Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

▸4 unchanged paragraphs

Recital 38: (38) To ensure that the information provided for the purposes of registration continues to allow the authorities responsible for the national registers to correctly and precisely identify the third countries on whose behalf interest representation is being carried out and how much is being spent on those activities, the Commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts adapting the standard set of information to be registered.

Recital 39: (39) Entities carrying out interest representation activities on behalf of third countries, registered in a national register, should update information in the national register at least once a year. However, in view of the importance of the accuracy of the information held in such national registers for the application and oversight of the Directive, any changes or additions to the contact information of the registered entity should be made as quickly as possible.

Recital 41: (41) Entities carrying out an interest representation activity on behalf of third countries sponsors should be able to demonstrate that they have complied with the registration requirements. Once registered, an entity should be provided with a copy of the information included in a national register and a unique European Interest Representation Number (‘EIRN’). The EIRN should serve as a means to facilitate the identification across the Union of entities registered pursuant to this Directive. The composition of the EIRN should therefore allow the identification of the Member State of registration and the specific national register in which registration has taken place. The choice of the code identifying the national register of registration should appear logical to persons familiar with the organisation of the Member State concerned.

Recital 42: (42) Once they are registered in a Member State, registered entities should not be required to register in other Member States, including when they launch an interest representation activity there. However, to facilitate the access by public officials to information on entities carrying out interest representation activities with whom they might interact, other Member States where such activities will be carried out should include, in their own national registers, the names of the registered entities concerned, their EIRN, and the link to the information contained in the national register of registration made publicly available.

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RemovedRecital 43: (43) To ensure compliance with the registration requirement, supervisory authorities should, where they have reliable information that an entity failed to register, for example based on a report by a whistleblower, be able to ask the entity to provide the information strictly necessary to establish whether it falls within the scope of this Directive. Such information should not extend beyond information directly capable of demonstrating whether it falls within the scope of this Directive. It could consist of the information of the type covered by the record-keeping obligation, including any declarations obtained as to whether an entity on whose behalf an interest representation service is provided is a third country sponsor. Where possible, the request should be limited to information that should be in the possession of the entity. In addition, supervisory authorities should, where they have reliable information of possible non-compliance with the obligations flowing from registration, be able to ask an entity to provide the information necessary to investigate such possible non-compliance. Such information should not extend beyond information directly capable of demonstrating the completeness or accuracy of the information provided as part of the requirement to register and to update. The request should be limited to information that should be in the possession of the registered entity. Any such requests should contain a statement of reasons, the information sought and the r…

AddedRecital 42 a (new): (42a) In order to facilitate the access by public officials to information on entities carrying out interest representation activities with whom they might interact, the Commission should consider the development of pre-engagement screening tools that provide public officials with easy access to public information from different sources, such as national registers, transparency registers or other relevant disclosure information, about entities within the scope of this Directive so that public officials can evaluate potential risks prior to engaging with entities.

RemovedRecital 44: (44) Democratic accountability is a pillar of well-functioning democracies. By providing access for the public to information on entities carrying out interest representation activities on behalf of third countries active in the internal market, as well as the third country sponsors they represent, this Directive enables citizens and other interested stakeholders to exercise their democratic rights and responsibilities, including their ability to exercise democratic scrutiny in full knowledge of whose interest are being served by the interest representation activities. As voters, citizens are the most relevant decision-makers. Public scrutiny by citizens and interested stakeholders on issues affecting the democratic sphere supports democratic checks and balances, enhances citizens’ empowerment and allows a more informed expression and exercise of their democratic choices.

AddedRecital 43: (43) To ensure compliance with the registration requirement, supervisory authorities should, where they have reliable information that an entity failed to register, for example based on a report by a whistleblower, be able to ask the entity to provide the information strictly necessary to establish whether it falls within the scope of this Directive. Such information should typically not extend beyond information directly capable of demonstrating whether it falls within the scope of this Directive. It could consist of the information of the type covered by the record-keeping obligation, including any declarations obtained as to whether an entity on whose behalf an interest representation service is provided is a third country sponsor. Where possible, the request should be limited to information that should be in the possession of the entity. In addition, supervisory authorities should, where they have reliable information of possible non-compliance with the obligations flowing from registration, be able to ask an entity to provide the information necessary to investigate such possible non-compliance. Such information should not extend beyond information directly capable of demonstrating the completeness or accuracy of the information provided as part of the requirement to register and to update. The request should be limited to information that should be in the possession of the registered entity. Any such requests should contain a statement of reasons, the information sought…

RemovedRecital 44 a (new): (44a) In order to facilitate access to public information and to improve transparency of interest representation activities carried out on behalf of third countries in the internal market from outside the Member State responsible for the national register, this Directive should provide for the interconnection of national registers through a European central public access portal for the purposes of this Directive. This system should provide a search service in all the official languages of the Union in order to make the public information provided for in this Directive available.

AddedRecital 44: (44) Democratic accountability is a pillar of well-functioning democracies. By providing for public access to information on entities carrying out interest representation activities on behalf of third countries active in the internal market, as well as the third country sponsors they represent, this Directive enables citizens and other interested stakeholders to exercise their democratic rights and responsibilities, including their ability to exercise democratic scrutiny in full knowledge of whose interest are being served by the interest representation activities. As voters, citizens are the most relevant decision-makers. Public scrutiny by citizens and interested stakeholders on issues affecting the democratic sphere supports democratic checks and balances, enhances citizens’ support and allows a more informed expression and exercise of their democratic choices.

AddedRecital 44 a (new): (44a) In order to facilitate access to public information and to improve transparency of interest representation activities carried out on behalf of third countries in the internal market from outside the Member State responsible for the national register, national registers should, for the purposes of this Directive, be interconnected through a European central public access portal. In order to facilitate the making available to the public of the information provided for in this Directive, the Commission should establish a system that provides a search service in all the official languages of the Union.

Recital 45: (45) To ensure proportionality, when personal data is made publicly available, it should be limited to what is strictly necessary to the purpose of informing citizens, their representatives and other interested parties about interest representation activities carried out on behalf of third countries sponsors. In addition, information on the annual amounts declared should be made publicly available using more general ranges than the ones used for the submission of information to national registers, to ensure the level of detail necessary for the purpose of informing citizens, their representatives and other interested parties. Information that is of relevance only to supervisory authorities, such as the contact details of the persons responsible for a registered entity, should not be made publicly available.

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ChangedRecital 47: (47) To ensure the protection of individuals that may be exposed by the publication of specific information to a violation of their fundamental rights, such as retaliations against individuals working for a registered entity operating in a third country, Member States should ensure that supervisory authorities are able, upon request or ex officio, to restrict the publication of whole or part of the information entered in the national register. The registered entity should demonstrate in its request that, taking into account all the relevant circumstances of the individual cases, publication should be restricted due to legitimate interests such as a serious risk that the publication would expose an individual to a violation of their fundamental rights in particular as protected by Articles 1 (Right to human dignity), 2 (Right to life), 3 (Right to the integrity of the person), 4 (Prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment) or 6 (Right to liberty and security of the Charter, such as kidnapping, blackmail, extortion, harassment, violence or intimidation), or such as trade secrets. The analysis should take into account risks to the physical integrity of employees, or any individuals working for or affiliated to a registered entity. Legitimate interests should also cover risks to individuals that benefit from the activities of the registered entity. Any decision by the supervisory authority should take into account the objectives of this Directive and …should b…

Recital 50: (50) In order to prevent stigmatisation of the registered entity, the data made publicly available should be presented in a factual and neutral way. To this end, when carrying out the tasks assigned to them under this Directive, competent national authorities should ensure that no adverse consequences, direct or indirect, arise from the mere fact that an entity is a registered entity. In particular, the publication should not be presented with or accompanied by statements or provisions that could create a climate of distrust with regard to the registered entities, liable to result in them being discriminated against or to deter natural or legal persons from Member States or third countries from engaging with them or providing them with financial support. Examples of such stigmatising actions include negatively labelling the registered entities or making disparaging statements seeking to undermine registered entities’ credibility and legitimacy or the conduct of their interest representation activities by implying that registered entities are seeking to interfere with democratic processes.

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ChangedRecital 51: (51) Where a third country spends particularly large amounts on interest representation, or where an entity receives particularly large amounts of remuneration from one or several third country sponsors, there is heightened likelihood that the interest representation activities carried out would successfully influence the political choices of a Member State or of the Union as a whole. In such cases, supervisory authorities should be able to request additional information from entities carrying out interest representation activities carried out on behalf of such third countries in order to exercise greater scrutiny.

Recital 52: (52) To ensure a proportionate oversight of this Directive, supervisory authorities should be able to ask an entity carrying out interest representation activities on behalf of third country sponsors to provide the records necessary to investigate possible non-compliance with the registration requirement set out in this Directive. For that purpose, supervisory authorities should be able to act on their own motion or on the basis of a report by a whistleblower or the supervisory authority of another Member State.

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ChangedRecital 53: (53) Supervisory authorities should cooperate both at national and at Union level. Such cooperation should facilitate the swift, secure exchange of information. For the purpose of exercising their supervisory tasks, supervisory authorities in other Member States should be able to request, from the supervisory authority in the Member State of registration, information provided in the registration, including that which is not public, and in specific cases the records kept by the entity, as well as analyses carried out. Supervisory authorities and the Commission should cooperate to ensure the implementation of the DirectiveDirective. toTo better understand the size and the distribution of the overall interest representation activities that are carried out on behalf of third countries in the Union. The Commission should be able to request, from supervisory authorities, aggregate data based on the information provided by entities carrying out interest representation on behalf of third country sponsors in their registration. In order to comprehensively monitor the modalities and the features of the interest representation activities carried out in the Union on behalf of third countries,countries such aggregate data may include information that is not publicly available in the registers including personal data to the extent that is necessary to ensure an effective monitoring.

Change 27

ChangedRecital 54: (54) The use of digital tools developed within the internal market by the Commission and Member States enhances transparency and trust in cross-border provision of services and limits administrative burdens by allowing coordination, cooperation and communication between the relevant authorities at national level. Administrative cooperation and exchanges of information between the national authorities, as well as the supervisory authorities and the Commission takes place through the Internal Market Information System (‘IMI system’) established by Regulation (EU) 1024/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council7Council for administrative cooperation between Member States’ competent authorities in Single Market related policy areas. The interoperability of the IMI system and the national registers should therefore be ensured in line with the European Interoperability Framework.

Change 28

ChangedRecital 55: (55) For the purposes of assisting the Commission in its task to ensure effective cooperation among competent national authorities, and the complete and effective implementation of this Directive, an advisory group should be established. The advisory group should include a representative from the supervisory authorities of each Member State. The advisory group should advise on the implementation of the Directive, including on the requirement to avoid that adverse consequences arise from the mere fact that an entity is registered pursuant to the requirements laid down in this Directive. It should adopt opinions, recommendations or reports that should be made public by the competent national authorities designated by Member States. In order to ensure legal certainty for entities that may fall in the scope of the Directive, the advisory group should, in particular, advise the Commission on possible guidance on the scope of the DirectiveDirective, and activities whose object or effect of which is to circumvent obligations in this Directive. Cooperation should be ensured as appropriate with the EU network against corruption.

Change 29

ChangedRecital 58: (58) There might beCertain activities thatmight lead to the circumvention of the obligations under this Directive. Such activities could include covert remuneration for a representation service, the setting up of companies with a view to obfuscating links to third country governments, or the artificial distribution of activities across multiple entities with a view to falling short of the thresholds established by this Directive. Member States should therefore ensure that such circumvention activities are addressed in thetheir implementation of this Directive.

Change 30

ChangedRecital 59: (59) In order to deter non-compliance with the requirements of this Directive and to sanction the same, Member States should ensure that any infringements of the obligations laid down in this Directive are accompanied by effective, proportionate and dissuasive administrative fines.sanctions, including temporary suspension of registration in the national register. Without prejudice to rules applicable to criminal activities and their detection, investigation, prosecution, supervision and sanctioning as established under national or Union law, such as those related to corruption, sanctions should not be criminal in nature. Sanctions should take into account the nature, recurrence and duration of the infringement in view of the public interest at stake, the scope and kind of activities carried out, and the economic capacity of the entity carrying out interest representation activities. Sanctions should in each individual case be effective, proportionate and dissuasive, with due respect for fundamental rights including freedom of expression, association, academic freedom and freedom of scientific research, safeguards and access to effective remedies, including the right to be heard. They should follow a prior early warning issued by a supervisory authority, except when such infringement amounts to a violation of the prohibition of circumvention.

Change 31

RemovedRecital 63: (63) There is an added value from addressing the transparency of interest representation activities carried out on behalf of third countries at Union level, as the likely cross-border nature of such activities requires a coordinated approach across multiple levels and sectors. By collaborating and sharing information, Member States are able to obtain a better understanding of the extent of the phenomenon, which helps to avoid that third countries are able to exploit regulatory differences or loopholes.

AddedRecital 60: (60) In order to amend the thresholds for requesting further information, to modify the list of information to be provided when submitting a request for registration, to modify the list of information to be included in the reports published by Member States, and to set out the technical specifications, the technical measures, the minimum criteria and means, and the technical conditions regarding the central public access portal, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission. It is of particular importance that the Commission carry out appropriate consultations during its preparatory work, including at expert level, and that those consultations be conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making. In particular, to ensure equal participation in the preparation of delegated acts, the European Parliament and the Council receive all documents at the same time as Member States’ experts, and their experts systematically have access to meetings of Commission expert groups dealing with the preparation of delegated acts.

AddedRecital 63: (63) In particular, a Union-level system supports competent national authorities in their oversight functions and other stakeholders to exercise their role in the democratic process and increases the overall resilience of democracies in the Union against interference by third countries. There is an added value from addressing the transparency of interest representation activities carried out on behalf of third countries at Union level, as the likely cross-border nature of such activities requires a coordinated approach across multiple levels and sectors. By collaborating and sharing information, Member States are able to obtain a better understanding of the extent of the phenomenon, which helps to avoid that third countries are able to exploit regulatory differences or loopholes.

AddedRecital 64: (64) When implementing this Directive, Member States should lay down requirements in a clear and concise manner, ensuring legal certainty and predictable registration procedures, and should seek to minimise the administrative burden on the entities concerned, in particular micro, small and medium-sized enterprises within the meaning of Article 3 of Directive 2013/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Recital 65: (65) Regulations (EU) 2016/67911 and (EU) 2018/172512 of the European Parliament and of the Council apply to the processing of personal data carried out in the context of this Directive, including the processing of personal data to maintain the national register or registers on entities carrying out interest representation activities on behalf of third country sponsors, to access personal data in such national register or registers and to exchange personal data in the context of administrative cooperation and mutual assistance between Member States under this Directive, including the use of IMI, and the keeping of records in accordance with this Directive’s record-keeping obligations. Any processing of personal data for such purposes should amongst others comply with the principles of data minimisation, data accuracy and storage limitation and fulfil the requirements of data integrity and confidentiality. Member States should establish the measures ensuring lawful and secure processing as regards the processing of personal data contained in their national register or registers, in accordance with applicable legislation on the protection of personal data.

Change 32

AddedRecital 69: (69) The European Data Protection Supervisor was consulted in accordance with Article 42(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 and delivered an opinion on 6 February 2024. / (deleted)

Article 1 – title: Subject matter and objectives

Change 33

ChangedArticle 1 – paragraph 1: This Directive lays down harmonised requirements in relation to economicinterest representation activities of interestan representationeconomic nature carried out on behalf of a third country sponsorsponsor, with a view to provide information, knowledge or expertiseinfluencing onthe mattersdevelopment, concernedformulation byand aimplementation policy,of bypolicies, Unionlaw or national law, orpublic bydecision-making aprocesses publicin decision-makingthe process.Union.

Change 34

ChangedArticle 1 – paragraph 2: The objectiveobjectives of this Directive isare to improve the functioning of the internal market for interest representation activities and to achieve that in respect of those activities a common level of transparency and democratic accountability across the Union,Union withoutcreatingwithout creating a climate of distrust liable to deter natural or legal persons from Member States or third countries from engaging with or providing financial support to entities carrying out interest representation activities on behalf of a third country sponsor. Member States shall ensure that compliance with this Directive does not lead to any restriction of fundamental rights.

Change 35

ChangedArticle 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1: (1) ‘interest representation activity’ means an activity consisting of providing information, knowledge or expertise,conducted inwith the contextobjective of influencing the development, formulation or implementation of policy orpolicies, legislation,law, or public decision-making processes, in the Union,Union through: / - organising or participating in meetings, conferences or events; / - contributing to or participating in consultations or parliamentary hearings; / - organising communication or advertising campaigns;campaigns, including on digital platforms or via social media; or / - preparation of policy and position papers, legislative amendments, opinion polls, surveys or open letters;

Change 36

AddedArticle 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2: (2) ‘interest representation service’ means an interest representation activity that is normally provided for remuneration and therefore constitutes a service within the meaning of Article 57 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU);

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – introductory part: (4) ‘third country sponsor’ means:

Change 37

AddedArticle 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4 – point b: (b) a public or private entity whose actions can be attributed to a sponsor referred to in point (a), taking into account all relevant circumstances, such as the ability of the sponsor to exercise decisive influence or ultimate control over the entity;

Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6 – point a: (a) the total annual remuneration received from a third country sponsor for the provision of an interest representation service, consisting, where the remuneration is non-pecuniary, of its estimated value; or

Change 38

AddedArticle 2 – paragraph 1 – point 9: (9) ‘authority responsible for the national register’ means the independent public authority or body responsible for maintaining a national register as referred to in Article 9 and processing registrations submitted pursuant to this Directive;

Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a: (a) an interest representation service provided to a third country sponsor;

Change 39

ChangedArticle 3 – paragraph 1 – point b: (b) an interest representation activity carried out by a third country sponsor referred to in Article 2(4), point (b), that is linked to or substitutes activities of an economic nature and is thus comparable to an interest representation service as referred to in point (a) of this paragraph.

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point a: (a) activities carried out directly by a third country sponsor referred to in Article 2(4), point (a), that are connected with the exercise of official authority, including activities related to the exercise of diplomatic or consular relations between States or international organisations;

Change 40

ChangedArticle 3 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new): (aa) the provision of media services as defined in Article 2, point (1) of Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 of the European Parliament and of the Council1aCouncil and the provision of audiovisual media services as defined in Article 1, point (1) of Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council; / 1a Regulation (EU) 2024/1083 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a common framework for media services in the internal market and amending Directive 2010/13/EU (European Media Freedom Act), OJ L, 2024/1083, 17.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1083/oj

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b – point i: (i) advice to a third country sponsor to help it ensure that its activities comply with existing legal requirements;

Change 41

ChangedArticle 3 – paragraph 2 – point b – point ii: (ii) representation of third country sponsorssponsor in the context of a conciliation or mediation procedure aimed at preventing a dispute from being brought before, or adjudicated on by, a judicial or administrative body;

Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point b – point iii: (iii) representation of third country sponsors in legal proceedings;

Change 42

ChangedArticle 43 – paragraph 1: Member States2 shall– notpoint maintainb ora introduce,(new): for(ba) interest representation activities fallingcarried withinout by civil society organisations the scopestatutory objectives of thiswhich Directive,are provisionsto divergingprotect fromand thosepromote laidthe downpublic ininterest thisor Directive,fundamental rights, including more,human orrights, less,in stringentaccordance provisionswith the Charter of Fundamental Rights, provided that those activities are not provided to achievea third country sponsor as a differentservice levelwithin ofthe transparencymeaning of thoseArticle activities,57 unlessTFEU otherwiseor providedare fornot incarried out by civil society organisations acting as third-country sponsors under this Directive.

Change 43

RemovedArticle 5 – paragraph 1: Member States shall ensure that interest representation service providers have the possibility to require the entity on whose behalf the service is provided to declare whether it is a third country sponsor.

AddedArticle 4 – paragraph 1: Member States shall not maintain or introduce less stringent provisions than those provided for in this Directive, for interest representation activities falling within the scope of this Directive. When transposing and implementing this Directive, Member States shall ensure compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and information, to freedom of assembly and association, to freedom of scientific research, including academic freedom, to the protection of personal data, to an effective remedy and to freedom to conduct a business.

RemovedArticle 6 – paragraph 1: 1. Member States shall ensure that entities referred to in Article 3(1) include, in their contractual arrangements with subcontractors, the information that the interest representation activity falls within the scope of Article 3(1), as well as an obligation to pass on such information to any further subcontractors. Subcontractors that have been so informed shall not have to comply with the requirements of Article 8, Article 10 and Article 11 in respect of the interest representation activity carried out under the contract containing that information.

AddedArticle 5 – paragraph 1: Member States shall ensure that interest representation service providers have the possibility to require the sponsor on whose behalf the service is provided to declare whether it is a third country sponsor.

AddedArticle 6 – paragraph 1: 1. Member States shall ensure that entities referred to in Article 3(1) that are main contractors include, in their contractual arrangements with subcontractors, the information that the interest representation activity falls within the scope of Article 3(1), as well as an obligation to pass on such information to any further subcontractors. Where such information has been included, the subcontractors and further subcontractors shall be exempt from the requirements of Article 8, Article 10 and Article 11 in respect of the interest representation activity carried out thereunder.

AddedArticle 6 – paragraph 2: 2. Member States shall ensure that where the subcontractor subcontracts the interest representation service further, it informs the main contractor or, where applicable, the subcontractor from which it received the contract to carry out the interest representation activity, of the fact that the interest representation activity has been further subcontracted. Member States shall also ensure that the contractual arrangements include the information that the interest representation activity falls within the scope of Article 3(1).

AddedArticle 6 – paragraph 3: 3. Member States shall ensure that the subcontractor provides the main contractor or, where applicable, a further subcontractor with the information necessary to comply with the requirements of Article 10.

Article 7: deleted / (deleted) / (deleted) / (deleted) / (deleted) / (deleted) / (deleted) / (deleted) / (deleted) / (deleted) / (deleted) / (deleted)

Article 8 – paragraph 3: 3. Member States shall ensure that entities referred to in Article 3(1) provide their legal representative with necessary powers and sufficient resources to guarantee efficient and timely cooperation with the Member States’ competent authorities, and to ensure the compliance with their decisions.

Change 44

RemovedArticle 9 a (new): Article 9a / Central public access portal / 1. By [one year from the date of entry into force of this Directive], the Commission shall, adopt a delegated act in accordance with Article 23 to supplement this Directive by establishing a decentralised system for the interconnection of national registers referred to in Article 9. / 2. That system shall be connected to the national registers and to a web portal managed by the Commission. That web portal shall serve as a central public electronic access point to information in the system. / 3. The system referred to in paragraph 1 shall provide a search service in all the official languages of the Union in order to facilitate the making available to the public of the information referred to in Article 12(1) in accordance with that provision. / 4. The delegated act referred to in paragraph 1 shall lay down: / (a) the technical specifications determining the means and methods of communication for the system ensuring the interconnection and interoperability of the national registers; / (b) the technical measures on which the minimum information technology security standards applicable to the communication and distribution of information within the system ensuring the interconnection of the national registers are based; / (c) minimum criteria for the search service and for the presentation of the results of such searches, which are to be provided by the European portal in accordance with Article 12(1); and / (d) the means of and the te…

AddedArticle 9 – paragraph 2: 2. The national register or, as relevant, registers shall be maintained by independent authorities responsible for the national registers in accordance with Article 15 of this Directive. The national registers shall be interoperable between themselves. For the processing of personal data, such authorities shall act as controllers within the meaning of Article 4, point (7) of Regulation (EU) 2016/679.

RemovedArticle 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1: Member States shall ensure that an entity referred to in Article 3(1) established in their territory registers in a national register before carrying out interest representation activities within the meaning of this Directive.

AddedArticle 9 a (new): Article 9a / Central public access portal / 1. The Commission shall establish a central public access portal as a decentralised system for the interconnection of the national registers referred to in Article 9. / 2. The system referred to in paragraph 1 shall include a web portal that serves as a central public electronic access point to the information in the system. The web portal shall offer a search service in all official languages of the Union in order to facilitate the making available to the public of the information referred to in Article 12(1). / 3. For the processing of personal data, the Commission shall act as controller within the meaning of Article 4, point (7), of Regulation (EU) 2016/679. / 4. By [one year from the date of entry into force of this Directive], the Commission shall adopt a delegated act in accordance with Article 23 to supplement this Directive by setting out: / (a) the technical specifications determining the means and methods of communication for the system ensuring the interconnection and interoperability of the national registers; / (b) the technical measures on which the minimum information technology security standards applicable to the communication and distribution of information within the system ensuring the interconnection of the national registers are based; / (c) minimum criteria for the search service and for the presentation of the results of such searches, which are to be provided by the European portal in accordance with Articl…

AddedArticle 10 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1: Member States shall ensure that each entity referred to in Article 3(1) established in their territory registers in a national register at the latest before starting the interest representation activities.

Article 10 – paragraph 3: 3. If an entity referred to in Article 3(1) is not established in the Union, it shall register in the Member State where its legal representative designated pursuant to Article 8 is established or, in the absence of a place of establishment, has its permanent address or usually resides.

Change 45

ChangedArticle 10 – paragraph 4: 4. Member States shall ensure that, for the purpose of registration, an entity is required to submit at least the information set out in Annex I.