Lobbyist transparency cannot be optional

The European Commission finally will unveil its lobbyist registry today (23 June), implementing part of the long-debated European Transparency Initiative (ETI) championed by Vice President Siim Kallas. Its stated objective: "to increase the transparency with which the EU handles the responsibilities and funds entrusted to it by the European citizen."

Despite a great deal of optimism originally offered by Kallas' sincere commitment for meaningful transparency of information about those w...