Spanish Civil Society Calls on Parliament to Address a Democratic Gap: Regulating Lobbying

15 SEPTEMBER, INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY

Spanish Civil Society Calls on Parliament to Address a Democratic Gap: Regulating Lobbying

The signatory organisations are calling for the validation of the Royal Decree-Law to regulate interest groups and its subsequent processing as a Bill to improve the text, incorporate new contributions and strengthen parliamentary consensus
The text incorporates numerous amendments proposed by the different parliamentary groups

Madrid, 15 September 2026. Coinciding with the celebration of the International Day of Democracy, 13 signatory organisations call on the parliamentary groups of the Spanish Congress of Deputies to support this Wednesday 16, the validation of the Royal Decree-Law on transparency and integrity of the activities of interest groups, known as the Royal Decree-Law on Lobbies, and agree, at the same time, to its subsequent processing as a Bill.

Democracy is not just about voting: it also requires an understanding of how public decisions are made and who takes part in and influences them. On International Day of Democracy, Spain has the opportunity to address a long-standing issue and, at last, establish rules that make this dialogue more transparent, ethical and accountable.

This regulation represents a long-awaited step forward in strengthening transparency, institutional integrity and democratic quality in Spain. This does not prevent civil society from acknowledging that both the procedure followed for its adoption and certain aspects of its content could be improved. It is precisely for this reason that we believe the most appropriate course of action is to ratify the legislation in order to safeguard the achievements it represents, and subsequently to reopen the parliamentary process to refine it and broaden the consensus.

Regulation of interest groups is an essential component of any advanced democracy. Its purpose is not to limit the participation of businesses, associations, social and professional organisations, academic institutions or the public in the formulation of public policy, but rather to ensure that this dialogue between private interests, civil society and public institutions takes place in accordance with clear rules, transparency, integrity, accountability and legal certainty.

The regulation closes a structural loophole in our public integrity system: until now, Spain has been one of the few Member States of the European Union without a compulsory register of interest groups at national level, a shortcoming repeatedly highlighted by GRECO, the Council of Europe anti-corruption body, in its Fourth and Fifth Evaluation Rounds and by the European Commission’s successive Reports on the Rule of Law.

Validating does not mean assuming the text as definitive

In light of the criticism raised in recent days, we, the undersigned organisations, consider it necessary to distinguish between reservations regarding the legal instrument used and the need for regulation.

The use of a Royal Decree-Law may give rise to legitimate objections. However, its ratification and subsequent processing as a Draft Bill makes it possible to overcome precisely these reservations, opening the text up to parliamentary debate, amendments and contributions from businesses, associations, professionals, civil society organisations and the academic community, including any technical improvements that may be necessary.

Furthermore, many of the measures included in the Royal Decree-Law reflect the amendments presented by parliamentary groups in Congress regarding the Draft Bill currently under consideration, as well as the standards and mechanisms already in place in the regulations governing lobbying in the European Union, other neighbouring countries and various Spanish autonomous communities. It is not, therefore, a question of establishing an exceptional model, but rather of moving towards a framework comparable to that of other administrations and advanced democracies.

Therefore, discrepancies on the procedure used or on certain contents of the regulation should not lead to its rejection.

Transparency obligations should not be confused with unnecessary red tape. Registers and obligations to provide information are standard tools in the transparency systems of neighbouring countries and, in any case, their implementation can be improved and simplified during the parliamentary process. The proportionality of these obligations and burdens is precisely one of the issues that the parliamentary process allows us to assess.

Voting against this regulation would mean maintaining a framework that encourages a lack of transparency, hinders accountability and fails to address risks such as revolving doors and a lack of transparency in public decision-making.

An opportunity to preserve progress and improve the standard

Following years of debate, proposals and parliamentary work, there is now a way to reconcile both objectives: to preserve the legislative progress made whilst, at the same time, refining the text through its passage as a Bill.

Spain thus has the opportunity to move towards a more open, transparent and participatory governance framework, in line with European and international standards of transparency, integrity and good governance.

After years of recommendations, demands from civil society and previous work, it would be difficult to justify Spain once again being left without a regulation of interest groups when there is a formula that allows it to be preserved and, at the same time, improved.

For all these reasons, the signatory organisations reiterate our call to the parliamentary groups in the Spanish Congress of Deputies to support the validation of the Royal Decree-Law and its subsequent processing as a Bill. At the same time, we, the signatory organisations, offer to provide technical analysis and comparative evidence during the legislative process.

Signatory organisations

Access Info Europe
www.access-info.org

Asociación de Profesionales de las Relaciones Institucionales (APRI)
www.relacionesinstitucionales.es

Asociación Más Democracia, Mejor Política (+Democracia)
www.mas-democracia.org

España Mejor
https://esmejor.eu

Federación de Consumidores y Usuarios CECU
www.cecu.es

Fundación Ciudadana Civio
www.civio.es

Fundación Hay Derecho
www.hayderecho.com

Gobierno Transparente
https://gobiernotransparente.com/

Political Watch
www.politicalwatch.es

Public Affairs Community of Europe (PACE)
https://www.paceurope.eu

Red Académica de Gobierno Abierto (RAGA)
https://ragaesp.org/