Taiwan becomes third country to pass Lobbying Act

The legislature yesterday passed the Lobbying Act (遊說法) designed to create a system to scrutinze lobbying.

The Act defines lobbying as any oral or written communication to legislative or executive branch officials regarding the formulation, modification or annulment of policies or legislation.

Issues relating to national defense, diplomacy or Chinese affairs where national security or secrets are involved fall outside the scope of the definition.

According to the Act, officials covered by the Act include the president, vice president and high-ranking officials in central and local governments.

Under the Act, lobbyists are required to register their lobbying activities and officials, in return, must report on their communications with lobbyists within seven days.

Officials must reject the lobbyists if they fail to register with the office first.

Missions stationed in Taiwan on behalf of their governments or other inter-governmental organizations are exempt from the Act.

According to the Ministry of Interior, Taiwan is the third country in the world that has enacted such legislation to regulate lobbying, after the US and Canada.