The European Parliament implemented stringent new measures to monitor lobbyist activity, marking its most significant anti-corruption reform since the 2022 Qatargate scandal, Politico reported.
From 1 May 2025, all lobbyists entering Parliament buildings must now activate access badges at terminal checkpoints and declare their purpose – whether meeting lawmakers, staff, or attending events. The data, while confidential, will be retained by security services for potential investigations.
The move complements existing requirements for MEPs to publicly log lobby meetings online.
The reforms directly respond to Qatargate, where Belgian authorities seized €1.5 million in cash during raids linked to alleged bribery by Qatar, Morocco, and Mauritania. A Parliament spokesperson framed the changes as balancing integrity protections with lawmakers’ independence.
These changes are part of a wide-ranging reform package adopted by the European Parliament over the past years to strengthen its integrity, independence, and accountability, while protecting the free mandate of MEPs.
However, lobbying groups argue the system creates redundant bureaucracy, with Emma Brown of the Society of European Affairs Professionals calling daily activation and visit disclosures a “needless burden.”
