Lobbying in Cyprus
Lobbying in cyprus
What is Lobbying?
Lobbying is based on inclusion and the right to be heard. It requires a process of organizing citizens into groups so that their voices may be heard by decision-makers. By nature, it is a part of healthy legislative processes of a democratic system. The objective of lobbying is to influence the decisions of people in power, either in the public or the private sectors, for the betterment of a community and society.
It is an essential tool, when exercised with transparency and high ethical standards, which can aid decision-makers in making faster and more informed choices for the populace. In Europe, lobbying and public affairs have played a large role in decision-making and legislative processes, bringing people’s concerns and ideas to the surface on a variety of matters.
Why We Lobby
The state of public affairs in Cyprus must include transparency and high ethical standards; attributes upon which LPAP was founded on. We want to demonstrate to the Cypriot government and legislation that their inclusion in lobbying is a necessity, and that good lobbying has a positive impact on public policy and decision-making.
We will monitor legislative and regulatory processes as well as bring stakeholders together to influence decision-makers through evidence based analysis.
Lobbying in Cyprus
On February 17, 2022, the House of Representatives passed the “Transparency in Decision-Making Processes and Related Matters Law of 2022 (Law 20(I)/2022),” (“Lobbying Law”), aiming to establish a framework for transparency concerning involvement in decision-making processes regarding matters related to executive or legislative authority, in order to prevent the creation of conditions that allow or facilitate the occurrence of corrupt acts.
According to the legislation, those wishing to participate in decision-making processes are required to register in a relevant lobbyist registry. After their scheduled meeting with any government official, they must submit a report to the Independent Authority against Corruption. Additionally, government officials are obliged to submit a communication form to the competent authority regarding any scheduled meeting with a representative of an interest group.
On April 6, 2023, the House of Representatives passed the “Regulations on Transparency in Decision-Making Processes and Related Matters of 2023 (S.I. 118/2023),” which aimed to explain the Lobbyists’ Registry and the processes for collecting, processing, using, disclosing, accessing, maintaining, and deleting personal information and data for the purposes of implementing the legislation regulating lobbying in Cyprus.
On November 27, 2023 -although the legislation should have been fully implemented since January 1, 2023- the Independent Authority against Corruption began accepting applications for registration in the Lobbyists’ Registry. More recently, according to an announcement issued on February 7, 2024, it decided to fully enforce all provisions of the law on March 1, 2024, when all obligations of both officials and lobbyists will be simultaneously enforced.
In addition, the Independent Authority against Corruption has released a comprehensive guide to the application of the Lobbying Law, which aims to enhance transparency and curb corruption within Cyprus, in addition to providing clear and practical instructions for both lobbyists and public officials.
The guide provides accessible information on how to navigate the Lobbying law for both legal professionals and people without legal training, ensuring that all stakeholders can easily understand their rights and obligations.
For more information about the registration process on the Lobbyists‘ Registry click here.
For more information about the Independent Authority against Corruption practical guide click here.
Code of Conduct for Public Affairs Professionals
The Cyprus Association of Public Affairs Consultants-Lobbying, following the example of the associations of EU countries, has prepared a code of conduct for its members aiming to contribute to the upgrade of the public affairs profession, but mainly to contribute to transparency and the reduction of corruption in Cyprus. This Code is based on the principles of the Code of Conduct of the Public Affairs Community of Europe (P.A.C.E) and the Code of the European Transparency Register.
See the full code of conduct here.