The Digital Lobbyist ID in “Diia” as an Essential Tool for Transparent Professional Practice
The development of lawful lobbying in Ukraine requires not only regulatory frameworks but also the creation of convenient, practical mechanisms for verifying the status of lobbying entities.
The Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association has initiated the introduction of a digital lobbyist ID in the “Diia” app. Such a document could automatically display up-to-date information from the Transparency Register and enable quick verification of a registered person’s status.
Today, the primary method of confirming status remains the electronic extract from the Transparency Register. However, the need to separately generate, store, and present such a document complicates the day-to-day work of lobbyists, particularly when interacting with government agencies, members of parliament, and local government officials.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation has confirmed that the service in question can be technically implemented, provided that its concept is approved by the National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NACP). At the same time, the National Agency noted that current legislation does not explicitly provide for a lobbying entity certificate or its digital version, and pointed out the possibility of using an electronic extract from the Transparency Register.
This approach is overly formalistic. The absence of an explicit provision regarding digital identification should not be viewed as an obstacle to the development of a modern verification tool. On the contrary, if the current mechanism is cumbersome and does not meet the practical needs of professional practice, the competent authorities should facilitate its improvement.
The digital certificate in “Diia” does not create a new status and does not duplicate the Transparency Register. It merely provides a convenient way to display existing government data, ensures its accuracy, and allows for quick verification.
- The introduction of this service will make it possible to:
- simplify the process of verifying lobbyist status;
- reduce the administrative burden;
- increase trust in the Transparency Registry;
- clearly distinguish between registered entities and informal influence;
- enhance transparency in the interaction between the government, the business sector, and civil society.
The NACP’s position effectively leaves the professional community with a mechanism that is in effect but not sufficiently user-friendly. This complicates the practical implementation of the Law of Ukraine “On Lobbying” and is inconsistent with the state’s overall policy of digitizing services.
The Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association believes that this issue requires further professional discussion and the joint development of a legal and technical solution. A digital lobbyist ID in “Diia” should not be a privilege, but rather a standard tool for transparent, open, and responsible professional practice.
