Brussels, 03 Oct 2024 : The Belgian-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce (CCBP) organized a hybrid event this morning in Brussels, at the offices of Weber Shandwick, on lobbying regulation in Portugal, Belgium and the European Union.
The event opened with words of welcome from Rui Faria da Cunha, president of the CCBP, and the host, Mónica Vicente Cristina, followed by speeches from Stefaan Fiers, president of the Belgian lobbying association, BEPACT, Sofia Cartó, president of the recently created Portuguese lobbying association, Public Affairs Portugal, and Isabelle De Vinck, president of the European association of public affairs consultants, EPACA, and ended with a debate.
From the speakers' presentation, it emerged that although lobbying regulation in the different jurisdictions is at different stages, with Portugal lagging behind but with good prospects of soon catching up with the best European practices in the field, the speakers and other participants were unanimous in emphasizing the important role that interest representatives, as lobbyists are also known, play in the process of formulating public policies, both at national and European level.
In the words of Rui Faria da Cunha, president of the CCBP, “although lobbying is increasingly seen by stakeholders as an integral part of the decision-making process in any healthy democracy, there is still a lot of work to be done with civil society, which demands more transparency in the decision-making process.” “By organizing this event,” he added, ”the CCBP aims to contribute to demystifying the role of lobbyists and the importance of regulating their activity.”
Source: luso.eu
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