The National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) has published Clarifications on the application of legislation in the field of lobbying. The document was developed based on a survey of stakeholders and an analysis of practical inquiries.
The document is advisory in nature and is intended to ensure a consistent approach to applying the relevant provisions without creating new legal obligations.
Lobbying is an activity carried out with the aim of influencing (or attempting to influence) a lobbying target in the commercial interests of a beneficiary (for remuneration received directly or indirectly and/or with reimbursement of actual expenses necessary for carrying out such activity) or in a person’s own commercial interests, and concerns the subject matter of lobbying.
The Clarifications are structured around three key sections
1. General provisions and scope:
▫️ activities that constitute lobbying are distinguished from processes that do not fall within the scope of the law;
▫️ the status of the lobbying subject, target, client, and beneficiaries is defined;
▫️ particular attention is paid to the activities of public associations and non-profit organizations, as well as the procedure for identifying conflicts of interest.
2. Lobbying methods:
▫️ permitted tools of influence are described, including the preparation and dissemination of analytical materials, organization of public events, and others;
▫️ the procedure for reporting lobbying-related expenses is explained.
3. Lobbying services agreement:
🔸 the essential terms of a lobbying services agreement are outlined;
🔸 cases in which lobbying activities may be carried out without concluding an agreement are specified.
We remind you that an activity is recognized as lobbying only when all three criteria are present: influence (or an attempt to influence), a commercial interest, and a subject matter of lobbying. Carrying out lobbying activities without obtaining the relevant status is prohibited.
The current version is available in the Knowledge Base on the official NACP website.