THE BERLIN PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY LANDSCAPE

Since 1972 the German Bundestag publishes a public List of Registered Associations (Öffentliche Liste der registrierten Verbände) along with their representatives. Registration is not manadory. The List provides the name and seat of the association, composition of the board of management and the board of directors, sphere of interests of the association, number of members, names of the association’s representatives, and address of its office at the seat of the Bundestag and of the Federal Government. Associations’ representatives can only be heard if they have entered themselves in the list. Passes admitting the representatives of associations to the Bundestag buildings are issued only if they provide the requested information. Entry in the list shall not entitle an association to obtain a hearing or a pass.

The Register’s main goal is to specifically identify interest group that supply information to the Bundestag and its committees. Hence, representatives of associations receive no special privileges such as an automatic right to be consulted at parliamentary hearings, nor do they  receive a special status for being entered in the registry.

The Bundestag is granted significant freedom. That is, unilaterally, it can deny an entry pass of a public policy advocate . In addition  the Bundestag and its committees have the right to invite experts and analysts outside of the registry to their meetings. Therefore, even if someone is not registered in the registry it does not prohibit him from establishing contact with Parliamentary Committees and Members.

As of 29 May 2013 there are 2,141 associations registered and the list also includes NGOs.

It is estimated that beween 5000 and 6000 persons work in the public policy advocacy field in Berlin. Over 100 German corporations have opened Berlin Representation offices.