The EU institutions interact with a wide range of groups and organisations representing specific interests. In order to promote transparency in EU decision-making processes, an Interinstitutional Agreement of 2014 made it a requirement that all organisations who seek to influence policy-making in EU Institutions are registered on the Transparency Register and follow an associated code of conduct.
The register and its code of conduct cover all activities that are carried out with the objective of directly or indirectly influencing the formulation or implementation of policy and the decision-making processes of the EU institutions, irrespective of where they are undertaken and of the channel or medium of communication used (for example via outsourcing, media, contracts with professional intermediaries, think tanks, platforms, forums, campaigns and grassroots initiatives).
In the context of this agreement, ‘directly influencing’ refers to direct contact or communication with EU institutions, and ‘indirectly influencing’ refers to the use of intermediate vectors such as media, public opinion, conferences or social events to target EU institutions.
The University of Oxford is a registrant, and therefore all University members are required to follow the code of conduct in any dealings with the EU Parliament and EU Commission, as well as the EU Council and other EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies.
This is important both for our continuing work with EU entities and for matters relating to ‘Brexit’.
Further information
