Open Government Partnership Global Summit

Love it or hate it, lobbying happens – civil society also does it and many government officials are a target. We are concerned about it because we know that lobbying impacts on decision-making in key areas of democratic life – take public health, energy, extractive industries, food security, and environment for a start! So what should we do about it? How should OGP countries regulate lobbying? What are the limits? What about questions of privacy and protection of commercial interests? How do we make decision making transparent and participatory without opening it up to wild lobbying pressures?
This panel includes the formal launch of the International Lobby Regulation Standards, which provide government and civil society alike with a framework for ensuring that the activities of lobbyists are both properly regulated and made full transparent. The International Lobby Regulation Standards have been drawn up following review of legislation worldwide and consultation with civil society, government and lobbyists themselves. As well as giving guidance to governments, the standards can also be used by civil society for benchmarking existing or draft laws and practices. Come and join the debate on lobby regulation! The session will provide a space to discuss practical steps that government and civil society can jointly take to advance transparency and integrity of lobbying activities