The European Lobbying Registrars Network met in Helsinki
On 4 June 2026, members of the European Lobbying Registrars Network (ELRN) met in Helsinki at the invitation of the National Audit Office of Finland to facilitate exchanges among regulators and share the challenges encountered in regulating lobbying.
Sari Multala, Finland’s Minister of Climate and the Environment, opened the conference by emphasizing the importance of regulating lobbying for citizens’ trust in public officials and institutions.
Professor Raj Chari presented his comparative analysis of lobbying and discussed new indirect digital channels of influence, such as astroturfing.
The annual conference of the European Lobbying Registars Network provided an opportunity for the High Authority to present the regulatory framework for foreign influence in France and the implementation of the foreign influence registry since 1st October 2025, as required by the law of 25 July 2024.
Representatives from the EU Transparency Register detailed recent developments in the European Transparency Register, which have led to an increase in the number of registrations, as well as the new monitoring tools and technical improvements implemented during 2025. Ireland’ Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) outlined the main challenges facing lobbying regulatory authorities, as well as the major risks currently threatening transparency mechanisms. Croatia reflected on the first two years of its lobbying regulatory framework, which entered into force on 1st October 2024.
Network members also discussed the network’s future and the prospects for expanding to include new members.
