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Ombudsman slams Commission's censoring of lobbyists' names
In an important decision announced in mid-July, the European Ombudsman has comdemned the European Commission's practice of blanking out of lobbyists' names in documents released under EU access to document rules as 'maladministration'. The Ombudsman's decision follows a complaint submitted by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) in October 2005, after Directorate-General Trade had started systematically censoring the names of industry lobbyists.
The Ombudsman's decision and CEO's response
- The European Ombudsman Decision 3269/2005/TN
- "Ombudsman rejects Commission secrecy over business lobbyists' names" (CEO press release)
- CEO's comment on the Ombudman's decision
Examples of media coverage of the Ombudsman's decision
- "Brussels accused of breaking lobbyist rules"(Financial Times, July 24 27)
- "Shielding lobbyists' identities keeps lid firmly on 'black box' of Brussels" (Financial Times, July 25 2007)
- "EU rebukes Mandelson on lobby links" (The Sunday Times, July 29 2007)
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