Sunday

10th Dec 2023

WhoisWho? Calls mount to bring back EU directory

  • The EU WhoisWho directory was considered especially useful because it listed specific policy areas and funding programmes that commission officials work on (Photo: European Commission)
Listen to article

Knowing what files EU bureaucrats are working on or who to reach out to in Brussels has become a lot more difficult since April 2023.

Contact details of non-managerial EU commission staff were recently removed from its public register — prompting frustration among NGOs and lobbyists, who are urging the EU executive to reverse its decision.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

The EU WhoisWho directory, which showed emails and phone numbers of high and low-level officials, now only includes the contact details of heads of unit and other staff members with higher ranks.

The directory was considered especially useful because it listed specific policy areas and funding programmes that commission officials worked on, making it easier for public affairs specialists, advocacy groups and journalists to contact people and get responses.

The main problem is that the head of unit now becomes a sort of "intermediary" between you and the official you are trying to identify or contact, said Jonathan Millins, policy advisor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

But these are busy people, so they do not have the time to respond quickly.

"Often you contact the head of unit and get no response, it's very frustrating," said Millins. "It does nothing to promote transparency, facilitate communication, or promote good governance."

Inge Brees, who works for the NGO Search for Common Ground, has called on the commission to consider reversing the decision as the measure is already having a negative impact.

"It has decreased your transparency as an institution overnight", she said.

The EU Commission has justified the decision on the grounds of security and data protection reasons, arguing that they have received requests from staff members of non-managerial positions not to disclose their data on the EU WhoisWho. 

"Alongside its obligations linked to transparency and accountability, the Commission has the duty to protect its staff, especially those dealing with sensitive files. To avoid that these colleagues are subject to undue pressure from external sources, the access to the names and contact details of non-management staff has been limited," the commission said in an emailed statement.

However, the commission's decision comes at a time when EU institutions are under higher public scrutiny.

"Timing is very bad," said Alberto Alemanno, an EU law professor and founder of The Good Lobby.

"After Qatargate, we expected greater transparency not less", he said, referring to a bribery scandal in Brussels which erupted last year.

For his part, Philippe Dam, EU director of the NGO Human Rights Watch, pointed out that the EU executive is sending "the wrong message" with such an anti-transparency measure that cuts access to the institution.

The Society of European Affairs Professionals (SEAP) launched a petition to ask the commission to reverse its decision.

More than 300 people have signed the petition, including lobbyists from a variety of companies, such as McDonald's, and representatives of civil society, such as the International Rescue Committee.

Around 32,000 people work in the commission, making it by far the largest EU institution.

Column

EU lobbying clean-up — what happened to that?

Six months after Qatargate, as institutional inertia and parliamentary privileges weigh in, the sense of gravity and collective resolve have all but disappeared. MEPs show little enthusiasm for reform of the rules that today allow them significant outside paid activities.

EU Commission in damage control over Qatar-paid flights

The European Commission is imposing new rules to restrict free trips paid for by countries like Qatar, following revelations that its director-general of transport not only accepted such flights — but had also cleared himself of any conflict of interest.

Polish truck protest at Ukraine border disrupts war supplies

Disruption at the Polish-Ukrainian border by disaffected Polish truckers is escalating, potentially affecting delivery of military aid to Ukraine. A Polish request to reintroduce permits for Ukrainian drivers has been described as "a shot to the head" during war.

Brussels denies having no 'concern' on Spain's amnesty law

The Spanish government remains secretive about its negotiations with pro-independence Catalans, but claims the EU Commission has "zero concerns" about their proposed amnesty law for Catalan separatists. The EU executive denies that.

Opinion

Tusk's difficult in-tray on Poland's judicial independence

What is obvious is that PiS put in place a set of interlocking safeguards for itself which, even after their political defeat in Poland, will render it very difficult for the new government to restore the rule of law.

Opinion

Can Green Deal survive the 2024 European election?

Six months ahead of the EU elections, knocking an 'elitist' climate agenda is looking like a vote-winner to some. Saving the Green Deal and the EU's climate ambitions starts with listening to Europeans who are struggling to make ends meet.

Latest News

  1. How Moldova is trying to control tuberculosis
  2. Many problems to solve in Dubai — honesty about them is good
  3. Sudanese fleeing violence find no haven in Egypt or EU
  4. How should EU reform the humanitarian aid system?
  5. EU suggests visa-bans on Israeli settlers, following US example
  6. EU ministers prepare for all-night fiscal debate
  7. Spain's Nadia Calviño backed to be EIB's first female chief
  8. Is there hope for the EU and eurozone?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us