Author : C. Bradley Thomson (C. Bradley Thompson is a Research Professor at Clemson University and the Executive Director of the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism. He has also been a visiting fellow at Princeton and Harvard universities and at the University of London).

In general, the activities of a lobbyist are understood to influence different levels of government (local, national, regional or transnational) or different branches of government. When talking about lobbying, the common perspective is often rather negative and reluctant to the activity itself. The public tend to have the idea that lobbying is used primarily for the private sector’s interest. Also, bribery and corruption are sometimes an issue.

Extrait du Discours de SM le Roi Mohammed VI (20 Août 2016)

Text has been edited. Posted in memory of my dear friend and brother Dr. Khalid Abdelrahim (descendant d'une des grande famille de Jaffa, exportateur d’oranges, dont le père introduisit la marque d’automobiles Cadillac en Palestine, et fit construire la 'Alrahim House' aujourd'hui résidence de l'Ambassadeur de France à Jaffa). 

Lobbying involves the advocacy of an interest that is affected, actually or potentially, by the decisions of government leaders. Individuals and interest groups alike can lobby governments, and governments can even lobby each other.

1. American University, School of International Service, Washington DC, USA   http://www.american.edu/sis/programs
2. Boston University, Department of International Relations Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Boston, USA, http://www.bu.edu/ir
3. Carleton University, The Norman Paterson School of International Affairs , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, http://www1.carleton.ca/npsia

On the UK side

• Oliver Letwin: Head of Brexit Unit and Chief Negotiator with the EU
• Senior civil servants from the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Foreign Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
• Olly Robbins, Whitehall Brexit Unit. The unit will seek out the expertise it needs in legal affairs and trade negotiations. Over 300 people to be recruited.

On the EU side

Council

Britain has one of the biggest national delegations and its members are represented in a range of political groupings in Parliament.

The UK will retain full EU membership rights for two years while the terms of its departure are negotiated. As long as the UK is a member of the EU it will be entitled to 73 seats in the European Parliament of 751. Currently, six British MEPs serve as Chairs or Vice-Chairs on European parliament committees (Development; Internal Market and Consumer Protection; and Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

1. Austria: Donations from foreign natural or legal persons must not exceed € 2,500
2. Belgium: Donations from foreign persons or bodies are not prohibited and are not subject to any specific regulations

The ban on political contributions and expenditures by foreign nationals was first enacted in 1966 as part of the amendments to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), an "internal security" statute. The goal of the FARA was to minimize foreign intervention in U.S.

The term "special interest" is one of those terms that makes politics what it is: no one can say exactly what the "special interest" label means, but everyone knows that it doesn't apply to them. "Special interest groups" are made responsible for rising taxes, delays in decision-making, the corruption of politicians, and the antagonistic tone of politics.