# Practical recommendations for public officials’ interaction with interest representatives
- Author: European Ombudsman
- Date: 2017-05-24T00:00+02:00[Europe/Paris]
- [URL](https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/doc/correspondence/en/79435)
- [PDF](https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/pdf/en/79435)
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**DO**

**1.** Check whether interest representatives have to be registered in the **EU Transparency Register** before meeting them or accepting an invitation to an event.

**2.** Prepare well and conduct basic research to check what interests they represent and **who is funding them**. Ask for further information, if needed.

**3.** Ensure that they disclose, in advance, the **meeting purpose/issue** for discussion, names of participants and the organisations and/or clients on whose behalf they act, as well as any other relevant information.

**4.** Assess and avoid any**risk of conflicts** between your private interests and the public interest and think about how your interaction might be perceived.

**5.** **Stop and reflect** on how to proceed, if you are in doubt. If necessary, consult your management and if it is decided that you should go ahead, add a note to the file explaining why.

**6.** Be aware that not all interest representation takes place in a formal setting. Lobbying can also take place during casual encounters and in **social settings**. Remain professional at all times.

**7.** Maintain good **record keeping** habits, including the meeting date/location, names of participants, organisations and/or clients, and issues discussed. Use your organisation's official file management system.

**8.** Respect the applicable **disclosure requirements**, for example in the Commission, disclose details of meetings between interest representatives and Commissioners, Cabinet members and Directors-General.

**9.** Report lobbying practices considered unacceptable in particular in light of the EU Transparency Register's **Code of Conduct** for interest representatives.

**10.** Familiarise yourself, for example via **training**, with the specific rules that apply to your own organisation. When the specific rules diverge from these practical recommendations the former should normally take precedence.

**DON'T**

**1.** Meet interest representatives not registered in the **EU Transparency Register** if your own rules disallow or discourage this; please ask the representative to register if their activities fall within its scope.

**2.** Overlook the **motives** of those who seek meetings or invite you to events. Lobbying is done by a range of organisations, including consultancies, law firms, NGOs, think-tanks, grassroots campaigns, ...

**3.** Interact with a particular interest representative without considering offering **other groups** a similar opportunity.

**4.** Accept any invitations to meetings or events, which could put your organisation in a **compromising situation**.

**5.** Forget to **debrief** relevant colleagues and your management after meetings and events.

**6.** Accept or arrange meetings**outside office hours** and official premises. If you do, consider informing your management and involve another colleague.

**7.** Do or say anything that could be viewed as granting an interest representative **preferential treatment**.

**8.** Give the impression to an interest representative that any particular advice, idea or information could or will be **decisive** in the decision-making process.

**9.** Share information you are **not authorised** to share or misuse confidential information.

**10.** Accept **hospitality** from an interest representative without careful consideration and unless it is in line with the applicable rules. Where necessary, report information on any gifts and hospitality received.