European groups have been discussing a pan-network, pan-EU campaign for MEPs and candidates in the run up to the EP elections. Here is the final text approved

Yes, I will...

No, I won’t... Provide Leadership in Lobbying Transparency and Ethics

The European public is concerned about the influence of big business lobbyists over EU decision-making. Measures to secure transparency around EU lobbying and to prevent corporate capture of decision-making are urgently needed.

For European democracy to function properly, citizens need to know “who is influencing EU decision making and how much money is involved”. However, the Commission’s voluntary lobbying register is clearly insufficient: most lobbyists have not registered and the register lacks names of individual lobbyists and meaningful information on ‘issues lobbied on’ and ‘how much money is involved’. Other problematic issues of lobby influence on EU politics, such as privileged access to decision makers, have not been addressed.

I pledge that in my role as Member of the European Parliament I will support:

• Replacing the current flawed lobbying register with a mandatory EU lobbying register that includes a list of all individual lobbyists, the legislative dossiers lobbied on and detailed information on the money spent on lobbying per client.
• Ensuring that the Parliament takes all necessary steps to ban conflicts of interest, including barring MEPs from working as lobbyists while in office.
• Securing full transparency around Expert Groups and other groups advising the Commission, and strong safeguards against privileged access and unbalanced composition of Expert Groups.

Yes, I will... No, I won’t... Promote Corporate Accountability

Multinational Enterprises are important players in the global economy and whilst they have the potential to bring benefits to the areas where they work, some also participate in violations of human rights, community rights and environmental law in many countries. These companies’ head office can profit from its subsidiaries’ operations and have substantial control over their actions without being held accountable for any irresponsible conduct or crimes they commit. Victims are unable to get redress for the often devastating impacts. Moreover, the market is distorted by exposing responsible entrepreneurs and small businesses to unfair competition.

I pledge that in my role as Member of the European Parliament I will support:

• The development of a new legal framework for corporate accountability, which will hold companies operating in the EU and their directors legally responsible for the social and environmental consequences of their operations and those of their subsidiaries worldwide.
• Transparency by implementing mandatory environmental and social reporting with accurate, comparable and comprehensive information.
• Legal measures that allow victims of violations of human rights and environmental law by companies operating in the EU the possibility to go to a European court, even if the violation took place outside the EU.