Two years after Ireland introduced some of the strictest laws in the world on lobbying transparency, the reforms are being held up as the gold standard for policymakers looking to shine a light on the often murky world of influence peddling.
Any individual, company or NGO that seeks to directly or indirectly influence officials on a policy issue must list themselves on a public register and disclose any lobbying activity.
The rules cover any meeting with high-level public officials, as well as letters, emails or tweets intended to influence policy.
Eight EU countries have mandatory registers for lobbyists — though none are as tight as Ireland’s.
“Lobbying has got a very bad name because of the actions of some individuals,” said Cian Connaughton, president of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland.
“People should be able to know which special interests try to influence EU policy” — Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans.
“People should be able to know which special interests try to influence EU policy,” he said. »
