Register for lobby groups to be created

Lobby groups can register with the anti-corruption authority as of Monday, November 27, an announcement said on Tuesday.

The goal is to update the list of groups active in Cyprus in line with legislation passed last year.

The authority said the law on lobbying will see “revolutionary and radical changes to the way meetings are held between people and officials with the goal of making decisions.”

The law seeks to create more transparency in the decision-making process, to avoid conditions that lend themselves to corruption.

Also, the authority added that under the law obligations are imposed on lobbyists intending to get involved in the decision-making processes of the state, officials or the public sector.

“Given that the law contains some provisions which can be considered as complicated and for which information may need to be given to all competent bodies, the authority decided to implement the provisions of the law, gradually,” the authority said.

The first stage begins on November 27 with the registration of lobby groups. The authority said that if a group is approved then they will be added to the roster of lobby groups.

The groups will then be called to sign a code of conduct, by which they must abide.

At present the procedures will be for the purpose of creating the registry and the obligations of lobbyists will not come into force, since these are intertwined with the obligations of officials.

The provisions of the law will come into force at the beginning of the year 2024, when all the obligations of both officials and lobbyists will be created and streamlined.