Professional organisations are invited to register in the Commission’s Register for Interest Representatives ( [http ...]

Most respondents considered that the EU institutions should lead by example in the area of transparency and in the framing of interactions of interest representatives with decision-makers; The need for the proposal to deliver a 'mandatory' system was stressed by many, although views diverged on how best to achieve this goal; The Register's broad definition of lobbying activities was deemed appropriate by most stakeholders; There was wide agreement on the necessity to improve the quality of data and the scope for simplification of some requirements on financial data; The Code of Conduct is broadly ...[+++]seen as appropriate, but stakeholders highlighted the need to improve monitoring and enforcement and to boost the capacity of the Register Secretariat; Specific issues arose in relation to local and regional authorities and their associations who sought to be excluded from the system; The website was positively perceived and the registration/updating process was considered user-friendly.

Representation of their interests cannot be equated with lobbying activities. Simplified data disclosure requirements: The new Agreement revises the data disclosure requirements to strike a more appropriate balance between the need for transparency and the need to reduce the administrative burden of compliance.

Stresses that the internationalisation of SMEs is a process, and that, in order to be successful, SMEs already need support measures at local level and not only on third markets; recognises that on third markets, common EU efforts concerning lobbying, trade policy and market access, as well as complementary programmes to address market failure, can add substantial value to this process;