The revised agreement includes provisions to strengthen their code of conduct, introduce more incentives to encourage registration and overhaul the alerts and complaints procedure at EU level
Responding to the outcome, inter-institutional relations and administration commissioner Maroš Šefcovic said, "I welcome today's vote on an improved joint transparency register for all groups and organisations wishing to influence the decision-making process at the European commission and the European parliament.
"The revised agreement follows a lot of hard work to see how we could further refine this successful register, and it includes a number of improvements.
"These improvements will make the register stronger. It will give the public more information about the interest groups and organisations which are active at EU level, thereby increasing transparency even further. It will give more incentives to organisations which are registered, and it will be tougher on those who don't play according to the rules.
"These improvements will make the register stronger. It will give the public more information about the interest groups and organisations which are active at EU level, thereby increasing transparency even further" - Maroš Šefcovic
The Slovakian official continued, "At the same time, I am glad that we preserved the wide scope of the register which is unique in the world. All groups and organisations which are in the register should be proud, and their clients and members too.
"I hope the council will now be able to join us in our efforts for greater transparency in this area," he concluded.
Although GUE/NGL MEP Rina Ronja Kari welcomed plenary's adoption of the report as a "step in the right direction", she added that it is "regrettable that this revision sidesteps around the introduction of a mandatory transparency register".
The Danish deputy explained, "Rather than politely asking the commission to 'consider' such changes and 'encourage' officials to use the register, parliament could have sent a stronger signal by firmly demanding that the commission put forward plans for a mandatory lobby register.
"The current register is incomplete and many lobbyists have not registered. It is clear that a voluntary register does not work.
"Without a mandatory register citizens are unable to identify what interests influence legislation in the EU. This is very problematic, both because a lack of transparency tends to breed corruption, and because it reinforces the idea that only those with pots of money can influence decision makers."
She continued: "A report published last week from lobby campaign group Corporate Europe observatory shows that the financial industry employs 1700 lobbyists and spends more than €120m a year lobbying the EU. That might be one explanation as to why the financial system in the EU is still just as vulnerable to speculation as it was at the outset of the crisis."
Greens transparency spokesperson Gerald Häfner also expressed regret about the outcome, saying, "European citizens have the right to know who influences the legislative process in the EU.
"The introduction of the transparency register for the European parliament and commission in 2011 was an important step, but several loopholes remain.
"European citizens have the right to know who influences the legislative process in the EU" - Gerald Häfner
"So far 75 per cent of lobbyists have registered but some of the most important players (like the finance industry) are still not registered, as illustrated by the recent study by CEO and Alter-EU.
"While the Greens were able to ensure the revised rules adopted today included some improvements, the overall mechanism still remains unsatisfactory," the German deputy said, adding,
"This is particularly the case for law firms, whose lobbyists and lobbying activities will still remain hidden behind the dubious claim of lawyer client confidentiality.
"The Greens have pushed for a mandatory lobbyist register without any loopholes right from the outset - a register that must also include the council.
"However," he complained, "As long as the council continues to rule out its own involvement in the register, much of the obscurity of Brussels lobbying will remain.
"National governments must stop protecting financial and business lobbies, preventing full lobbying transparency at the expense of the interest of all European citizens," he concluded.