THE European Parliament has agreed that MEPs must declare all financial and other gifts. The parliament also voted yesterday for measures to curb the activities of thousands of lobbyists.
The measures are part of a campaign to increase openness.
All major parliamentary groups yesterday supported the changes, although an attempt to introduce similar rules failed last January.
Under existing rules, MEPs must reveal all their professional activities and major share holdings. The new regulations will mean that all gifts in cash or in kind, must be declared, and the information will be published.
The British Labour MEP, Mr Glyn Ford, one of the proponents of change, rejected suggestions that MEPs could not now accept a cup of coffee or bunch of flowers.
"It is legitimate to take a free lunch, dinner, cup of coffee or bunch of flowers", he said. "It is illegitimate to take a free weekend in Paris or a valuable painting. A bottle of whiskey is fine, but not a crate."
The regulations are an attempt to curb the activities of up to 10,000 lobbyists representing interests ranging from tobacco and armaments to human rights. From now on, anyone who wants access to a parliament building for more than a week must register.