Toespraak eurocommissaris Kallas over het rapport effectief lobbyen binnen de EU (en)

Siim Kallas

Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Administrative Affairs, Audit and Anti-Fraud

"Who you gonna call?"

Figures and graphics available in PDF and WORD PROCESSED

Remarks by Vice-President Siim Kallas on the Burson-Marsteller report "A Guide to Effective Lobbying in Europe"

Residence Palace, Brussels, 12 October 2009

Jeremy Galbraith, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for inviting me here today to comment on Burson-Marsteller's guide to "effective lobbying in Europe". I accepted the invitation for three reasons. First, I found the topic interesting. Second, there is complete transparency about the origin and purpose of the guide. And third, Burson-Marsteller is completely transparent about their involvement, and they were the first major public affairs consultancy to join the Commission's register for interest representatives. And that – in a nutshell – is what the study has confirmed: that EU decision-makers in general welcome contacts with lobbyists that are interesting, targeted and transparent.

The survey sends a clear message to all lobbyists that your EU interlocutors care whether you are transparent ab out the interest you represent. Indeed, an average of two-thirds of those interviewed state that the degree of transparency does influence the decision whether to speak to a lobbyist. Over 70% of officials are also open to talk to lobbyists if the topic is in their field of expertise and interest.

I'm also reassured that we public officials seem less impressed by indiscriminate "carpet-bombing" campaigns. This reassures me, because I would not like to see those with the largest budgets receive privileged treatment by the EU institutions. I believe these findings should reassure the general public about the role of lobbying in the EU. Judging from the results, EU officials seem to be more influenced by colleagues, staff, personal research and other EU institutions than interest representation from industry or NGOs. This, I think, is how it should be: We listen, but do not allow interest representation to dominate our work.

Looking at the on-going regulatory efforts at European level, the survey confirms the need to look at the so-called indirect channels of interest representation. Indirect lobby tools such as public affairs consultancies, law firm s or think tanks are considered almost as effective as direct interest representation. The study also shows that the more indirect the method, the greater is the challenge to appear transparent about the underlying interests. The study therefore supports my original view that regulators have to cover both the direct and the indirect lobby channels. This is exactly what the European Transparency Initiative does.

What is going to happen with the one-year review? Well, the review report is going through inter-service consultations right now. I expect the Commission to adopt the changes to the register before the end of the month. There will be improvements that everyone will agree were necessary. But there will also be some improvements that will be subject to a balanced mix of like and dislike.

But let me end on a positive note, that I hope we all share: our common efforts are working. We still have no lobbying scandal in Brussels, many professionals talk about a change in the corporate culture, and – as this study now tells us – EU officials seem to consider a lack of transparency as a lot less problematic at the EU level compared to the national level. I can only see that as a sign that the efforts made by lobbyists to join the EU register for interest representatives are beginning to pay off.

We have reached 2050 registrations, and the numbers continue to grow. I even thought I noticed a slight acceleration last month, when the Estonian government nominated me for a second term. To those interest representatives still not in the register, I want to say this: the transparency drive is irreversible, and does not depend on who the responsible Commissioner is. As this study shows, being transparent is in your own best interest if you want the EU officials to pick up the phone. If the question is " Who you gonna call ?" – then the answer for us is definitely "a transparent lobbyist"!

Thank you to Burson-Marsteller for producing the survey, and thank you for your attention!