The relevant package of documents, required for the practical implementation of the new lobbying legislation, was presented on 15 September by the Council of Europe together with Albania’s Commissioner for the Right to Information and Personal Data Protection. The event brought together representatives of public authorities, civil society organisations and the private sector.
The Commissioner’s website contains eight draft implementing acts:
- Code of Conduct for Lobbyists (Kodi i sjelljes për lobistin);
- Instruction on the Structure, Administration, Updating and Publication of the Lobbying Register (Udhëzim "Për strukturën, administrimin, përditësimin dhe publikimin e regjistrit të lobimit");
- Instruction on the Format, Content, Submission and Review of Applications for Registration in the Lobbying Register (Udhëzim "Për përcaktimin e formatit, përmbajtjes, mënyrës së paraqitjes dhe shqyrtimit të kërkesës për regjistrim në regjistrin e lobimit");
- Instruction on the Form, Content and Submission of the Lobbying Activity Declaration (Udhëzim "Për përcaktimin e formës, përmbajtjes dhe mënyrës së dorëzimit të deklaratës së veprimtarisë së lobimit");
- Instruction on Procedures for Identifying, Declaring, Reviewing and Managing Conflicts of Interest in Lobbying Activities (Udhëzim "Për përcaktimin e procedurave për identifikimin, deklarimin, shqyrtimin dhe menaxhimin e konfliktit të interesit gjatë ushtrimit të veprimtarisë së lobimit");
- Instruction on Procedures and Time Limits for Verifying the Accuracy of Data in the Lobbying Register and Updating Such Data (Udhëzim "Për procedurat dhe afatet për verifikimin e saktësisë së të dhënave në regjistrin e lobimit dhe përditësimin e tyre");
- Instruction on the Categories of Mandatory Documentation to Be Retained by Lobbyists, Its Administration and Retention Periods (Udhëzim "Për përcaktimin e kategorive të dokumentacionit të detyrueshëm që ruhet nga lobisti, mënyrës së administrimit dhe afateve të ruajtjes së tij");
- Order on the Format, Topics and Frequency of Information and Awareness-Raising Activities in the Field of Lobbying (Urdhër "Për përcaktimin e formatit, temave dhe periudhave të zhvillimit të aktiviteteve informuese dhe ndërgjegjësuese në fushën e lobimit").
Law No.12/2026 “On Lobbying in the Republic of Albania” (Ligji nr. 12/2026 “Për lobimin në Republikën e Shqipërisë”) was adopted by Parliament on 28 January 2026 with 83 votes in favour. For the first time, it established a dedicated legal framework for lobbying activities in the country.
The Law provides for the mandatory registration of lobbyists and the establishment of a public Lobbying Register (hereinafter – the Register). It is to contain information on who conducts lobbying, on whose behalf and on what issues it is carried out, as well as on the public authorities and public officials with whom the lobbyist interacts. Disclosure obligations concerning such contacts apply both to lobbyists and to public officials.
The Law also regulates conflicts of interest and establishes restrictions on lobbying by former public officials in areas related to the public functions they previously performed. The Commissioner for the Right to Information and Personal Data Protection is responsible for maintaining the Register, verifying submitted information, monitoring compliance with the legislation and applying the measures provided for by law.
The draft implementing acts set out in detail how the new system is to operate.
The Register is planned as a public electronic database combining information on lobbyists, persons on whose behalf lobbying is conducted, lobbying contracts, periodic declarations and reports by public officials on their contacts with lobbyists. Information will be searchable, among other things, by lobbyist, represented person, lobbying topic, public authority, period and specific document, legal act or decision-making process. Publicly available information is also to be provided in formats suitable for reuse.
Lobbyists will be required to submit declarations on their activities every six months – for the periods from 1 January to 30 June and from 1 July to 31 December. The declarations are to disclose information on contacts with public authorities and public officials, including the form and date of interaction, as well as sources of funding for lobbying activities, third-party funding and the total amount of related expenditure.
The procedure for preventing conflicts of interest is also specified in detail. Family, economic, professional and contractual relationships are to be taken into account when identifying a potential conflict of interest; in the case of professional and contractual relationships, this includes relationships that exist or existed during the previous 2 years. Before entering into a contract, a lobbyist must check for a potential conflict of interest and, if one is identified, refrain from concluding the contract. If a conflict arises or is identified at a later stage, the lobbyist must cease the relevant activity and notify the person concerned and the Commissioner. Any person, including anonymously, will be able to report a possible conflict of interest to the Commissioner; a review must begin within 5 working days of receipt of the report.
The Code of Conduct establishes the principles of legality, integrity, transparency, professionalism and prevention of conflicts of interest for registered lobbyists. In particular, lobbyists are prohibited from exerting undue pressure on public officials, using threats or blackmail, offering material or non-material benefits in order to influence decision-making, using unlawfully obtained confidential information or creating the impression that they have privileged influence over public officials. When inviting a public official to an event related to lobbying activities, a lobbyist must disclose who is financing the event, including information on third-party funding.
The next steps are expected to include the final adoption and practical implementation of the new rules, the preparation of guidance and the establishment of the digital Register.
