LOBBYING WITHOUT LOBBYING LAW IN RUSSIA

There is no official lobbying law in Russia. Lobbying does not specify, does not define anything in the context of Russian existing legislation. There is no legal framework to regulate the activities of individuals who push for desirable political decisions and lobby for favourable political changes. A bill outlining the process and rules has been hung up in the State Duma for several years.

In the field of government relations, Russian companies work either with the government directly or through various business organizations and associations such as the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

There are two ways that government relations take place. Company representatives (in-house lobbyists) try to convince the government to compromise on issues such as tariffs by holding meetings, round-tables, finding experts, publishing reports and appealing to the press. Another way for a company to get things done is to try to force the government to consider the business needs by using tactics such as helping organize strikes, leaking compromising information to the press or complaining to a superior official.

The level of professionalism in cooperation between the government and business is still growing. Government Relations specialists pave the way for lobbying and often lobby the government themselves. Increasingly lobbying in Russia is viewed as a mutually beneficial process of cooperation between government and business, but the number of firms engaged in lobbying is marginal for a country the size of Russia.

Russia's accession to the WTO in mid- 2012 is bound to increase the level of lobbying and  professional standards. Think about it:

After accession to the WTO, Russia will have a lower cost of accessing foreign markets, a more equitable trading mechanism based on WTO rules and multilateral dispute resolution processes, more foreign investment and advanced foreign technology and a legitimate rule in setting and enforcing international trading rules. However, according to the agreement, Russia must undertake a series of important commitments to open its markets and offer a more predictable environment for trade and investment. A level lobbying playing field marked by openness and transparency will be required.

Russia will need to provide non-discriminatory treatment to all WTO members, eliminate dual pricing practices as well as differences in treatment accorded to goods produced for sale in Russia in comparison to those produced for export, prevent price controls to be used for the purpose of protecting domestic industries or services, revise its existing domestic laws and enact new legislation fully in compliance with the WTO Agreements, eliminate all export subsidies on agricultural products, implement the Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement, eliminate trade barriers and expand market access to goods from foreign countries, and lower average tariff level.

All above tasks will trigger no doubt much lobbying activity and Government Relations specialists will certainly make their voice heard.