The Spanish government has enacted a royal decree-law creating a mandatory public register for lobbying groups, bypassing a stalled legislative process in Congress. The measure, approved on Tuesday during the first Council of Ministers meeting after the summer break, will take effect upon publication in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) and must be validated by Parliament within 30 days.
Under the new rules, all organisations seeking to influence public officials within the General Administration of the State must register in the newly established Register of Interest Groups. Registration will be free, public, and accessible via the Office of Conflicts of Interest (OCI) and the state transparency portal. Unregistered groups will be barred from engaging in lobbying activities with senior public officials.
Transparency and Oversight Framework
Government spokesperson Elma Saiz, Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, confirmed that the register will be managed and supervised by the Council of Transparency and Good Governance. The decree, promoted by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function, clearly defines what constitutes an interest group, outlines permissible influence activities, and identifies which public officials are subject to lobbying oversight.
This is the first time that relations between 'lobbies' and holders of public posts in the General Administration of the State are regulated to guarantee greater transparency, participation and prevention of conflicts of interest.
The framework also requires all new regulatory proposals to include a 'legislative footprint' detailing any lobbying input received during drafting, a move aimed at increasing accountability in policymaking.
Longstanding Reform Amid European Pressure
The decree follows years of stalled negotiations on a comprehensive lobbying law. A preliminary draft was adopted in November 2022 as part of Spain’s commitments under the EU Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, and to align with recommendations from the Council of Europe’s anti-corruption body (GRECO) and the OECD.
In 2020, both parliamentary chambers adopted a Code of Conduct requiring deputies and senators to disclose meetings with interest groups. However, the new register extends these obligations across the broader state administration, creating a centralised, enforceable system.
A 2025 GRECO report had reprimanded Spain for failing to fully comply with anti-corruption standards, particularly regarding asset declarations, revolving doors, and the independence of ethics bodies like the OCI and the Council of Transparency, both currently under the Ministry of Finance and Public Service.
Primary sources: digital.gob.es. Reported by democrata.es, Javier Arias Lomo, El País, infobae.com, russpain.com.
