Framework
The regime, article by article
A complete and sourced reading of the regime, written for those who must decide what to do.
Legislative update of 28 July 2026. Act no. 37-A/2026 established the governance of the RTRI, created its Management Board, repealed Article 19 of Act no. 5-A/2026 and set a staggered entry into force. All content on this website has been revised accordingly. See the consolidated calendar.
What counts as interest representation
Interest representation covers activities carried out in accordance with the law with the aim of influencing, directly or indirectly, the drafting or implementation of public policies, legislative and regulatory acts, administrative acts or public contracts, as well as the decision-making processes of public bodies, whether in one's own name, on behalf of specific groups or on behalf of third parties (Article 2(1) of Act no. 5-A/2026).
It includes contacts with public bodies in any form; sending and circulating correspondence, information material or position papers; organising events, meetings and conferences promoting the interests represented; and taking part in consultations on draft legislation or other regulatory acts (Article 2(2)).
What falls outside
| Exclusion | Basis |
|---|---|
| Acts reserved to lawyers and solicitors in the exercise of forensic mandate. | Article 2(3)(a) |
| Activities of social partners within social concertation, and only in that context. | Article 2(3)(b) |
| Responses to direct and individualised requests for information, and individualised invitations to hearings or preparatory work. | Article 2(3)(c) |
| The exercise of procedural rights, including public procurement procedures, with a view to administrative acts or the conclusion of contracts. | Article 2(3)(d) |
| Petitions, complaints and reports submitted without remuneration. | Article 2(3)(e) |
The five registration categories
| Category | Scope | Practical consequences |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Social partners and bodies subject to mandatory consultation | Private social partners, bodies represented on the Economic and Social Council and private entities subject to mandatory consultation. | Automatic and ex officio registration (Articles 13(4) and 4(2)); suspension from the register does not apply to them (Article 11(4)). |
| (b) Representatives of third-party interests | Those acting professionally on behalf of third parties, as a main or ancillary activity. | Deadline of 2 March 2027; disclosure of clients, interests and sectors; record of all contractual relationships (Article 7(2)); conflict-of-interest measures (Article 12(3)). |
| (c) Representatives of corporate interests | Legal persons or groups representing their own legitimate interests. | No clients to disclose; responsible person, income from the activity and public support still apply. |
| (d) Institutional representatives of collective interests | Bodies representing the interests of a set of entities, or diffuse interests. | Associations and professional bodies outside the automatic-registration category. |
| (e) Other representatives | Residual category. | Prevents gaps in coverage. |
Duties, incompatibilities and sanctions
Duties (Article 7). Comply with declaratory obligations and accept the public nature of what is declared; keep the information accurate and up to date, updating it within 30 days of the triggering facts (Article 5(4)); state the RTRI registration number when approaching office-holders (Article 7(1)(e)); refrain from obtaining information outside the proper channels; and ensure non-discriminatory access to information provided, including to all political groups represented in Parliament. Professional representatives of third-party interests must also keep a record of all contractual relationships in that field (Article 7(2)).
Hearings (Article 8). Entities subject to registration must appear in the RTRI before being granted a hearing, save for procedural steps under the Administrative Procedure Code and the Public Contracts Code (Article 8(2)).
Incompatibilities (Article 12). Holders of political and senior public office, and staff of their offices, may not carry out interest representation before the body in which they served for three years after leaving office.
Sanctions (Article 11). Suspension from the register or from institutional contacts for up to two years, access restrictions and exclusion from public consultations. Carrying out the activity without prior registration, or providing false information, is reported to the Public Prosecution Service. The regime enters into force on 1 June 2027 (Article 8(8) of Act no. 37-A/2026).
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