To the public s eye lobbying is still a highly obscure trade. Lobbyists are generally
perceived to work behind closed doors in order to influence legislation what really happens is
unknown to the public. To make interest representatives more visible both the European Union
and the United States have developed mechanisms to register lobbyists. However while US
legislation now forces lobbyists to register and report their influential work by fixed
deadlines the EU s registration remains voluntary due to the lack of a legal basis. This book
takes the reader closer to today s concept of lobbying especially in regard to the EU s
registration mechanism. Lisa Moessing compares both the US and the EU registration systems by
their technical composition accessibility and handling and contrasts their efficiency and
effectiveness. Providing a forum for 17 lobbyists watch dog members and political
representatives to discuss lobbying registration this book defines starting points for
improvement and emphasizes the importance of listening to those who deal with the registers in
everyday practice.
