Bonde’s Briefing 11.06.07
Secret working groups will soon less secret. A major victory is on its way. By next year we will have a Commission database with the names, titles and sex on most experts in the so-called secret working groups.“
Secret working groups soon less secret
A major victory is on its way. By next year we will have a Commission database with the names, titles and sex on most experts in the so-called secret working groups.
This is a clear promise in writing from the Commission’s vice president, Siim Kallas, to the budget control committee. The committee had asked Kallas to meet with me to arrange proper insight. We also threatened to put the money for experts on hold in the budget reserve until we could have the information now demanded by all groups in the budgetary control committee.
For decades, I have tried to open the secretive working groups in the Commission, with no result. Then, in 2004 we won the first victory.
When José Barroso started as Commission president he called on me (to collect some votes) and we had a long discussion on secrecy and the shifting Commission presidents’ difficulties in having their staff to follow instructions.
It took Santer more years to deliver the internal telephone book. It took Prodi almost 5 years to deliver the full agendas and minutes of Commission meetings. I have written about my experiences in a book called “Mama Mia”. Pdf-link can be found below.
I could feel Barroso decided he wanted to be the master of his new house and he called on the secretary general and ordered him to deliver me the full list of the secret working groups.
Next day’s morning I had a list with 3.094 until then mainly secret working groups from the Commission. I was astonished by the will of the incoming president. He also promised me the names of the experts but had to give in to his staff.
I could not get it because of - data protection!
The budgetary control committee insisted and decided that there would be no meetings next year paid by tax payers unless we received proper information. It helped.
Now, a major victory for transparency is on its way.
With other recent victories my book on “Transparency” will have to be updated even if it was only printed in January 2007! The update work is taking place right now - as soon as it is completed you will be able to find it on my website for free download.
Meeting with national parliaments
June 11 and 12 the European Parliament has a new joint meeting with the national parliaments. You can find my speech below. In the working group on the next EU treaty I am speaking without manuscript. The agenda can be found as well at the bottom of the page.
Group week to prepare next week in Strasbourg
This week is a so-called group week where members prepare there presence in the June session in Strasbourg starting Monday.
I will speak on the portability of supplementary pension rights. The drafty agenda for the Strasbourg plenary can be found below.
