Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Over two years after a cash-for-influence scandal that sparked one of the most significant corruption investigations in the EU, the European Parliament has strengthened its lobbying regulations, Politico reported.
In December 2022, law enforcement conducted raids on various properties and offices throughout Brussels, resulting in arrests and the confiscation of bags filled with cash. The primary accusations claimed that individuals associated with the Parliament received money or gifts in return for advancing Qatar’s interests. Subsequently, it was revealed that Morocco and Mauritania were also purportedly implicated.
How will new EU rules track lobbyist visits?
Starting May 1, anyone entering the Parliament buildings to advocate for external organizations must activate badges and register their visit’s purpose. This initiative is designed to monitor who interacts with whom following the incident referred to as “Qatargate,” named after a country allegedly involved in offering cash and gifts for favors.
According to an email sent last month to all accredited lobbyists, they must indicate if they are meeting with an MEP or staff member or attending a parliamentary meeting or event within the building. After their badge is activated, they can use it to pass through security and access the general doors.
Why are lobbyists required to activate badges now?
“After Qatargate, we thought transparency is important,”
MEP Marc Angel, responsible for internal administrative issues, stated, Politico reported.
“Especially when it comes to interested representatives, be it from the business side or NGOs,”
It’s important
“that we can see who they meet and why they come into the Parliament.”
Lobbyists could formerly access Parliament freely with their official badges; however, they must now activate them at a small terminal with badge readers each time they visit the entrances.
Who can access lobbyist meeting records in Parliament?
The information will remain confidential and accessible only to the security department.
“In case there is an inquiry or a problem, there is a possibility to see who saw who and get clarity and transparency,”
Angel stated. Lawmakers are already required to log their meetings with lobbyists on the Parliament’s website.
A spokesperson for the Parliament stated,
“These changes are part of a comprehensive reform package adopted by the European Parliament in recent years aimed at enhancing its integrity, independence, and accountability while safeguarding the free mandate of MEPs.”
The decision has faced backlash from lobby groups, who view the extra checks as burdensome and unjustified. The measure, agreed on by the Parliament’s leadership in March 2024, will also affect former MEPs and general visitors.
What triggered the European Parliament’s lobbying reform?
As revealed by Mediapart, the Qatargate crisis was exposed to the public in early December 2022. On 9 December 2022, Belgian police executed synchronized raids around Brussels, detaining a number of people, including Greek MEP Eva Kaili and veteran Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, and confiscating around €1.5 million in cash as well as computers and mobile phones. This police operation was the first public disclosure of the corruption probe over claims that Qatar bribed European Parliament members to sway EU decisions in its interest
