Home
Politics
Business
Legal
Sci/Tech
Development
NGO Watch
Potpourri
Search Options
 
EU's NGOs declare they are lobbyists
Posted: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 2:57 pm
Email Print
It's official: Europe's government-paid NGOs are lobbyists. In a new report, an "Alliance" of various groups complains that most of those who lobby European governments have failed to voluntarily register themselves as lobbyists -- supposedly showing that "the voluntary approach is failing to secure adequate coverage." It's not a total failure, though. Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth (FOE), both of which squander public funds, have registered themselves as political lobby organizations. As a result, they are now subject to a formal process for handling complaints that they have breached their promise to provide governments with information that is "unbiased, complete, up-to-date and not misleading". Lodging a complaint is easy, and that's not just because you can do it online.

The report, titled "The Commission's Lobby Register One Year On: Success or Failure?" was compiled by the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU), which claims to consist of "over 160 civil society groups, trade unions, academics and public affairs firms".

Its declared aim is to lobby "the European EU Commission to terminate cases of privileged access and undue influence granted to corporate lobbyists."

The list of those who have voluntarily registered as lobbying is available online in a searchable database. Lobbyists and lobby organizations declaring an interest in agriculture total 433.

Since Greenpeace and the FOE are corporations -- multinationals, at that -- and have submitted themselves to the code of conduct, it's time to lodge the complaints against them that demand to be heard.

Unfortunately, the diversion of public funds, such as for purchasing yachts, or for invading field trials located in developing nations, is not explicitly a matter for complaint.
Share: 
 

 

Copyright © and Trademark ™ GMObelus, Bondware, 2007, 2008,  All Rights Reserved except as otherwise specified.
Copyright Statement | Privacy Statement | Terms of Service
 
GMO (noun) 1. An acronym for the term, 'Genetically Modified Organism'. 2. A plant, animal or microbe with a genetic code which has been intentionally altered, such as through forced evolution (see selective breeding); through random mutations induced with radiation or chemicals (see mutagenesis); or through the selective transfer, promoting or silencing of specific genes (see genetic engineering). 3. Most generally, any descendant of a primordial urbiote. (See evolution.)

obelus (noun) A dagger-shaped typographical symbol [ † ] which directs a reader's attention to important matters. From the Greek, obelus, literally, a roasting skewer.

GMObelus (noun, proper) A publication directing the attention of readers to the latest news and commentary regarding the development and use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture and related fields.

peer (noun) 1. One of two or more computers sending data to each other over the same network. 2. One of two or more persons sharing information with each other over such a network. (See also, 'remote peer'.)

peer review (noun phrase)  A process by which peers review information shared over a network, rather than each other. (Compare, argumentum ad hominem.)

Editor in Chief: Andrew Apel 
Expect More from Bondware's Website Design Tools
Email Marketing & Web Design  |  eCommerce, HOA, Publishing, Non-Profit, Intranet, Real Estate & Association Websites