Lobbying in Bulgaria remains largely unregulated and much of it happens behind closed doors and beyond public scrutiny. As a result, there is no commonly shared understanding among the expert community and the public as to what lobbying is and what its legitimate and acceptable forms are. “Lobbying” has thus become a term used to explain any practice or phenomenon that remains non-transparent, non-public, “behind the scenes” in the political-institutional process in Bulgaria.

1. Representation: Promoting and defending the interests of Public Policy Advocates in front of the European institutions and serving as the interface.
2. Networking: Providing a network within which Accredited Public Policy Advocates can come together to discuss common interests and explore solutions to common challenges.

This week, the White House is convening a three-day summit on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) to bring together local, federal, and international leaders – including President Obama and foreign ministers – to discuss concrete steps the United States and its partners can take to develop community-oriented approaches to counter  hateful extremist ideologies that radicalize, recruit or incite to violence.  Violent extremist threats can come from a range of groups and individuals, including domestic terrorists and homegrown violent extremists in the United States, as well as terrorist groups

Germany, the country's largest creditor has rejected a Greek request for a six-month extension to its eurozone loan programme. saying its offer doesn’t meet the euro region’s conditions for continuing aid. Greece had sought a new six-month assistance package, rather than a renewal of the existing deal that comes with tough austerity conditions.

Lobbying is arguably one of the most controversial activities in modern democracies. Lobbyists provide governments with valuable policy-related information and expertise but if the activity is not transparent, public interest may be put at risk in favour of specific interests. .

Political advocacy is the range of tools that enable a company, a business association or an NGO to participate in the EU policy-making of the Institutions.

EU community decision-making is a complex system involving the national capitals, the European Commission and the European Parliament. Of course public opinion and the media also play a role in the system, owing to the NGOs and citizens or consumer associations.

Political advocacy is about

1. 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.

This template provides a framework for establishing a collaborative, mutually beneficial relationship and consultation process with the Association of Accredited Public Policy Advocates to the European Union (AALEP).

Key Provisions of the Cooperation Protocol

The situation in East Ukraine remains tense also after Minsk II.