Council Decision (EU) 2021/929 of 6 May 2021 on the regulation of contacts between the General Secretariat of the Council and interest representatives

• CELEX: Decision (EU) 2021/929
• Articles: 9

Article 1 Principle of conditionality

In the cases provided for in this Decision and in line with the Interinstitutional Agreement, registration in the transparency register shall be a necessary precondition for interest representatives to be able to carry out certain activities.

Article 2 Transparency register

1.   The Interinstitutional Agreement defines the scope of the activities carried out by interest representatives which are subject to registration, as well as the conditions for the eligibility and registration of interest representatives in the transparency register.

2.   The Council shall be represented in the Management Board of the transparency register by its Secretary-General. The Management Board shall decide by consensus and be assisted by a joint Secretariat under the conditions laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement.

3.   The Management Board and the Secretariat shall be empowered to adopt on behalf of the Council individual decisions concerning applicants and registrants, in accordance with the Interinstitutional Agreement.

Article 3 Meetings with staff of the General Secretariat of the Council

1.   Meetings organised between interest representatives and the Secretary-General and Directors General of the General Secretariat of the Council shall be conditional upon prior registration of interest representatives in the transparency register.

2.   When in contact with interest representatives, staff of the General Secretariat of the Council shall abide by the rules and standards of conduct set out in the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union and the Conditions of Employment of other Servants of the Union, laid down in Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68  ( 2 ) , and the other pertinent internal rules of the General Secretariat of the Council. The Secretary-General of the Council shall adopt any additional instructions to staff that may be necessary to implement those rules and standards, in line with the principles set out in this Decision.

3.   The Secretary-General of the Council shall take measures to raise awareness among staff on the rules applicable to contacts with interest representatives.

Article 4 Thematic briefings

The participation of interest representatives in thematic briefings, which are organised by the General Secretariat of the Council, where appropriate and after consulting the Presidency of the Council, shall be conditional upon their prior registration in the transparency register.

Article 5 Public events

The participation of interest representatives, in their professional capacity, as speakers in public events organised by the General Secretariat of the Council shall be conditional upon registration of such interest representatives in the transparency register.

Article 6 Access to Council premises

1.   In order to undertake the activities referred to in Articles 3, 4 and 5, the General Secretariat of the Council shall grant interest representatives nominative badges giving them temporary access to Council premises, subject to prior registration in the transparency register and respect for Council security rules. Interest representatives shall not attend meetings of the Council or of its preparatory bodies, unless their presence is authorised in accordance with Council Decision 2009/937/EU  ( 3 ) (the ‘Council Rules of Procedure’).

2.   The General Secretariat of the Council shall determine the security and identity requirements for the issuance of badges to interest representatives.

Article 7 Access to documents

Access to Council documents by interest representatives shall be regulated by Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council  ( 4 ) .

Article 8 Implementation

The General Secretariat of the Council shall take the measures that are necessary to implement this Decision.

Article 9 Entry into force

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .