Lobbying Transparency

DG TRADE and the Tobacco Lobby: When Transparency Becomes a Compliance Test

by

The European Ombudswoman’s inquiry into DG TRADE’s contacts with tobacco-industry representatives creates a test that goes beyond meeting disclosure. The central question is whether the Commission can reconstruct why contacts were necessary, what followed them, and whether corrective measures adopted after an earlier maladministration finding worked in practice.

When a Consultation Is Called a Reality Check: Does the Label Remove the Transparency Duty?

by

Executive summary The European Commission uses a consultation format known as a reality check to obtain information from stakeholders it has selected about practical obstacles in implementing EU rules. The Commission considers these meetings exempt from standard transparency requirements for meetings with interest representatives because they are intended to gather factual information, data or expertise. … Read more