The entry into force of the Law of Ukraine “On Lobbying” has changed not terminology, but the very architecture of interaction between business and the state. From now on, any influence on regulatory decision-making is no longer treated as a separate practice, but as part of a formalised legal institution with clearly defined rules of access, disclosure, and oversight.
Under the previous model, government relations functioned as a broad field of relationship management, encompassing expert consultations, participation in working groups, and strategic communication with public authorities. Lobbying was perceived as only one of the tools within this broader framework — more narrowly focused and instrumental. The new legal framework has eliminated this distinction by defining lobbying as any activity aimed at influencing the adoption or non-adoption of regulatory acts.
As a result, the form of interaction has lost its relevance. What matters now is its substance. If communication with a public authority is intended to influence a regulatory decision, it falls under the scope of the law regardless of how it is labelled. This is why activities previously described as GR have been integrated into a single legal regime of lobbying.
The Transparency Register has become the central element of this model. It transforms influence on public policy from an informal process into a public procedure, where the parties involved, the subject of influence, and sources of funding are subject to disclosure. In this context, the absence of registration no longer implies a “grey zone” but indicates activity outside the legal framework.
In a broader perspective, the legalisation of lobbying forms part of Ukraine’s European integration commitments and represents an effort to dismantle informal mechanisms of influence. For businesses, particularly international investors, this creates a clear and secure framework for interest representation during the period of post-war recovery and structural reforms.
In practice, this is not a simple replacement of GR with lobbying, but a transformation of the entire sphere of regulatory influence. It has ceased to function as a network of personal connections and has become a procedural activity governed by explicit rules. Today, influence is possible only when it is declared, accountable, and legally structured.
