THE RAPID SPREAD OF INTERNATIONAL LOBBYING LAWS AND STRATEGIES FOR COMPLYING WITH THEM
The regulation of lobbying activity has become a global phenomenon. While only four countries had lobbying laws by the early 2000s, there are now at least 34 countries, plus the European Union (EU), with lobbyist regulations, and that number continues to grow. These laws range from covering attempting to influence legislation to also covering procurement lobbying (including influencing the award of a government contract). Companies with an international presence are scrambling to keep up with registration requirements around the globe, while maintaining a uniform programme to deal with them.
Modern lobbying regulation took some of its first steps in 1876 when the US House of Representatives approved a resolution requiring lobbyists to register with the House Clerk. But regulation only really began in earnest when Congress enacted the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946. The Act required anyone with a ‘principal purpose’ of influencing the passage or rejection of legislation in Congress to register and file quarterly disclosure reports. Violations were punishable by a fine of up to $5000 or one-year imprisonment and a three-year ban on lobbying. Germany (1951), Australia (1983) and Canada (1989) followed in adopting their own lobbying laws.
Jan-Mar 2025 issue
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates