(2004/C 70 E/154)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2862/03

by Anne Andre-Leonard (ELDR) to the Commission

(22 September 2003)

Subject:   Scientology's ‘European Public Affairs and Human Rights Office’

The setting up of the Church of Scientology's European Public Affairs and Human Rights Office in Brussels, and its lobbying activities mean that there is a risk that the work of the European Institutions are confused with that of scientologists.

The latter avoid presenting themselves as members of the Church of Scientology, and use satellite organisations to infiltrate the European Institutions.

In this situation, how does the Commission handle firstly, the arrangements for selecting and accrediting scientologist sub-organisations, and secondly, scientologist lobbying?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(15 October 2003)

The Commission has always adhered to the principle of open and transparent dialogue with all external parties without, however, entering into any registration or accreditation system.

This has been emphasised in several documents: the Communication ‘An open and structured dialogue between the Commission and special interest groups’ (1), the White Paper on Administrative Reform (2), White Paper on European Governance (3) and, the latest, Communication on general principles and minimum standards for consultation of interested parties (4). The Communication on consultation aims in particular at encouraging greater involvement of interested parties through a more transparent consultation process.

In this open functional framework, the civil society database Coneccs (5) (formerly the lobbies database), provides information on about 700 civil society organisations operating at European level. It is a voluntary information tool, in which the organisations can register themselves and update their information. To be included in the database organisations must fulfil some conditions of transparency and themselves provide information on their statutes and membership. This voluntary information is one basis on which the Commission can assess the civil society organisations asking to be included in the database. As the Coneccs database is intended only for information, inclusion in the directory does not constitute an accreditation or registration on the part of the Commission. Until now, the organisation mentioned in the question has not asked to be included in the Coneccs database.

(1)  OJ C 63, 5.3.1993.

(2)  COM(2000) 200 final.

(3)  COM(2001) 428 final.

(4)  COM(2002) 704 final.

(5)  http://europa.eu.int/comm/civil_society/coneccs/index_en.htm