Obligation to provide information expanded
Bundestag tightens the lobby register
October 19, 2023, 11:57 p.m
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Interest representatives who want to influence political decisions in the Bundestag must register in the lobby register. The traffic light has now expanded the scope of mandatory information. In addition, anyone in politics who changes sides must report more transparently about their previous work.
The Bundestag has sharpened the lobby register and expanded the information obligations of interest representatives. In the future, for example, they will have to indicate which specific legislative proposal they want to influence. They should also upload the key points of their demands to the lobby register. The previous option to refuse to provide information on financing will be deleted. Lobbyists now also have to state if they do not represent the interests of their actual client, but rather those of a third party. Furthermore, elected officials and office holders who switch to the lobbyist camp must disclose current and previous positions and mandates. The changes now have to be confirmed by the Federal Council.
Legislative procedures must be comprehensible, said Johannes Fechner from the SPD. Every year, 800 million euros are spent on lobbying in Germany. “This shows how strong and intense the efforts are to influence us here. Representing interests doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing.” But it must be transparent.
For the Union, Patrick Schnieder denied that the law would achieve this. “This law is completely screwed up. It leads to more lack of transparency and more bureaucracy,” said the CDU MP. He criticized the fact that donations of more than 10,000 euros, which do not make up more than ten percent of the total donations, would no longer have to be published in the future. This means that “left-green frontline organizations” such as Greenpeace, BUND or Deutsche Umwelthilfe no longer have to disclose how they are financed.
The digital association Bitkom criticized that it was overshooting the mark. “The new documentation requirements are not practical and, as a consequence, have a disproportionately high administrative burden.” In addition, there are double standards. Companies would be subject to much stricter obligations than employers’ associations or unions.
The lobby register has been kept on the German Bundestag website since the beginning of 2022. It is intended to make visible who influences political decisions and legislation. Professional stakeholders must register there. They must provide information, for example, about their clients and subject areas as well as the human and financial costs of their lobbying activities in the Bundestag and the Federal Government. Lobbyists are obliged to adhere to a specified code of conduct. Violations can result in a fine of up to 50,000 euros.