Czech Senate Approves Lobbying Regulation Bill

On 21 May 2025, the Czech Senate approved the Lobbying Regulation Bill in the version adopted by the Chamber of Deputies on 16 April 2025. The bill was supported by 53 out of 73 senators present. The Senate Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, at its meeting on 20 May, did not adopt any amendments or a formal recommendation.

The bill will now be submitted to President Petr Pavel for consideration. If signed, it will enter into force on 1 July 2025. During the Senate debate, Minister of Justice Pavel Blažek (ODS) emphasized that the adoption of the legislation is a condition tied to the National Recovery Plan—failure to comply could cost the Czech Republic more than CZK 3 billion in EU funding.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the new law is intended to set clear rules for lobbying and define it as a transparent and legitimate part of the legislative and decision-making process.

In earlier discussions, Members of Parliament approved several amendments after extensive debate. Under the final version, parliamentary assistants, members of advisory bodies (except for members of the Government Legislative Council), and municipal representatives lobbying on behalf of their city or municipality are exempt from regulation.

Lobbyists will be required to declare their lobbying activities based on their objectives, rather than listing individual contacts. They will not be required to disclose the form of contact (in-person, written, telephone), the exact date, or detailed content of the communication. Similarly, the obligation will not apply to interministerial comments submitted via the eKLEP electronic library system.

The Public Affairs Association (APA) previously issued comments on the initial draft of the bill submitted by the Ministry of Justice.