Mandatory register for groups that lobby the Spanish government

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would require interest groups (those seeking to influence public decisions) to register in a public, free, electronic registry managed by the Office of Conflicts of Interest. Without registering, they could not hold meetings or contacts with public officials to exert influence.
2. It defines what an interest group is and what counts as lobbying: any direct or indirect communication with public officials to take part in decisions, policies or draft rules. Political parties, unions and business organizations exercising their constitutional functions are excluded, among others.
3. Registered groups would have to follow a code of conduct: identify themselves and their goals, provide truthful information, offer no gifts or favors, and avoid illegal or abusive pressure.
4. Every rule-making process would include a regulatory footprint report recording contributions from interest groups, which public officials met them, and when and about what. It would be published on the transparency portal.
5. Sanctions would apply: very serious offenses (such as influencing through deception or gifts, or registering with false data) would lead to removal from the registry and a ban on reapplying for up to two years; serious offenses to a three to six month suspension; and minor ones to a warning.
6. The Office of Conflicts of Interest would be reorganized: it would gain functional autonomy, new oversight duties over interest groups, and its head would be appointed by the Council of Ministers after appearing before the Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados), for a six-year term.

Who it affects

• Interest groups (companies, platforms, associations and firms that influence Spanish state decisions): They would have to register, provide financial and activity information, follow a code of conduct, and face sanctions for violations.
• Senior officials, management staff and other state employees involved in decisions: They could only meet registered groups and would have to verify registration before each contact.
• The public: People could check a public registry to see who influences public decisions and how.
• Office of Conflicts of Interest (Oficina de Conflictos de Intereses): It would run the registry, oversee the groups and handle sanction procedures.

Words worth knowing

Grupo de interés (interest group)

A person, company or collective that tries to influence public decisions, for itself or for others.

Actividad de influencia (lobbying activity)

Any contact with public officials aimed at changing a decision, policy or rule.

Oficina de Conflictos de Intereses (Office of Conflicts of Interest)

The state body that watches over public integrity and would manage the new registry.

Huella normativa (regulatory footprint)

A report recording what contributions interest groups made when a rule was being drafted.

Alto cargo (senior official)

A person holding a management or trusted position in the administration, under Law 3/2015.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries