and recalls that, in addition to financial figures, details of the names of the persons acting as lobbyists are also required;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
Paragraph 16 b (new)
16 b. A detailed disclosure system should set bandwidths of EUR 10,000 as maximum ranges for financial reporting, with a minimum threshold of EUR 5,000 to qualify for registration at all;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19