Lobbying in the 21st Century
Transparency, Integrity and Access
Lobbying, as a way to influence and inform governments, has been part of democracy for at least two centuries, and remains a legitimate tool for influencing public policies. However, it carries risks of undue influence. Lobbying in the 21st century has also become increasingly complex, including new tools for influencing government, such as social media, and a wide range of actors, such as NGOs, think tanks and foreign governments. This report takes stock of the progress that countries have made in implementing the OECD Principles for Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying. It reflects on new challenges and risks related to the many ways special interest groups attempt to influence public policies, and reviews tools adopted by governments to effectively safeguard impartiality and fairness in the public decision-making process.
Integrity
This chapter assesses the level of implementation in countries of the integrity principles of the Recommendation on Principles for Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying. It highlights the current challenges faced by governments to ensure that public officials interact with lobbyists with impartiality and in the public interest. The findings show that public officials need an integrity framework adapted to the specific risks of lobbying and other influence activities. The chapter also examines how lobbyists and companies have complied with their obligation to influence the public decision-making process with integrity and identifies the need for a more comprehensive, clearer integrity framework to guide their interactions with public officials.
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