European Voice: Lobbying needs sensible rules

Publié(e) 30.8.2007

EU lobbying is not US lobbying

The European Parliament was a lonely place in the 1970s. It had virtually no powers and perhaps as a consequence no friends. At the time MEPs were happy if a lobbyist would pop by for a chat. All doors were open.

Times have changed. Today the Parliament is an equal legislator with the Council of Ministers and consequently our corridors are packed with professionals wanting to influence decision-making.

In the 1970s there were around 400 lobbying organisations based in Brussels. Now the EU capital is the home of some 15,000 lobbyists. They represent more than 2,500 organisations, ranging from in-house company lobbyists to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), from international organisations and think-tanks to law firms.

In addition, there are around 170 embassies and more than 200 regional offices representing specific national or regional interests in Brussels. To put it simply, if you are not represented in Brussels, you are probably not doing your job properly.

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Lobbying does not always have a positive connotation. Many see lobbying as some kind of shady activity in a smoke-filled room. This description is unfair and outdated.

Most lobbyists are experts in their field, representing interests in a professional manner. Of course you might not agree on what they all say, but democracy is all about competing views, pluralism. It is up to the decision-maker to listen and draw his or her own conclusions.

There is a misconception that money equals influence. NGOs with limited resources can be as influential as rich multinational companies. Lobbying on the REACH chemicals regulation or software patents, for instance, was much more influential from the public than the private side.

Some lobbyists spend a lot of money without any noticeable influence. For most politicians, power lies in the argument, not in whom and how much money is behind it.

My starting point is simple: all lobbyists should be treated equally. Greenpeace and McDonalds represent their own interests. A public interest claim is not automatically better than a private interest claim.

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Lobbying will be one of the hottest topics in Brussels during the coming months. The European Commission is in the process of setting new rules for lobbyists. The Parliament is also drawing up a report on lobbying.

The assembly has an extensive register of lobbyists, mainly for security purposes. They all have to sign a code of conduct, which gives them entry to the buildings. Before every meeting the lobbyist tells the MEP who he or she is representing.

The Commission has no such register, but all of that is about to change. The key debate in the Commission is whether the register should be voluntary or mandatory, and what information should be required.

In my opinion the Commission should avoid creating a system which is too much like its equivalent in the US. We do not need to go overboard. In the US lobbying is directly linked to political decision-making through funding. In Europe there is no such link. EU lobbying is not US lobbying.

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Lobbying is all about interest and information. In Brussels, European commissioners, backed by thousands of civil servants and advisers, are the champions of information. Ministers in the Council form their positions with the help of permanent representations and ministries.

But a member of the European Parliament is less lucky. He or she has to survive with a few assistants and civil servants. No matter how talented they might be, an MEP is also dependent on the information provided by lobbyists. Good lobbyists can be a vital source of information, although bad lobbyists will receive short shrift from most MEPs.

Lobbying rules in the Parliament have worked in the past. There is no reason why they should not work in the future for the other institutions too. Perhaps lobbying rules should follow Aristotle’s golden rule: “Nothing in excess except moderation.”

Finnish centre-right MEP Alexander Stubb is vice- chairman of the Parliament’s internal market committee and rapporteur on lobbying in the constitutional affairs committee.