The Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association publishes official clarification on the difference between lobbying and advocacy

In modern democracies, the public is increasingly trying to influence the processes of public administration. This is manifested in the desire to shape the agenda, control decision-making, and seek to protect their own interests.

The most common instruments of such influence are lobbying and advocacy, activities that, despite having a common ultimate goal, are based on different approaches, mechanisms, and legal principles.

The essence of lobbying

Lobbying is a systematic activity aimed at influencing government agencies and officials to make, change or cancel specific decisions, regulations or policies.

The peculiarity of lobbying is that it is usually carried out in a formalized and professional manner. A lobbyist may represent business, industry associations, professional associations, and sometimes public organizations. The activities of lobbyists are regulated by special legislation and a register of lobbyists.

The main characteristic feature of lobbying is the emphasis on direct work with officials: meetings, consultations, expert discussions, participation in committees or hearings. In this sense, lobbying is an instrument of influence from the inside, working through professional networks and formal channels.

An example of lobbying

Let’s imagine a situation where a powerful company developing innovative biotechnology products is operating in the medical technology market, and in order to accelerate the launch of the latest medicines, the company wants to change the current legislation that establishes complex and lengthy clinical trial procedures.

For this purpose, the management hires a group of professional lobbyists. Their task is to organize targeted interaction with government agencies and the relevant parliamentary committee. The lobbyists hold a series of meetings with MPs, prepare in-depth briefs analyzing international experience, demonstrate possible economic benefits, and emphasize that more flexible regulation will speed up patients’ access to modern medicines.

In addition to personal consultations, they submit formal proposals to working groups, participate in parliamentary hearings, and propose amendments to the draft law. All their activities are aimed at influencing lawmakers through formal decision-making mechanisms.

This example clearly shows how lobbying works within the procedures established by the state and focuses on interaction with politicians and officials. Unlike advocacy, which relies on broad public support and public pressure, lobbying draws a path of influence from the inside – through official channels, expert arguments and professional negotiations.

The essence of advocacy

Advocacy covers a range of civic activities aimed at drawing the attention of the state and society to a particular problem and achieving its resolution. It can include public awareness, media campaigns, public actions, petitions, educational initiatives, coalition building and public pressure.

Unlike lobbying, advocacy is aimed at strengthening public support and generating public demand. The power of advocacy lies in its massive scale, publicity, and ability to change the attitudes and positions of a wide range of people, which ultimately influences the decisions of state institutions.

An example of advocacy

Let’s imagine an initiative launched by a network of youth environmental communities concerned about how fast the climate is changing and how little the state is responding to its consequences. Young people unite and launch a large-scale public campaign that includes various forms of public activity.

The activists organize street marches and youth rallies that attract the attention of local residents and the media, and they also hold a series of interactive lectures in schools, universities, and public spaces, explaining why the climate crisis affects everyone and what changes are needed at the state level.

Another area of their work is active communication on social media: creating videos, infographics, thematic flash mobs, and explanatory publications that are quickly shared among young people. Thanks to this, the campaign is gaining publicity and attracting more and more concerned citizens.

The main goal of the activists is to generate a strong public demand for environmental reforms and force the government to pay attention to the need to implement green policies. Public pressure, which is growing due to the publicity of this campaign, is gradually turning climate issues into one of the priorities of state policy.

This example clearly demonstrates how advocacy works through publicity, public engagement, and building broad support for change.

Complementarity of the two tools

Despite their differences, lobbying and advocacy are not mutually exclusive, and in many cases they are effective when combined.

A public campaign can create a powerful public demand for change, while professional lobbyists can formulate specific legislative proposals, bring them to the authorities, and ensure their legal correctness. Thus, advocacy provides social support, while lobbying ensures the technical implementation of this support in government decisions.

The difference between lobbying and advocacy

The main difference between lobbying and advocacy is manifested in the methods and tools of influence. Lobbying is aimed at working directly with the authorities and uses formal, clearly defined mechanisms of interaction. Advocacy, on the other hand, emphasizes active involvement of society, dissemination of information and building public support. As a result, advocacy initiatives operate in a freer field and are not limited by such strict legal frameworks as lobbying, but certain actions within it may have legal consequences if they contradict current regulations, for example:

1. Violation of the rules for holding mass events if a rally or demonstration is held without notifying the authorities or is accompanied by riots.

2. Dissemination of false information or dissemination of false facts during the campaign that harm the reputation of individuals or organizations.

3. Calls for violence or illegal actions. Advocacy remains legal only if it does not call for violation of the law.

4. Violation of funding rules. If the campaign is financed non-transparently, from illegal sources, or there is hidden political advertising that does not meet the requirements of the election law.

5. Creating obstacles to the work of authorities or businesses, such as blocking buildings or blocking roads without permission.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that liability does not arise for the advocacy campaign itself, but for specific violations, if any.

Instead, lobbying in Ukraine is an activity regulated by the Law of Ukraine “On Lobbying,” and the existence of legal norms makes this process more transparent and controlled: there is a register of lobbyists and reporting requirements.

The National Association of Lobbyists of Ukraine will provide explanations on the rules of interaction with officials and mechanisms for preventing abuse.

That is why lobbying is considered to be a more orderly and predictable practice than advocacy, as it works within certain rules and relies on official communication channels. Legislative regulation ensures publicity, accountability, and trust in the process of influencing government decisions.

Sincerely, Iryna Shapovalova, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the UUkrainian National Lobbyists Association, lobbyist