Since September 2014, the Open Government in the EU blog scans English-language online news outlets for news on EU transparency. Please find below the news digest for 2018. Recent news reports on EU transparency can also be found on the sidebar to the right of this post.
See also the news report digests for 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015 (first quarter, second quarter, and second half), and 2014 (last quarter).
Main themes in 2018
In 2018, news reporting on EU transparency issues predominantly focussed on the European Ombudsman’s criticism of Council decision making, EP discretionary budgets, and Commission measures to enhance the visibility of (the rules around) lobbying activities.
January-March
17/01/18//EUObserver: Ombudsman asks ECB chief to quit secret bankers group
27/01/18// Euractiv: ECB chief rejects chance to adopt EU’s transparency register
07/02/18// EUObserver: ‘No real progress’ on Eurogroup transparency
13/02/18// Elsevier: Ombudsman: wees transparanter als je populisme wil bestrijden
13/02/18// EUObserver: EU ombudsman urges Council to publish secret documents
19/02/18// EUObserver: MEPs demand Council become more transparent
20/02/18// Liberties: Dutch parliamentarians demand more transparent Council decision-making
20/02/18// Brussels Times: Parliamentarians urge EU to become more transparent
26/02/18// ECER: EU-Ombudsman: Raad is onvoldoende transparant in het wetgevingsproces
22/03/18// EUObserver: Parliament must publish ‘trilogue’ documents, court says
22/03/18// Euractiv: Publish secret law files, demands EU Court in transparency ruling
22/03/18// Reuters: EU court backs more transparency in EU legislative process
23/03/18// Counsel Magazine: De Capitani v European Parliament
April-June
17/04/18// EUObserver: EU institutions begin talks on better transparency rules
19/04/18// EUObserver: Draghi to stay in secretive ‘lobby’ group
19/04/18// EUObserver: Getting secret EU trilogue documents: a case study
17/05/18// Politico: EU’s top watchdog slams Council secrecy
July-September
03/07/18// Politico: Opinion: No transparency please, we’re MEPs
03/07/18// EUObserver: European Parliament to keep public in dark on MEP expenses
31/07/18// City AM: The EU’s revolving door of officials and lobbyists is an affront to transparency
01/08/18// EUObserver: Documents on new rules for MEP expenses kept secret
25/09/18// EUObserver: EU court delivers transparency blow on MEP expenses
October-December
03/10/18// EUObserver: Decline of institutions’ moral standards threatens EU
23/10/18// Euractiv: Commission urges Parliament, Council to move on transparency
07/11/18// Euractiv: EU finance ministers call for transparency in climate finance
21/11/18// EUObserver: MEPs delay vote on greater transparency
26/11/18// Euractiv: Parliament VP: We cannot ‘copy and paste’ Commission transparency rules
28/12/18//EUObserver: Opinion: Are judges destroying transparency in EU institutions?