Lobbying Roundtable Briefing paper, Communication & Conflict Conference, 7 September 2007.

The role and nature of lobbying is under scrutiny as legislators in Europe and the UK begin to rethink relations between government, elected representatives and outside interests. To date the focus has been upon the role of commercial lobbyists who act on behalf of multiple clients. In Brussels the European Transparency Initiative (ETI) has renewed interest in the role of commercial, corporate and civil society lobby groups in EU decision-making. The ETI was launched in early 2006 by the Commission as part of a drive to respond to widespread concerns about the lack of accountability and transparency in EU governance. After more than a year of deliberation and consultation the Commission communication on lobbying in March 2007 recommended a voluntary register of lobbyists, which would include financial information regarding fees, turnover, and lobbying budgets. The Commission has indicated that if a voluntary system is seen not to work or have the confidence of stakeholders then a mandatory lobbying register will be imposed. More recently the Public Administration Select Committee at Westminster announced an inquiry into the transparency of the lobbying industry, the effectiveness of recent attempts at self-regulation, and whether the rules for those in Parliament and Government should be changed.