APA at the 14th Annual PACE Conference in Bucharest 

On 23 May 2024, the 14th Annual Conference of the Public Affairs Community of Europe (PACE) was held in Bucharest under the auspices of The Romanian Lobbying Registry Association (RLRA) and with the participation of 15 member associations. The Association of Public Affairs (APA) was represented by its President Václav Nekvapil.

Among the main topics of this year’s conference held in the building of the Romanian Parliament were examples of established lobbying regulation, including recent efforts in many member states to regulate lobbying. APA President Václav Nekvapil gave a speech during a panel discussion on the benefits and difficulties of the planned Czech law on lobbying regulation. Participants also debated the role of transparency in the legislative process, good governance, and the OECD’s recommendations on lobbying regulation. Other contributions also addressed the current topic of the use and impact of artificial intelligence on public affairs. In addition to the opening speech by the Speaker of the Romanian Senate Nicolae Ionel Ciucă, Joao Sousa from the European Public Affairs Council and Doru Peter Frantescu from EUmatrix also spoke. 

PACE connects national platforms and public affairs associations from different European countries. Its goal is to promote transparency, provide support, share information, and bring together professionals who operate at a national or European level.