The European Parliament launches register of lobbyists. But the registration is voluntary

The European Parliament approves the new common register for lobbyists in Brussels. Starting next June, all members of lobby groups who have a relationship with Parliament and the European Commission will be recorded in a single list and published on-line. The aim is to ensure greater transparency in relations between EU institutions and businesses, interest groups and NGOs.

Too bad the commercial registration remains voluntary, at least for the lobbyists of the European Commission. Two registers already exist (for the Parliament since 1996 and for the Commission since 2008) and saw more than 1,700 organizations accredited as interest groups in Parliament and well 3900 to the Commission.

Brussels, journalists posing as lobbyists and "corrupt" 4 MEPs

Bribery in Brussels. A scandal that has forced some MEPs to resign. The scoop, revealed on March 22, and some journalists from the British newspaper The Sunday Times that they are fake lobbyists for eight months and have offered bribes to sixty MEPs to push through amendments in the vote. In 4 have accepted it, and anything but mind-boggling figures.

And now comes the response of the Parliament, which has announced to strengthen the code of conduct of MEPs and the rules governing the activities of lobbyists. Response also necessitated by the demands investigation OLAF (Office of the European anti-fraud). The journalists posing as lobbyists have given money to 60 Euro MPs to introduce amendments.

Ryanair against the right of flight controllers scioperodei

Ryanair asks European Commission to ban strikes by air traffic controllers. It could not be more radical response from Michael O'Leary, president of the Irish low cost airline, the threat of 22 days of mobilization, between April and August next, made by Spanish unions in response to the privatization of the sector determined by the Zapatero government.

"The air traffic controllers should be considered as part of an essential service and therefore should not be allowed to strike. If they strike, they should be fired, "said O'Leary no half measures, which asked the European Commission to take" urgent measures "to avoid cancellations and delays during the upcoming holiday exodus.