From July 1, 2025, Act No. 168/2025 Coll., on the regulation of lobbying, comes into effect, which will serve as the first comprehensive regulation introducing clear rules for influencing state decisions.
Before the new law came into effect, lobbying, i.e., direct influence on state power executors in legislative decision-making, took place without any framework of restrictions. The new lobbying law represents systematic regulation for activities aimed at directly influencing the preparation, discussion or approval of legal regulations, measures of a general nature, conceptual documents or in negotiations on international treaties. It thus introduces a basic principle: lobbying is conditional on registration and subject to transparent reporting obligations.
Registration and Lobbying Conditions
According to the law, a lobbyist is a person who lobbies (or influences) systematically and is registered in the lobbying register administered by the Ministry of Justice. The basic characteristic of this register is that it is a publicly accessible information system available on the Ministry of Justice website. The conditions for registration are full legal capacity and integrity, which is specifically regulated in the provisions of the law. The actual authorization to lobby arises on the day of registration in the register.
Definition of Lobbied Persons: Whose Actions is a Lobbyist Authorized to Influence Through Their Activities?
The law exclusively defines lobbied persons in 20 categories, which include all top politicians – from the president through deputies and senators to government members. Also heads of state offices, members of regulatory bodies and senior officials with decision-making powers.
Lobbying expressly does not apply to members of the intelligence service of the Czech Republic.
What is Not Lobbying
The law does not apply to standard forms of civic participation such as petitions, comments on laws, public consultations or communication through media. Exceptions also apply to the activities of civil servants, territorial self-governments, political parties and to areas of classified information or critical infrastructure.
What Could a Lobbyist Look Like in Practice?
Both natural and legal persons can become lobbyists – from professional lobbying agencies through law firms to corporate employees tasked with communicating with the state (so-called "in-house lobbyists"). Lobbyists will also include chambers of commerce, professional associations, interest groups or even non-profit organizations promoting public interest. A company can hire an external lobbying agency, which then has the status of a lobbyist, while the company itself acts as a client. It doesn't matter whether the lobbyist acts for remuneration or free of charge – everyone who influences the lobbied systematically, i.e., repeatedly and systematically, must register.
Obligations and Sanctions Arising from the Law
According to the law, lobbyists have several key obligations. In every contact with a lobbied person, they must identify themselves as lobbyists and state in whose interest they are acting, which they must also confirm in writing upon request. They must also submit semi-annual regular "lobbyist statements" to the register, in which they record all their actions including information about who, when and on what topics they negotiated with.
For violating these obligations, the law establishes graduated sanctions. The strictest punishment – a fine of up to one million crowns or up to three percent of asset value for legal entities – threatens for lobbying without registration or for repeated or intentional violation of declaration obligations.
What Does This Mean for the Average Person?
For the first time, you will be able to find out online who lobbies, for which companies, which lobbied persons they meet with and what topics they discuss. The register offers searches by names, offices or specific laws. Data about lobbyists and lobbied persons are kept for eight years for long-term control.
All current lobbyists must register within 30 days of July 1, 2025, otherwise they face high fines.
Implementation of the Lobbying Law
The new legal regulation represents a fundamental step toward transparency in public administration and gives citizens and media concrete tools for controlling influences affecting the creation of legal regulations. The Ministry of Justice has also prepared methodological guidelines for practical application of the law.
The article is authored by PRK Partners Partner Jakub Lichnovský and Associate Jaroslav Mach.