EUlobby.net

EULobby.net is the creation of lobbyists attempting to avoid regulation of their activities. The website, an initiative of long-time Brussels lobbyist Christian De Fouloy, tries to promote a voluntary system of registration to provide transparency. As it says in the EUlobby editorial:

EULobby.net is founded on four concepts:

1. Free and open access to government is an important matter of public interest.

2. Lobbying EU officials and MEPs is a legitimate activity.

3. It is desirable that public office holders and the public be able to know

attempting to influence EU authorities and on what issues.

4. A voluntary registration system contributes to openness, transparency and accountability. Most professions, doctors, lawyers, engineers have a professional body, which sets standards for entry into the profession, rules to be abided by members, and disciplines members for any breaches of those rules. Some even have the force of law- you can't practice as a doctor unless you are a member of the medical association, or their rules may even be enshrined in legislation- but that does not detract from their self-regulatory nature.

De Fouloy has been busy cultivating the EU commissioner Siim Kallas who launched the Eu Transparency Initiative in a speech in Nottingham on 3 March, 2005

A few days later De Fouloy managed to get Kallas to present the EULobby 2005 Citizen Award, a new award, no doubt especially arranged to gain lobbyists some credibility and to be able to get close to commissioner Kallas.