Abstract
This contribution analyses the development of the lobbying regulation and practices in the post-communist, transition countries of the EU. Due to the still predominant informal lobbying, widespread corruption, and negative public perception about lobbyists, the existing regulation remains largely ineffective and the lobbying profession underdeveloped. An adequate balance should be established between legal obligations imposed on lobbyists and positive incentives for compliance with established rules, based on a reasonable combination of regulatory instruments, self-regulation of lobbyists, and awareness-raising activities among the wider public.
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Notes
- 1.
The Decision of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration on Establishing the Working Group for Drafting the Law on Lobbying is available at: https://mpu.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti/Pravo%20na%20pristup%20informacijama/Radne%20skupine/Odluka%20o%20osnivanju%20radne%20skupine%20za%20izradu%20Nacrta%20prijedloga%20Zakona%20o%20lobiranju.pdf
- 2.
The latest version of the Law adopted in December 2021 is available in the Official Journal No 143/2021: https://narodne-novine.nn.hr/clanci/sluzbeni/2021_12_143_2435.html
- 3.
The Good Practices document is available at: https://www.korruptsioon.ee/sites/www.korruptsioon.ee/files/elfinder/dokumendid/good_practice_in_communicating_with_lobbyists_for_officials_0.pdf
- 4.
The Government Decree 50/2013 of 25 February 2013 on the system of integrity management at public administration bodies and the procedural rules of receiving lobbyists is available at: http://corruptionprevention.gov.hu/download/7/ce/02000/Governmental%20Decree%2050_2013.pdf
- 5.
The 2018 Recommendation No1 of the Cabinet of Ministers is available at: https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/303328-values-of-state-administration-and-fundamental-principles-of-ethics
- 6.
The Law is available at: https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/9473b770a2a311e7a65c90dfe4655c64?jfwid=-8x127n8n6
- 7.
The latest amendments of the Law on the Adjustment of Public and Private Interests entered into force in July 2020 and are available here: https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/TAIS.330596?jfwid=32wf9h0y
- 8.
The Law can be accessed at: http://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/DocDetails.xsp?id=WDU20051691414
- 9.
For more information see Romania Insider. 2013. Romanian Parliament to vote Lobbying Law, but lobbyists deem it inefficient, https://www.romania-insider.com/romanian-parliament-to-vote-lobbying-law-but-lobbyists-deem-it-inefficient
- 10.
The Register with the overview of meetings of government officials with lobbyists is available at: http://ruti.gov.ro
- 11.
The Law is available at: https://www.kpk-rs.si/kpk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ZintPK-ENG.pdf.pdf
- 12.
The data on lobbying activities are available at: https://erar.si/lobiranje/
- 13.
The register is available at the website of Croatian Association of Lobbyists: www.hdl.hr
- 14.
The six founding public affairs consultancies are CEC Government Relations, Eurooffice Praha-Brusel, Fleishman-Hillard, Grayling Czech Republic, Merit Government Relations, and PAN Solutions.
- 15.
See the APAA website: https://apaa.cz/en
- 16.
The Code of Conduct is available at: https://apaa.cz/en/statutes-and-code-of-conduct/
- 17.
Further information can be accessed at: http://registruldelobby.ro
- 18.
The Ethics Code oft he Romanian Lobbying Association is avaialble at: http://registruldelobby.ro/en/the-ethics-code.html
- 19.
Additional information on the lobbying landscape in Lithuania is available at http://www.aalep.eu/lobbying-landscape-lithuania
- 20.
Diena. 2012. Latvian Lobbyists’ Association Established (Nodibināta Lobētāju asociācija).
https://www.diena.lv/raksts/latvija/zinas/nodibinata-lobetaju-asociacija-13941271
- 21.
For more information, see the summary of implementation of activities in the area of transparency of lobbying in Latvia, within the framework of the Latvian Open Government Partnership Action Plan 2019–2021, published at the webpage of global initiative Open Government Partnership: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/members/latvia/commitments/LV0042/#_edn33
- 22.
The Lithuanian lobbying register is available at: https://skaidris.vtek.lt
- 23.
See article 2 of the Polish Lobbying Act, https://isap.sejm.gov.pl/isap.nsf/download.xsp/WDU20051691414/U/D20051414Lj.pdf
- 24.
The Polish Government Register of lobbyists can be accessed at: https://www.gov.pl/web/mswia/dzialalnosc-lobbingowa
- 25.
The list of lobbyists in the lower chamber of Polish Parliament is available at: https://www.sejm.gov.pl/sejm7.nsf/lobbing_osoby.xsp
- 26.
The list of lobbyists in the upper chamber of Polish parliament is available at: https://www.senat.gov.pl/lobbing/wykaz-osob-wykonujacych-zawodowa-dzialalnosc-lobbingowa-na-tere/
- 27.
Slovenian lobbying register is available at: https://www.kpk-rs.si/delo-komisije/instituti/lobiranje/register-lobistov/
- 28.
For more information on the lobbying landscape in Slovenia, see also http://www.aalep.eu/lobbying-landscape-slovenia.
- 29.
For more information about the challenges of develo** professional and transparent lobbying in Lithuania see http://www.aalep.eu/lobbying-landscape-lithuania
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Vidačak, I. (2022). Lobbying in the EU Transition Countries. In: Polk, A., Mause, K. (eds) Handbuch Lobbyismus. Springer VS, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-32324-0_19-1
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