Anti-Corruption Committee Mulls Lobbying Guidelines
The Anti-Corruption Select Committee of the Estonian Parliament began working out guidelines for lobbying, largely unregulated so far.
The chairman of the select committee, Ken-Marti Vaher, said the work on the guidelines has begun and there is currently no law that touches on the rules of good practice in lobbying. If a decision is made to create a registry of lobbyists, some amendments may be necessary, uudised.err.ee reported.
The committee insisted the aim is not to hinder lobbying but to make it as transparent and clear as possible.
The Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) at the Council of Europe has made suggestions to Estonia that focus on preventing corruption with MPs, judges and prosecutors.
GRECO proposed establishing rules on interaction between MPs and lobbyists and individuals who wish to influence legislation. The select committee surmised that this would include non-governmental organizations which also have their interests.
The committee also discussed adjusting the Anti-Corruption Act when it comes to accepting job-related benefits, leaving the issue unspecified as the law does not stipulate the procedures for MPs in this case. Vaher said another unresolved area are presents of value for MPs.