30th January 2026
Discussion on lobbying transparency in corruption prevention
On the 30th of January 2026, a national meeting under the EU network against corruption took place in Germany at the premises of the European Commission Representation in Berlin.
As part of the EU network against corruption, the Commission hosts national meetings to allow EU Member States’ anti-corruption stakeholders to engage in dialogue and raise awareness on anti-corruption issues. The EU network against corruption, set up as part of the EU anti-corruption adopted on 3 May 2023, brings together national authorities, practitioners, civil society, international organisations, EU agencies and relevant services of the European Commission.
This meeting focused on lobbying transparency in corruption prevention, including recent developments and challenges in the context of digitalisation of the legislative process.
The meeting started with a brief introduction by the Commission Representation in Germany. This was followed by a representative of the European Commission introducing the German Country Chapter of the Rule of Law Report 2025 and key recommendations.
Some challenges, such as legal and constitutional barriers, fragmentation between institutional actors, and data-related obstacles to transparency, were discussed. These challenges related to lobbying transparency and the legislative footprint in Germany.
After the discussion on challenges, the participants brainstormed possible solutions. These included establishing a comprehensive and interoperable data foundation. The further developing of e-legislation as an integrated digital workflow and strengthening the link between the lobbying register and the legislative process were also discussed. The national meeting facilitated collaborative, informal discussions to inspire further follow-up.