group of its members European Parliament proposed and supported the creation of a new website for reporting unwanted activities”dark lobbying» associated with large technology companies – the so-called big technology – as well as from other interest groups.

this site www.lobbyleaks.euwhich allows those who work in European organizations to anonymously provide information related to unfair lobbying practices.

As stated in his article PoliticoThe platform in question is a German initiative and information submitted to it will be investigated by the NGO LobbyControl and the Observatory for Corporate Europe, which is based in Brussels and is responsible for monitoring and investigating any attempts to influence the institutions of the European Union.

This initiative was supported by four members of the European Parliament: the Dutch Social Democrat Paul Tang, the Frenchman Manon Aubrey, speaking from the left, the German Daniel Fred from the Greens and the Hungarian Catalin Cech from the liberal group.

“Dark lobbying, a threat to democracy itself”

Paul Tang – the initiator of the initiative – states that “The manipulation of the “dark web” of lobbying threatens not only the legislative process, but democracy itself as a whole.

Tang, who has been actively involved in several EU legislative initiatives on large technology companies, has also previously dealt with cases of “lobbying” politicians on behalf of organizations that, while claiming to represent small and medium-sized companies, are in fact funded by large technology companies. company companies.

For his part, Fred, in a statement about Politicoargues that this platform is a “tool” in the hands of the new members of the European Parliament. encountered undesirable lobbying practices. However, he notes that the European Union needs further institutional strengthening in relation to the issue of lobbying.

And all this is happening at a time when the European Parliament is in the center of international attention because of him. Cathargatea scandal that brought back the need to strengthen transparency rules in European institutions.

As the Politico article concludes, MEP Roberta Metzola intends to “block” MEPs from participating in lobbying procedures for two years after their term expires, while at the same time making anyone who joins the European Parliament, Brussels or Strasbourg, accountable for the content of your collections.

According to Politico