ENCL’s latest position paper analyzes how the proposed Directive of the European Parliament and the Council establishing harmonised requirements in the internal market on transparency of interest representation carried out on behalf of third countries and amending the previous Directive may unnecessarily and disproportionately impact CSOs’ activities, as well as their freedom of expression, association, and privacy. The reasons behind this include a broad definition of ‘interest representation activities,’ an unclear definition of ‘activities of economic nature,’ and a problematic definition of ‘remuneration.’ Additionally, there’s an unclear definition of what constitutes representation carried out on behalf of third countries, and insufficient safeguards provided to mitigate the risks associated with potential breaches of the abovementioned rights. ENCL strongly recommends reviewing the entire proposal and its impact assessment, considering alternative policy options, and assessing their respective impacts on fundamental rights and freedoms. Read more here.
Source: ECNL