POLITICAL STATEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION ON THE OCCASION OF THE ADOPTION OF THE INTERINSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT ON A MANDATORY TRANSPARENCY REGISTER

The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission recognise the importance of the principle of conditionality as a cornerstone of the coordinated approach the three institutions have taken with the aim of reinforcing a common transparency culture while setting high standards of transparent and ethical interest representation at Union level.

The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission acknowledge that the conditionality and complementary transparency measures in place regarding the following matters are consistent with the Interinstitutional Agreement on a Mandatory Transparency Register, reinforce the objective of their coordinated approach and constitute a firm basis on which to continue to build and to improve that approach and further strengthen ethical interest representation at Union level:

— meetings of decision-makers with registered interest representatives, where applicable (1);

— publication of meetings with interest representatives, where applicable (2);

— meetings of staff, particularly at senior level, with registered interest representatives (3);

— speaking at public hearings in the European Parliament (4);

— membership of Commission's expert groups and participation in certain events, forums or briefing sessions (5);

— access to the institutions’ premises (6);

— patronage for events for registered interest representatives, where relevant;

— the political declaration of Member States to voluntarily apply, in accordance with national law and competences, the conditionality principle to meetings of their Permanent Representative and their Deputy Permanent Representative with interest representatives during their Presidency of the Council and in the preceding six months, and any further voluntary measure of individual Member States in accordance with national law and competences beyond this, both of which are equally noted.

(1) Rule 11(2) of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament; Article 7 of Commission Decision of 31 January 2018 on a Code of Conduct for the Members of the European Commission (C(2018)0700) (OJ C 65, 21.2.2018, p. 7); point V of the Working Methods of the European Commission.

(2) Rule 11(3) of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament; Commission Decision 2014/838/EU, Euratom of 25 November 2014 on the publication of information on meetings held between Directors-General of the Commission and organisations or self-employed individuals (OJ L 343, 28.11.2014, p. 19); Commission Decision 2014/839/EU, Euratom of 25 November 2014 on the publication of information on meetings held between Members of the Commission and organisations or self-employed individuals (OJ L 343, 28.11.2014, p. 22).

(3) Article 3 of Council Decision (EU) 2021/929 of 6 May 2021 on the regulation of contacts between the General Secretariat of the Council and interest representatives (see page 19 of this Official Journal); point V of the Working Methods of the European Commission.

(4) Article 7 of the Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 18 June 2003 on rules on public hearings.

(5) Rule 35 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament; Article 8 of Commission Decision of 30 May 2016 establishing horizontal rules on the creation and operation of Commission expert groups (C(2016)3301); Articles 4 and 5 of Council Decision (EU) 2021/929 of 6 May 2021 on the regulation of contacts between the General Secretariat of the Council and interest representatives (see page 19 of this Official Journal).

(6) Rule 123 of the Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament read in conjunction with the Decision of the Secretary-General of 13 December 2013 on rules governing passes and authorisations granting access to Parliament’s premises; Article 6 of Council Decision (EU) 2021/929 of 6 May 2021 on the regulation of contacts between the General Secretariat of the Council and interest representatives (see page 19 of this Official Journal).