ASSESSING THE LOBBYING ENVIRONMENT
Submitted by christian on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 11:32
- Constitution: What is the basic source of law? What is the scope of, and limitations on government power relevant to the regulation of lobbying and government relations.
- Legislative system: Legislative system as it relates to lobbying
- National subdivisions: Extent to which legislative or rule-making authority relevant to lobbying practice also exists at regional, provincial or municipal level.
- Consultation process: Does the legislative process at national or subnational level include a formal consultation process? What opportunities or access points are typically available to influence legislation?
- Judiciary: Is the judiciary deemed independent and coequal? Are judges are elected or appointed? If judges are elected, are campaigns financed through public appropriation or candidate fundraising.
- General: Is lobbying self-regulated by industry, or is it regulated by the government, legislature or an independent regulator? What are the regulator’s powers.
- Definition: Is there a definition or other guidance as to what constitutes lobbying?
- Registration and other disclosure: Is there voluntary or mandatory registration of lobbyists? How else is lobbying disclosed?
- Activities subject to disclosure or registration: What communications must be disclosed or registered?
- Entities and persons subject to lobbying rules: Which entities and persons are caught by the disclosure rules?
- Lobbyist details: What information must be registered or otherwise disclosed regarding lobbyists and the entities and persons they act for? Who has the responsibility for registering the information?
- Content of reports: When must reports on lobbying activities be submitted, and what they must include?
- Financing of the registration regime: How is the registration system funded?
- Public access to lobbying registers and reports: Is access to registry information and reports available to the public?
- Code of conduct: Is there a code of conduct that applies to lobbyists and their practice?
- Media: Are there restrictions in broadcast and press regulation that limit commercial interests’ ability to use the media to influence public policy outcomes?
- General: How are political parties and politicians funded?
- Registration of interests: Must parties and politicians register or otherwise declare their interests? What interests, other than travel, hospitality and gifts must be declared?
- Contributions to political parties and officials: Are political contributions or other disbursements to parties and political officials limited or regulated? How?
- Source of funding for political campaigns: How are political campaigns for legislative positions and executive offices financed?
- Lobbyist participation in fundraising and electioneering: Does registration as a lobbyist trigger any special restrictions or disclosure requirements with respect to candidate fundraising.
- Independent expenditure and coordination: How is parallel political campaigning independent of a candidate or party regulated?
- Gifts, travel and hospitality: Any prohibitions, limitations or disclosure requirements on gifts, travel or hospitality that legislative or executive officials may accept from the public?
- Anti-bribery Laws: What anti-bribery laws apply that restrict payments or otherwise control the activities of lobbyists or holders of government contracts?
- Revolving door: Are there any controls on public officials entering the private sector after service or becoming lobbyists, or on private-sector professionals being seconded to public bodies?
- Prohibitions on lobbying: Is it possible to be barred from lobbying or engaging lobbying services? How?
- Cases: Has there been any recent high-profile judicial or administrative decisions dealing with the intersection of government relations, lobbying registration and political finance?
- Remedies and sanctions: In case of non-compliance or failure to register or report, what remedies or sanctions have been imposed?
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