EPSU

Opinion of EESC supports EPSU position: no need for detailed private data

catherine — 2010-09-06T15:48:07Z

(6 September 2010) The proposed regulation of the Commission on the European Citizens' Initiative makes its rounds through the European institutions.

The Committee of the Regions has issued an opinion and most recently the European Economic and Social Committee took position. It has followed the position of EPSU on a great number of issues including the time limit, the number of member states, the overburdening demands in the Commission proposal for signatures at the start. The Committee also sees no need for providing privacy sensitive data such as social security, passport or other numbers.

EESC opinion


EESC opinion ECI

EPSU Contribution

New Survey details influence of Big Pharma on patient and consumer organizations

catherine — 2010-08-16T08:12:20Z

(16 August) An independent NGO Health Action International (HAI) Europe published research based on a survey on levels of financial disclosure and transparency among patient and consumer organisations at the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The main findings and key conclusions:
Two-thirds of the patient and consumer organisations working with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) received partial or significant funding from pharmaceutical manufacturers and/or industry associations. This baseline data suggests that the pharmaceutical industry is the most prevalent sponsor of the patient voice at the EMA.
Fewer than half of the 23 organisations complied with EMA financial reporting guidelines, which indicates the failure of the EMA to effectively monitor and enforce its own guidelines on financial transparency.

EPSU and many other organizations joined in the Alter-EU coalition are campaigning for clearer transparency rules at EU level. For more information on the work of that coalition: www.alter-eu.org/

Please click here to read the Research

the Fact sheet

And the Web

Health Action International (HAI) is an independent, global network working to increase access to essential medicines and improve their rational use through research excellence and evidence-based advocacy.

Wake up Brussels – How a million signatures can change Europe

catherine — 2010-04-15T14:42:11Z

(15 April 2010) The European party of socialists and democrats organized a public hearing to discuss with MEPs and civil society the proposal of the European Commission on the European Citizens' Initiative. The S&D speakers welcomed the initiative of the Commission. Martin Schulz, chair of the S&D group opened the conference and underlined the importance of the European Citizens' Initiative. The Spanish State Secretary for the European Union, Diego Lopez Garrido stressed that the Citizens' Initiative is one of the progressive elements of the Treaty. He hoped that the Parliament and Council could deal with the Regulation even before the end of the Spanish Presidency. Governments have underlined fears of fraud and the criminal liability of organizers. Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President for Inter-institutional Relations and Administration was congratulated for his work to advance the proposal. The Commissioner defended the Commission proposal, stressing that it remains possible for the Commission to reject a proposal.

In one of the following panel sessions EPSU's Deputy General Secretary underlined the importance that the initiative is simple, easy to access.

The current Commission proposal is not achieving that objective yet.

Specific points: Minimum number of states is set too high, age should be 16 years. The Commission wants to apply three tests (registration and values; admissibility and if it should act or not) without recourse to an appeal. The time allowed is too short and the identification data required will pose a big hurdle. A role should be foreseen for the European Ombudsman. These comments were echoed by others such as MEP Jo Leinen, Connie Reuter of Solidar, Sylvia Kaufmann of the German Social platform and who was the author of the 2009 EP report. Journalist and President of the International Press Association Lorenzo Consoli argued that there is also a corporate approach to the ECI to ensure that initiatives can not be run again when failed, and introducing hurdles to citizens.

The European Commission will formally introduce the ECI to the European Parliament 19 April. Discussion in the Council has started and in the EP the Committee on Constitutional Affairs will be responsible.

The Conference took place 15 April 2010, in the European Parliament Brussels. Around 120 participants took part.

The EPSU position to the Green Paper


EPSU contribution ECI

The programme of the Conference

The report of the European Parliament(Adopted May 2009)

The portal of the European Commission on the European Citizens Initiative

Directly to the proposal of the European Commission

Question and Answers by the European Commission

Other civil society organizations

European Citizens Initiative

Initiative and Referendum Institute Europe

Europe's 2020 strategy: Big Business as usual

catherine — 2010-03-25T10:58:13Z

(25 March 2010) Corporate Observatory Europe published a new report on the EU 2020 strategy. It compares the views of European Round Table of Industrialists and finds that on key issues the Commission follows the view of the ERT. And let us not forget what it is all about as Baron Janssen, a member of the ERT (ex-CEO of chemical giant Solvay): The vision is about ― reducing the power of the state and of the public sector in general through privatisation and deregulation" and "transferring many of the nation states' powers to a more modern and internationally minded structure at European level" (quoted in the report).

Update on Alter-EU coalition

catherine — 2009-10-27T09:45:08Z

(27 October 2009) EPSU signed the founding statement of the ALTER-EU coalition in 2005, together with over 160 other public interest groups, academics and trade unions from across Europe. For four years now, groups in the ALTER-EU coalition have campaigned for ending corporate privileges and secrecy around lobbying in the EU. The coalition is now a leading voice in the debate in Brussels and in Europe on the European Transparency Initiative and the need for lobby disclosure and ethics regulation (see www.alter-eu.org for an overview).

Since its launch in 2005, ALTER-EU has been coordinated by a steering committee. On behalf of the coalition the steering committee has published reports which offer concrete proposals for improving and securing lobbying disclosure. To mention a few examples:

In June 2009, the coalition published a detailed report highlighting the failures of the Commission's voluntary register;

Forthcoming is a report about corporate capture of «Expert Groups». It highlights how large private banks, insurance giants and a whole range of financial enterprises are staggeringly over-represented and wield significant power within the EU legislative process .

Before the end of their current term, the Commission is expected to present changes to the lobby transparency register. We fear the changes will be inadequate and we intend to respond publicly.

New report details lobby activities of water giant and underlines needs for transparency

catherine — 2009-01-07T11:03:29Z

(7 January 2009) A report was published by Corporate Europe Observatory on the Veolia Environment EU lobbying activities in the water sector, "Turning on the taps in Brussels", 17 December 2008. The report can be found at: http://www.corporateeurope.org/docs/turning-on-the-taps.pdf

The report shows according to the CEO Press release that the water giant's environmental and "responsible lobbying" claims are far from matching the extent and content of its actual activities: Veolia has set up a considerable lobbying network and consistently pushed for a profit-oriented approach rather than water resources preservation. It promotes energy-intensive and costly clean-up technologies as the sole response to the water crisis and asked the European Commission to take action against public-public partnerships.

A new report details how some MEPs are close to business

epsuadmin — 2008-08-14T09:41:06Z

The UK organisation SpinWatch has detailed how MEPs are linked to business interests while also being responsible for subjects in which these companies have an interest. Most of them turn out to be conservative and liberal politicians who act as lobbyists for business in the EP. Some well known MEPs are mentioned such as Gilles Chichester, Caroline Jackson and Malcolm Harbour. While these are all UK politicians MEPs from germany, Roumania, Finland are also mentioned.
The report details:
MEPs who accept paid work and hospitality from businesses with a vested interest in their legislative work
MEPs with a financial interest in industries they promote
MEPs who are in key legislative positions - for example, chairing parliamentary committees - while at the same time being involved with powerful business lobby groups.
The report is part of efforts of organisations to ensure that the European parliament and Commission are more transparent.
The report 'Too Close for Comfort?' can be downloaded here

Alter-EU Coalition appeals to Barroso to ensure Transparency

catherine — 2008-06-04T09:12:05Z

(Brussels, 4 June 2008) The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation in the EU (ALTER-EU) has today written to Commission President Barroso urging him to intervene and ensure that the Commission's new register for lobbyists will deliver transparency. The appeal by the transparency coalition comes after the Commission's announcement that the long-awaited voluntary register will not include meaningful financial information nor names of lobbyists. The weak transparency requirements for the new register have been drafted by the Commission?s Secretariat-General, which operates directly under Mr. Barroso?s responsibility.

Without names and detailed financial data the register will be a token gesture rather than a serious step forward in securing transparency around EU lobbying, says Olivier Hoedeman from Corporate Europe Observatory. Launching the register with these glaring flaws would mean that EU citizens will be denied crucial information, such as how many lobbyists are influencing EU decision-making, on whose behalf and with which budgets. The number of EU lobbyists is generally estimated to be over 15,000, a large majority representing commercial interests. Industry insiders estimate the annual turnover of corporate lobbying in Brussels to be up to 1 billion euro per year. ALTER-EU is particularly concerned about Commission plans to allow lobbying consultancy firms to opt to declare funding from their clients only in 10% steps relative to their total income. This favours bigger lobby firms who can choose to be less transparent about their clients than smaller firms. It is unacceptable that the Commission allows large lobby firms, who are mainly working for big business clients, to be less transparent than others, says Ulrich Mueller from LobbyControl.

For the full letter:


ALTER-EU media advisory 3 June

US Public Citizen comments on EU Transparency Initiative

catherine — 2008-06-03T07:39:46Z

The EU is considering establishing a register for corporate lobbyists. As it is turning out, it becomes more a register of NGOs. Public Citizen, a powerful US consumer advocacy group, has written to the European Commission on how its standards fail to compare with more strict ones in the US, and why the European Commission proposals fall short of transparency. They raise the following points:

Meaningful disclosure must be mandatory.
The identities of lobbyists, lobbying firms and organizations, and their clients must be disclosed.
Definitions of reportable lobbying activity must be made as clear and non-subjective as possible.
Lawyers must disclose their lobbying activity on behalf of any particular client, but not their legal work on behalf of clients who are not attempting to influence government.
Reportable financial activity must be done in “good faith” and within reasonable levels of accuracy.

For the full letter please continue here


Letter on ETI

Conservatives protect corporate interests

epsuadmin — 2008-05-09T08:37:04Z

(9 May 2008, Brussels) The European Parliament adpoted a report on a framework for activities of lobbyists in the EU institutions. This has been welcomed by Alter-EU the alliance of European groups and including EPSU that has sought a mandatory register, funders and financial disclosure. However the conservatives and neo-liberals in the EP have managed to exclude law firms that provide lobby consultancy services. They also voted down more openess and transparency for the experts the Commission uses and for the many hundreds of committees of the Commission in which corporations seek to influence legislation.

To read the Alter-EU press release of 8 May 2008, open document below:


ALTER EU press release