Regulating Lobbying — a Comparative Perspective 
l. Overview: DE, HU, LT, PL (only EC-Members With regulations), EC, CA, U.S. 
Regulation 
DE 
1972 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
EC 
2008 
x 
8 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
U.s. 
1995 
x 
15 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
CA 
1989 
x 
25 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
HU 
2006 
x 
10 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
2001 
x 
8 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
2006 
x 
10 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
x 
Scope 
Year of introduction 
Rules ofprocedure 
Voluntary Code of Conduct 
Ex tent (pages) 
Parliament 
Executive branch 
Judiciary 
Definition Of lobbyists 
general 
• detailed 
Public register 
Registering body 
Parliament 
• Registrar's Office / Commissioner 
Registered information 
• 
• 
Interests 
Board of management 
Clients 
Names of all lobbying employees 
Financial disclosure 
Foreign influence 
Privileges for registered groups 
• E-mail alert, invitation to hearings 
• Admission to committee hearings 
Special data protection 
Prohibition of contingency fees 
Sanctions / reservations 
fine 
suspension of admission 
removal from register

II. 
Various suggestions to amend current German regulations 
Parliament 
a. 
b. 
d. 
g. 
h, 
Federal law instead of rules ofprocedure ofthe Parliament 
Broad definition oflobbying on any level — federal or local, in any field — 
or Government and in any Way — consultant or inhouse-lobbyists 
Sanctions 
i. fine 
ii. suspension Of admission to committee hearings in Parliament 
Ombudsman / commissioner 
i. managing the register 
ii. promoting awareness and education on lobbying regulations 
iii. deciding on Sanctions 
Public Officials 
i. post-employment prohibition On lobbying 
ii. disclosure Of former employees Of ministries working for interest groups 
Financial disclosure 
i. income/expenses on lobbying 
ii. total income/expenses (tax declaration) 
iii. data protection for private donors (initials ortotal amount ofprivate donations
 Without publication of names) 
iv. diselosure of subdivisions, suborganizations 
v. exception for Petty donations (c 100€) 
vi. optional Opportunity to make further statements on financial situation 
Disclosure Of lobbying methods 
Internet 
i. publication of register 
ii. publication ofexpertise given by lobbying groups 
iii. on-line registration 
III. Lobbying the executive branch in Germany 
2. 
Lobbying ministries 
German ministries do hearings on drafted laws, where interest groups participate. 
Until now, there is no register in the executive branch for interest groups. 
Lobbyism through temporary employees Of the Government 
External experts paid by interest groups or firns advise ministries as temporary staff. In 
Germany roughly 100 persons per Year. Examples:

0 Employee Of bank helps to draft a bill on financial regulation. 
o Lawyer ofbig law firn helps to draft a bill on public-private-partnership. 
German solution: new internal regulation of government (to be enacted soon) 
o Biannual report to the Budget Committee of the Parliament on external staff in 
ministries: Who, where, what, how long, on which payroll. 
o No names ofthe employees given to protect private data. 
o No public register or report. 
o No external experts where conflict of interests could arise. 
Further suggestions 
o Marking bills, when external experts influenced the draft. 
o Time limit for external staff. Six months. 
o Obligation to disclose lobbying Kunction at any internal Or external contact. 
IV. Annex: Regulations 
Germany: Rules of Procedure of the German Bundestag, 
http://wv.nv.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/parliament/functiowlegal/rules.pdf. 
Rule 70 Public hearings 
(l) For the purpose of obtaining information on a subject under debate, a committee may hold public 
hearings of experts, representatives of interest groups and Other persons Who can furnish informaticn
. 
Annex 2 Registration of associations and their representatives 
(l) The President ofthe Bundestag shall keep a public list in which all associations oftrade and industry
 representing interests vis-ä-vis the Bundestag or the Federal Government shall be entered. 
(2) Their representatives Shau be heard only if they have entered themselves in this list, furnishing 
the following information: 
• name and Seat o f the association; 
composition of the board of management and the board of directors; 
sphere of interest of the association; 
• number of members; 
• names ofthe associations' representatives; and 
• address of its otTtce at the Seat ofthe Bundestag and of the Federal Government. 
(3) Passes admitting representatives of such associations to the Bundestag buildings shall be issued 
only ifthe information to be furnished under paragraph (2) above has been provided. 
(4) Entry in the list shall not entitle an association obtain a hearing or a pass. 
(5) The President shall arrange for the list to published each Year in the Federal Gaz,ette (Bundesanzeiger
). 
Europe: Code of Conduct for Interest Representatives (2008), http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/ 
Canada: Lobbying Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 44 (4th supp.), 
http://wv,nv.Orl-bdl_gc.cwepic/site'lobbyist-lobbyiste.nsf/en/Home 
USA: Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 of 19 1995, 109 United States Statutes at Large 
691 , http://w•.v.v.senate.gov/reference;resources'pdf/contacting10465.pdf 
Hungary: Act of2006 on Lobbying Activities, Lithuania: Law on Lobbying Activities of 27 June 
2000, Poland: Act of7 July 2005 on legislative and regulatory lobbying, 
v.".vw.oecd.org/dataoecd' 18/15/38944200_pdf