Which organisations are accessing the European Parliament?

European Parliament did not have the information requested.

Dear European Parliament,

Under the right of access to documents in the EU treaties, as developed in Regulation 1049/2001, I am requesting all documentation that is related to sign-in for access to the European Parliament buildings.

Specifically, I am interested in obtaining the names of companies or organisations for which people work, and are entering the Parliament on an interest representation basis.

As this request could cover data which is exempt on the grounds of the protection of personal data (Article 4(1)b of Regulation 1046/2001), I would like to clarify that if personal names cannot be disclosed, I wish to obtain details of any affiliated organisations (either noted when an individual signs-in, or through other means of association of an individual person with the organisation they represent, for example via Parliamentary databases or the Joint Transparency Register).

Please don't hesitate to ask for further clarification.

Yours faithfully,

Rachel Tansey

AsktheEU Admin left an annotation ()

This request is being answered outside AsktheEU.org.

AsktheEU.org has had a problem with its server meaning the European Parliament has been unable to reply directly to this request.

On 30 April 2013 the AsktheEU.org Team forwarded the following European Parliament reply to this access to documents request which the EP had originally sent on 26 April 2013:

...

Dear Ms Tansey,

We hereby acknowledge receipt of your request of 24/04/13 under Regulation (EC) 1049/2001.

Lists of persons accredited for access to the European Parliament's buildings representing registered organisations on the Transparency Register are publicly available, and can be downloaded, here:

http://ec.europa.eu/transparencyregister...

Point 22 of the Inter Institutional Agreement on the Transparency Register clearly states that:

22. The issue and control of badges affording long-term access to the European Parliament's buildings will remain a process operated by that institution. Such badges will only be issued to individuals representing, or working for, organisations falling within the scope of the register where those organisations or individuals have registered. However, registration shall not confer an automatic entitlement to such a badge.

(http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getL...)

If we can assist you any further, in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No. 1049/2001, please let us know.

Kind regards,

Transparency - Public Access to documents
Library and Document Management Directorate
DG Presidency
European Parliament

Rachel Tansey left an annotation ()

On 30 April 2013I replied to the EP Transparency - Public Access to documents unitby email (due to technical difficulties with the asktheeu.org website clarifying that:

"my request was not for a list of individuals with access badges, but for documentation that is related to sign-in for access i.e. the sign-in sheets being used by those who do not have access badges but are still entering the Parliament building.

To clarify my request, I am not requesting a list of accredited interest representatives who are entering the Parliament with access badges, but a list of those without access badges (i.e. signed in my MEPs, assistants and EP staff, including at events), and details of any organisations that they represent or are affiliated with."

On 03 May I received the following response, with 2 PDFs which I am unable to upload:

"Dear Ms Tansey,

Thank you for the clarifications provided below relative to your request addressed to the Parliament on 23/04/13 for "all documentation that is related to sign-in for access to the European Parliament buildings."

If you have yourself been invited to enter the Parliament, you will indeed recognise the two attached (blank) forms, which are to be filled in by the host(ess) and invitee.

The first form is for MEPs and their invitees to fill in, and the second for staff members/ accredited assistants and their invitees to fill in.

As you will clearly see on these two forms, there is no requirement for individuals to provide information about the organisations they represent.

Parliament has always taken a security approach to who is entering its buildings, and therefore priority is given to the verification of the identity of the individual, and not to the interests or organisations they may represent.

It is for this very reason that the register of accredited individuals to the EP, via the Transparency Register, is an important, and indeed is the only, tool to provide transparency about which organisations are represented in Parliament on a regular basis. We have provided you with a link to this list in our response of 26/04/13.

MEPs and officials of Parliament are encouraged to ask interest representatives to use this type of access for meetings, rather than accept to invite and sign them in personally.

Finally, regarding events: these are organised at many different levels (MEPs, political groups, committees etc) and organisers may sometimes request individuals to provide information about the organisations they represent (for their own information purposes), but there is no obligation for individuals to do so.

If we can assist you any further, in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No. 1049/2001, please let us know.

Kind regards,

Transparency - Public Access to documents
Library and Document Management Directorate
DG Presidency
European Parliament