Left MEPs attack Commission over shady expert groups
Speaking in a heated debate on Commission expert groups during the European Parliament plenary session, Dutch Socialist Party MEP Dennis de Jong, who initiated the debate, called for transparency and an end to the domination of big business. Anger was sparked by the failure of Commission Vice President Siim Kallas to answer any Members’ questions on achieving balanced representation and transparency in such groups.
"Trade unions, consumer organizations and representatives of the Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises face a huge lack of resources unlike big companies that can hire professional lobbyists. The interests of workers, consumers and small businesses are not being represented fairly because of the price tag attached," said De Jong, whose party is affiliated to the United European Left group.
The Commission uses approximately a thousand so-called expert groups - which are in reality mainly populated by the lobbyists of large corporations - for advice on laws and regulations in all areas over which it has power.
"All social organizations are short of money and big companies can hire lobbyists to have their voices heard - that must change" he said, demanding that Commissioner Kallas ensure that conflicts of interest are prevented.
MEPs are seeking to force transparency by bringing the issue under rules governing access to documents and setting up a formal dialogue on new rules on expert groups with the Commission.
De Jong finished by questioning the Commissioner on "why the Commission website cites Greenpeace as a participant in the 'Implementing Geological Disposal' Technology Platform when I have correspondence between Greenpeace and the Commission showing that the application for their participation was explicitly rejected?"
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