Transparency groups call for stricter lobbying rules after Dalli resignation

Civil society groups have today written to the European Commission President urging him to end the secrecy around the resignation of the former European Commissioner for health and consumer policy John Dalli.

Campaign groups in the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU) called on Josè Manuel Durao Barroso to introduce stricter transparency and ethics rules to curb the privileged access of lobbyists to EU decision-making.

Their letter comes ahead of a meeting between José Manuel Barroso and the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament, over the OLAF investigation that alleged "unambiguous circumstantial evidence" showing John Dalli was aware of a bribe being solicited by a former canvasser, Silvio Zammit, from Swedish snus producers Swedish Match to influence tobacco legislation in Dalli's portfolio.

Olivier Hoedeman from Corporate Europe Observatory, an ALTER-EU member group, said: "The Commission must end its secrecy around this lobby scandal. Whether this is a lobbyist selling influence-for-cash, a tobacco industry set-up to delay and weaken legislation, or a combination of both, it is clear that the current EU rules around Commissioners' contact with lobbyists are inadequate."

Paul de Clerck from Friends of the Earth Europe and member of ALTER-EU's steering committee added: "Consultants offering clients access to high level decision-makers for money is unfortunately common practice in Brussels. We have still not had a satisfactory explanation of Mr Dalli's resignation. Contact with private lobbyists is not normally a reason for Commissioners to have to resign. The Commission needs to come clean and give the real reasons why Dalli had to step down."

In their letter to Barroso, ALTER-EU expresses its concern over the many unanswered questions around the resignation of Dalli, and the lack of information in the two weeks since the scandal broke.

"At the same time a wealth of information has appeared in the media, much of which contradicts the Commission's version of the events.

"The fact is that it remains unclear exactly why Mr Dalli had to leave. We therefore call on the Commission to end the secrecy around the case and release the full facts about this scandal, including the European Anti Fraud Office's report. "

ALTER-EU also said that the EC was duty-bound to investigate whether the attempts to sell access and influence were limited to Dalli or whether other Commission departments were approached, and whether acquaintances of Commissioners or lobby consultants have set up meetings with Commissioners on a for-profit basis.

"The Commission urgently needs to use more rigorous measures to avoid undue influence, introducing far stricter transparency and ethics rules around its contacts with lobbyists, and ensure these rules are stringently enforced," ALTER-EU said, calling for stronger conflicts of interest rules; and a high-quality, mandatory lobbying transparency register and pro-active transparency on Commission meetings with lobbyists.

ALTER-EU said the Commission and Parliament's weak and voluntary Transparency Register must be replaced with a mandatory lobby transparency system that enables EU citizens to see who is influencing EU decision-making, on which issues, on whose behalf, and with what budgets.

"In addition to overhauling the Transparency Register, the European Commission should provide comprehensive information online about all meetings between Commission officials and lobbyists. This is already common practice in, for example, UK government departments.

"We note that a number of Commissioners, including yourself, have refused upon request to disclose which meetings they have had with lobbyists. The Dalli case highlights just how important it is for information about such meetings to be in the public domain."

The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament, comprising the President and the leaders of the political groups, have also decided to formally ask Barroso to provide the Parliament with additional and comprehensive information on all the circumstances of Dalli's resignation from his post as Member of the European Commission.