Ukraine’s first public list of lobbyists: who promotes interests and why
8 October 15:59
As of September 30, 73 entities have already been registered in the Transparency Register, which was launched simultaneously with the entry into force of the Law on Lobbying, [Komersant] reports.
These are 39 legal entities (on behalf of which 113 people act) and 34 individuals. One person has already terminated his lobbyist status. In total, there are 147 lobbyists officially operating in the country who can influence government decision-making.
Who is in the Register
Legal entities are the most represented:
- LLCS – 16,
- associations – 8
- joint stock companies – 5,
- lawyers’ associations – 3,
- unions of citizens’ associations – 3,
- public unions – 2,
- other forms – 2.
Thus, lobbyists can be both business entities and professional associations or NGOs.
Which areas are most attractive for lobbyists
The NACP has identified several areas where lobbying entities are most active:
- economic, regulatory, financial and tax policy – 54 entities
- law enforcement – 53;
- innovations and digital transformation – 49;
- transportation, communications and infrastructure – 47;
- environmental, agricultural and land policy – 45.
Youth and sports are the least interesting, with only 26 registered organizations.
Why it is important
The launch of the Transparency Register and the lobbying institute is part of the process of de-oligarchization and increased transparency of decision-making. For the first time, businesses and organizations have a legal mechanism to influence public policy openly, without shadow schemes.
In the future, the system should allow society to see who is promoting certain initiatives and what interests are behind them.
What’s next
The Law on Lobbying came into force on September 1, 2025. In the future, the NACP plans to publish regular reports so that the public can monitor the dynamics and practice of the new institution.
Experts expect that the number of registered lobbyists may double by the end of the year, as a significant number of businesses are still in the process of preparing documents.
It is worth reminding that the idea of introducing official lobbying in Ukraine has been discussed since the early 2000s, but real steps began only after 2019. The EU has repeatedly emphasized that the creation of transparent lobbying rules is one of the conditions for integration and the fight against corruption. In most EU countries, such registries have been in place for years and allow journalists and civil society organizations to monitor which corporations or groups influence politics.
