Lobbyists remained at work during the Covid crisis and the war in Ukraine. After the Uber files case involving Emmanuel Macron, according to the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life, the declared actions of interest representatives increased slightly in 2021, compared to the previous year. A finding that comes after Brussels expressed concern about compliance with the rules on lobbying in France.
The HATVP, an independent authority chaired by Didier Migaud, has managed since the Sapin II law of 2016 a public register of interest representatives, where registration is compulsory to meet ministers and their cabinet, parliamentarians and their collaborators, certain senior civil servants and, since July 1, local public officials, under penalty of criminal sanction.
Bercy and the Ministry of the Environment are the most concerned
The aim is to inform citizens about the relationship between lobbies and public officials when decisions are taken.
Nearly 2,500 interest representatives are registered in this directory, an increase of 6% compared to 2020. Similarly, declared lobbying activities increased by 3% compared to the previous year. .
Among the type of organizations reporting lobbying activities in 2021 are corporations (30%), professional organizations (24.5%) and associations and NGOs (19.5%).
The Economy and the Environment remain the ministerial departments most concerned with lobbying.
In addition, the organization of informal discussions or face-to-face meetings are preferred and represent a quarter of lobbying actions.
The High Authority pleads in particular to broaden the information to be declared and to move to a half-yearly declaration rate.