MEP writes rules on lobbying, but he’s a lobbyist. Greens: Resign

The Christian-democrat Wieland would have a double-sided activity, something expressly forbidden by law

Harms: “Worrisome news. Urgent inquiry on compatibility of roles”
He’s acting as Chairman of the European Parliament working group set up to reform the transparency register of the lobby work, but apparently he himself participates in lobbyist activities as partner in a law firm in Brussels, Theumer, Wieland & Weisenbuerg .

A conflict of interest denounced some time ago by the Greens, who wrote a letter to President Martin Schulz on Tuesday, demanding that Rainer Wieland (European People’s Party -EPP), German MEP and Vice-President of the European Parliament, resign from that role. And the Greens don’t stop at this but talked about discussing the compatibility of Wieland as an MEP as well.

“The European Parliament Code of Conduct explicitly forbids members from holding a second job that involves lobbying on EU policies,” said Rebecca Harms. According to the Co-Chairman of the Greens: “The disclosure that Wieland failed to declare his lobbyist activities are of great concern in this regard and the European Parliament must investigate this matter with urgency, also with regard to the implications on compatibility with the exercise of all its current functions. This is essential for the credibility of the European Parliament.”

The European Parliament in Strasbourg, unlike the European Commission, has a rather restrictive code of conduct with regard to the relationship between MEPs and lobbyists. In May 2011 the House passed a resolution that created a “Transparency Register” of lobbyists whose registration is mandatory for anyone who wants to have dealings with a deputy (to have associations with European Commissioners however there is no obligation of transparency or registering). Last July a new regulation also went into effect, stipulating that all invitations to events received from the lobby should be made public.

This regulation was unanimously approved in April by the Office of the Presidency, guided by Wieland himself. But now, according to Harms “his tenure as Chairman of the working group on transparency of lobbying is

completely untenable” and that’s why the Greens urge “President Schulz to demand his resignation” and also “to look at the broader implications of these disclosures.”

For Congressman Claude Turmes the House “urgently needs to revise its rules of transparency, in particular to prevent the unregistered lobbyists from accessing Parliament.” The lobby register, he adds, “must be mandatory for law firms, who seem to think they are immune from any possible regulations on lobbying.”

Alfonso Bianchi

 For further information:
– Read the lettera inviata dai Verdi a Schulz
– Lobby e regali agli europarlamentari: non devono valere più di 150 euro