Policy Focus

MEPs urged to evict business group from its parliamentary office

The European parliament has been urged to evict a business liaison group from its parliamentary premises.

The call, from transparency campaigners, comes amid claims that the European Business and Parliament Scheme (EBPS) is “abusing” its “privileged access” to MEPs.

Erik Wesselius is a campaigner with Corporate Europe Observatory, one of the groups behind a letter to parliament’s bureau demanding that the group vacates its parliamentary offices.

He said, “The EPBS is abusing its position within the parliament building and should be forced to relocate immediately.

“Its apparent aim of furthering MEPs’ understanding of business in reality provides multinational companies with exclusive opportunities to access and influence MEPs.

“What is worst is that it does this at the public’s expense.”

He said parliament’s conference of presidents ruled earlier this year that EBPS should be asked to leave after it was revealed that the group benefits from privileged access to MEPs, as well as rent-free offices and a parliament email address.

He said the bureau should use its meeting in Strasbourg on Monday to enforce a previous decision to ask the group to vacate its offices inside the parliament building.

He said, “Despite the ruling EBPS continued to abuse its position, facilitating access to high profile MEPs for its members from big business and continuing to, as its website says, “inform economic policy and legislation”.

EBPS was recently nominated for a worst EU lobbying award because of its abuse of privileged access, he said.

The letter, also signed by Corporate Europe Observatory, Friends of the Earth Europe, Lobbycontrol and Spinwatch, cites an example of an MEP with responsibilities for energy issues being invited to form an attachment with the multinational company Suez, which has significant commercial interests in a number of areas of EU policy.

Campaigners also claim that that EBPS is no longer accountable as the scheme’s board - made up of MEPs - resigned en masse in September following concerns about its activities.

They have also written to the International Association of Business and Parliament - the EBPS parent body - to raise their concerns.