European Parliament cracks down on meetings between officials and lobbyists

Brussels – Access to the European Parliament by public or private advocates is becoming increasingly “formalized.”

As early as the current session in Strasbourg, accredited lobbyists can no longer enter “at their own discretion” but must indicate why they intend to enter Parliament, basically who they want to meet.

Moreover, from Sept. 1, new transparency rules will require officials running departments (secretary-general, directors-general, directors, heads of units, liaison heads, and team leaders) to declare any meetings with representatives of lobby groups but also of member states or third countries that relate to a dossier under discussion in Parliament.