During a debate with the European Commission Vice President Timmermans at the CoR Plenary session,
Cllr Tony Buchanan, SNP East Renfrewshire Councillor and interim chair of the NAT commission of the COR, called strongly upon Timmermans to reverse the decision on the European Commission Transparency register.
"As an elected representative, Cllr Buchanan said, I must admit that I do find it somewhat offensive that the new rules of the Transparency Register treat me and my fellow representatives from European local authorities and our offices on a par with professional lobbyists from the arms and tobacco industry.
"The mandatory registration – which excludes only regional representatives– is denying our role as legitimate and equal representatives of the EU electorate" , he added.
When it comes to the better relations agenda of the European Commission, the EA Group member underlined the need to involve Local and Regional Authorities in the assessment of the application of EU law on the ground and called for a more structured way of consulting local authorities or their associations on draft legislation, in particular where local and regional competences are touched upon.
