DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN LOBBYING, INFLUENCE PEDDLING, PLEADING, PETITIONING AND EXPRESSION OF OPINION
Submitted by christian on Thu, 02/19/2015 - 14:38
- Lobbying: An attempt to influence the lobbied person or the agency to which he or she belongs regarding the formulation, enactment, modification, or annulment of laws, policies, or legislation, either orally or in written form, directly to the lobbied party or its designee.
- Influence Peddling: Involvement in an agency’s business decision-making or concrete implementation, arousing suspicions about improperly influencing specific rights and obligations. Influence peddling is the illegal practice of using one's influence in government or connections with persons in authority to obtain favours or preferential treatment for another, usually in return for payment. Also called traffic of influence or trading in influence. In fact, influence peddling is not necessarily illegal as OECD has often used the term "undue influence peddling" to refer to illegal acts of lobbying. However, influence peddling bears the stench of corruption that may de-legitimize democratic politics with the general public.
- Pleading: Pleading with the relevant authority in regard to suggestions for reform, enquiries about administrative laws, reports about administrative malfeasance, or protection of administrative interests e.g. pleading against EU regulations.
- Petitioning: Petitions regarding national policy and the public interest, presented to the appropriate elected representative bodies or the agencies in charge e.g. Any citizen of the European Union, or resident in a Member State, may, individually or in association with others, submit a petition to the European Parliament on a subject which comes within the European Union's fields of activity and which affects them directly. Any company, organisation or association with its headquarters in the European Union may also exercise this right of petition, which is guaranteed by the Treaty. A petition may take the form of a complaint or a request and may relate to issues of public or private interest. The petition may present an individual request, a complaint or observation concerning the application of EU law or an appeal to the European Parliament to adopt a position on a specific matter.
- Expression of Opinion: Based on the need for investigation of the truth and for evidence, administrative agencies may notify relevant persons in writing to express opinions
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