About: transparency
An accelerator for a new model of capitalism
The proposed revision of EU rules on non-financial reporting is a further step in the evolution of our business model and investment practices, write a group of leading European business bosses.
Trade secrets don’t trump our rights
Europe’s sophisticated draft legislation – the Digital Services Act (DSA) – could finally change the asymmetry of power and information between Big Tech and citizens by enabling data access for regulators and vetted researchers to look ‘under the hood.’ Sarah...
How new, binding EU transparency standards for political advertising could be even higher
The European Commission’s draft law on political advertising aims to create binding transparency standards and includes a ban on targeting. This ban, however, has big loopholes that need to be addressed.
EU recovery plans will be a waste of time and money without transparency
The lack of transparency requirements on the use of EU recovery funds risks generating corruption and undermining public support, argue Helen Darbishire and Karolis Granickas.
Lobbying and undue influence: It’s time to put the spotlight on defence
Defence is one of the most important policy areas for governments around the world, but related decision-making is rarely as transparent and fair as it should be and lawmakers must shine a light on lobbying by the arms industry, argues Charlie Linney.
BlackRock case: Putting an end to conflicts of interest at European level
BlackRock's controversial contract to advise the European Commission should be put on hold and new transparency criteria introduced to prevent such conflicts of interest, writes Aurore Lalucq and a group of 58 MEPs.
Practise what you preach: banks should endorse the sustainability practices they publicly support
Paul Tang questions why bank lobbyists are seeking to delay transparency measures that they have publicly endorsed.
Make lobbying in the EU truly transparent
The Commission is a good example of transparency for other institutions, such as the Parliament and the Council, Frans Timmermans writes.
The European Parliament must guarantee full transparency of lobbying
Christian Beck and Sven Giegold explain the stakes of a strategic vote in the European Parliament taking place today (31 January).
Europe needs to wake up to China’s influencing strategies
As Europe is waking up to the Chinese party-state’s growing influence inside its territory, China experts in Europe need to make themselves heard, write Tabitha Speelman and Matej Šimalčík.
Lobby register reform must deliver strong data checks and enforcement
If an organisation breaks EU lobby rules, it should not be able to continue accessing policy-makers in Brussels. That requires a comprehensive “no registration, no meeting” rule, which the Parliament and Council seem unwilling to adopt, and until they do so, the Commission will not extend it internally, writes Margarida Silva.
EU should use due diligence in fisheries import
The European Parliament has adopted an initiative report this week about the conformity of fisheries products that have access to the EU market. The EU is the largest market for fish in the world and it may need to be even more vigilant to keep illegally caught fish from arriving in the EU indirectly, writes Linnéa Engström.
The empty taste of Macron’s citizens’ consultations
Much ado about nothing. This is how we could sum up one of President Macron’s first citizens’ consultations, held in Croatia, writes Mario Munta.
Personal data was weaponised against democracy in the EU – and can be again
With the recent revelations on the unlawful use of voters’ data to influence their choices, both the EU and its member states need to take legislative measures to prevent such campaigning which violated privacy rights and eroded democracy. The first step should be ending the lack of transparency, writes Nomi Byström.
EU lobbying rules must apply at the ECB
The European Central Bank should meet the same demands as the Commission when it comes to lobbyists in its advisory structure, insists the Corporate Europe Observatory.
The biggest loophole in the Commission’s lobby transparency efforts
Extending the “no registration, no meeting” rule from the Commission elite to lower-level officials would at once improve lobby transparency and protect civil servants. But the Commission has been actively avoiding the need to address this, writes Margarida Silva.
A European FBI? Not quite
The European Commission's proposal for an independent body to investigate fraudulent use of EU funds and VAT crimes is long overdue. While not as fully-fledged as an EU version of the FBI, all member states should sign up to it - especially those who have currently opted out, writes Carl Dolan.
It’s high time the Council joins the EU’s Transparency Register rules
The Council of the European Union is one of the most important institutions involved in the EU’s decision-making process. But despite a ruling by the highest EU court and increased demands from civil society, they refuse to sign up to the transparency register, writes Andreas Pavlou.
More transparency needed to tackle corporate capture
Two years after Dieselgate put the issue of corporate capture into the limelight, EU institutions have the perfect opportunity to get tough on lobbying, through a comprehensive reform of the EU lobby transparency, writes Myriam Douo.
Lobby transparency reform: Here we go again
Scandals from Dieselgate to tobacco, glyphosate to high finance, have contributed to widespread public cynicism over the power of lobbyists in the EU. Campaigners are facing the upcoming EU lobby transparency negotiations with a mixture of weary resignation and apprehension, writes Vicky Cann.
EU halts release of anti-corruption report
In Romania, politicians were preparing to legalise political corruption, and elsewhere the misuse of EU funds makes headlines every day. Sandor Lederer asks why has the Commission decided not to release an in-depth anti-corruption report.
Who sets the agenda on algorithmic accountability?
A discussion on algorithmic accountability and transparency is missing from Europe’s digital economy framework. Citizens need assurances that machines are treating them fairly, writes Liisa Jaakonsaari.
Imperative that next Secretary-General reforms UN
As the UN’s selection process continues, for the first time with added transparency, Najiba Mustafayeva writes that the eventual nominee must reform the 71-year-old organisation to better reflect the realities of the modern world.