AMERICAN, EUROPEAN LOBBYISTS FORMING INTERNATIONAL BODY

POLITICO INFLUENCE (PI) By DAVE LEVINTHAL & ANNA PALMER 04/20/12 2:27 PM EDT with Abby Phillip

EXCLUSIVE... AMERICAN, EUROPEAN LOBBYISTS FORMING INTERNATIONAL BODY. The American League of Lobbyists and three of its European counterparts- the Association of Accredited Lobbyists to the European Union, Italy's Public Affairs Association and the Croatian Society of Lobbyists- have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a non-profit, international lobbying industry organization they're aiming to formally launch by the year's end. Wright Andrews of the Andrews & Andrews firm has taken a leading role in bringing the groups together, and he tells PI that "the long-term vision is an organization that has a governing body that represents a good number of groups across the globe".

In the works between now and then: formulating an international code of lobbying ethics, creating lobbying training and educational programs and coordinating on how to promote lobbying as a profession, American League of Lobbyists President Howard Marlow said "We have a lot to offer other nations, and we obviously have a lot to learn from lobbyists in other countries, " Marlow said, adding that the coalition is only looking to include organizations in "mature" democracies.

The Public Affairs Community of Europe organization tells PI it will strongly consider joining the coalition and plans to discuss the matter at a meeting next month. "Lobbying in Europe is quite different from lobbying in the USA and could be useful learning from one another, " the group told POLITICO in a statement, adding that it'd like to see the coalition expand to include democracies in Africa and Asia, as well as Australia. Meanwhile, Maria Rosa Rotondo, president of Spanish lobbying industry organization Asociacion de Profesionales de las Relaciones Institucionales, tells PI she's "very glad to see a global interest on these topics" and expects a number of other European lobbying groups to become involved.

4/23/12

MORE DETAILS ON INTERNATIONAL LOBBYIST ORGANIZATION: As PI first reported Friday (http://politi.co/I4RTwq), the lobbying trade groups of several nations, including the American League of Lobbyists, are aiming to create an international lobbying organization by the year's end. While four have already signed a memorandum of understanding to move forward, others also appear interested. Australia's lobbying association appears on board. And Giuseppe Mazzei, president of Italian lobbying industry association Il Chiostro, tells PI that his organization is also interested. Several European groups will meet next month at a gathering of the Public Affairs Community of Europe to further consider the matter, which could result in an even braoder membership. American League of Lobbyists officials say hey'd like to form ally initiate a nonprofit international lobbying organization by the year's end.