To report a suspected breach of EU lobbying rules, submit a written complaint using the EU Transparency Register complaint form—but only if the concern involves a registrant’s alleged failure to follow the Register’s Code of Conduct. Anyone may complain. The complaint must identify the registrant, explain the suspected breach, include supporting evidence and your name and contact details, and be filed within one year of the alleged circumstances.
First check whether the Register complaint process fits
The EU Transparency Register is for organisations and other interest representatives that carry out covered activities to influence EU policy, legislation, or decisions by EU institutions. Its registrants commit to a common Code of Conduct. The framework is set by an Interinstitutional Agreement among the European Parliament, Council, and Commission, in force since 1 July 2021.
This is a route for complaints about a registrant’s alleged non-compliance with that Code—not a general hotline for every concern about lobbying or EU officials. Confirm that the person or organisation is registered, then compare the conduct with the Code and the Register’s guidelines.
Activities that may fall within the Register’s scope
Covered interest representation can include meetings or similar contacts with EU institutions, participation in consultations or hearings, communication campaigns, and preparing or commissioning policy papers and related material intended to influence EU policy or decision-making.
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Legal services are not automatically covered
Some professional legal advice is outside the Register’s scope, including advice to help a client comply with existing law and representation to safeguard fundamental or procedural rights. Legal services aimed at influencing future policy or legislation on a client’s behalf may qualify as interest representation. Consider the actual purpose and circumstances rather than treating every contact by a lawyer or lobbyist as a breach.
How to submit a complaint
- Identify the registrant and the possible Code issue. Find the organisation or interest representative in the EU Transparency Register. Describe the specific conduct and explain which Code obligation you believe may be involved. An allegation is not an established breach.
- Open the official complaint form. Use the form on the Register’s complaint page and follow its current access instructions. The official FAQs say the form is also available in the restricted registration area; using that version requires EU Login.
- Set out facts and evidence. Give a clear account of what happened, when and in what context. Attach or describe evidence sufficient to support the allegation. The Register does not prescribe a particular evidence format in the cited instructions.
- Provide your own contact details. Complaints may be made by registrants or anyone else, but the complaint must include the complainant’s name and contact details. The stated requirements do not establish an anonymous filing option.
- File within the deadline. The complaint must be lodged within one year of the alleged circumstances of non-observance.
Before submitting, check that your complaint includes the registrant’s identity, a concise factual account, the suspected Code concern, dates and context, supporting material, your name and contact details, and a filing date within the one-year limit. These are practical checks based on the Register’s stated requirements, not a separate mandatory evidence format.
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What happens after filing
The Secretariat first assesses whether the complaint is admissible. If it is, the Secretariat opens an investigation and notifies both the complainant and the registrant. The registrant is asked to provide a reasoned response, and the Secretariat may request additional information.
The Register can also monitor entries and investigate on its own initiative when information suggests that an entity may no longer be eligible. If a registrant is found ineligible for failing to observe the Code, the Register may remove its entry. Depending on the seriousness of the case, it may also bar the registrant from re-registering for a specified period and publish the measure. A reasoned request for review may be available for such a measure.
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If the concern is about an EU official or national-level lobbying
The Register complaint process addresses registrants’ Code obligations, not every form of alleged misconduct by an EU official or lobbying at national level. Separate ethics rules apply to EU officials. For example, the European Commission says Commissioners and their cabinet members may meet only registered interest representatives and publishes information about those meetings.
For a concern about an official or national lobbying, identify the person or body, the rule that may apply, and the institution or jurisdiction with authority before choosing a reporting route. The appropriate channel depends on those details; there is no single route established here for all such allegations.
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Which reporting route applies?
| Concern | Starting route | Key checks |
|---|---|---|
| A registrant’s alleged breach of the Transparency Register Code | Register complaint form | Is the subject a registrant? Does the conduct concern the Code? Is there supporting evidence, and is the complaint within one year? |
| Alleged personal misconduct by an EU official or lobbying activity at national level | The relevant institution’s or national authority’s own process | Which person or body and rule are involved? Which institution or jurisdiction has competence? |
Official sources
- EU Transparency Register: Complaints
- EU Transparency Register: FAQs and Contact
- EU Transparency Register: Guidelines
- EU Transparency Register
- Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory Transparency Register
- European Commission: Transparency Register
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