Brussels - The European Union's executive body on Monday launched a voluntary register for lobbyists working on EU issues in an effort to boost the transparency of EU decision-making.

But the initiative has already drawn fire for the perceived lack of incentives it offers for lobbyists to sign up to the scheme, with just 11 "interest representatives" out of an estimated 15,000 in Brussels joining on the first morning of operations.

"Lobbying is a necessary and growing business, and regulation is inescapable ... By joining the commission register now, bona fide interest representatives have a unique opportunity to demonstrate their commitment (to transparency) in practice," EU anti-fraud commissioner Siim Kallas said.

The register, which is open to the public, is intended to make clear who is behind the countless lobby groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and pressure groups who try and influence EU policy-making.

Dividing lobbyists into groups by whether they are professional lobby firms, individual companies, NGOs or "other" groups, the register requires them to say who their sponsors are, broadly how much they pay and what their own spheres of interest are.

It also requires them to sign up to a seven-point code of conduct covering such pledges as to always identify themselves and their clients, to only provide unbiased information, and not to abuse the confidentiality required of employees who used to work in the EU.

However, the initiative, which is the first of its kind in the EU's institutions, has been criticized for failing to demand the names of individual lobbyists, and for failing to provide enough incentives for lobby groups to sign up to it.

Commission officials say that the lack of individual names is not a handicap, since it is most important to know which company individuals represent, and whose interests that company is pushing.

Moreover, they say that it is in lobby groups' interest to sign up to the register, since this will reinforce their own reputation and the legitimacy of the profession and give them access to information on forthcoming public consultations.

Kallas initially proposed the register three years ago. The current strategy was adopted after consultation with industry figures, lobbyists, NGOs and the public.

The commission is set to analyse the results of the initiative in a year's time. The register's address is https://webgate. ec. europa. eu/transparency/regrin. (dpa)