Vice-President of the European Parliament Diana Wallis and Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič presented on 6 October an update on the progress towards the establishment of a single register for all entities and organisations participating in European policy-making processes.

Speaking at a the Seminar "A transparency register for the EU institutions" on the proposed transparency register held in the European Parliament on 6 October, Vice-President Wallis noted that broad political agreement had now been reached within the inter-institutional Working Party which has been negotiating on this issue. The aim of this Working Party is to create a register which will be inclusive and comprehensive.

Parliament and the European Commission have been working for some time on a new joint register of lobbyists, due by June 2011, which will join the Parliament's current "lobby" register with the Commission's online lobby register launched by the Commission in June 2008, creating one place of public reference when it comes to who are the interested parties involved in EU legislative process.

This action aims not only to act out the wishes of the Stubb Report on the development of the framework for the activities of interest representatives (lobbyists) in the European institutions in setting up this register, but also corresponding to the real and growing demand for more accountability. This new transparency register should provide a broad picture to citizens on the range of actors who are seeking to influence policy-making at EU level. Ms Wallis underlined the responsibility to provide clear, understandable and accurate content to the proposal, in order to ensure that the register will be a credible instrument of trust between European institutions and citizens. 

The broad aim of the register is to provide a level playing field for all the organisations and entities who are concerned, Wallis said. Up to now, certain organisations such as representatives of religious organisations, law firms and think-tanks have been reluctant to register. These organizations have been consulted in order to understand their perspectives and concerns and get them to sign up with the resulting transparency register.