- Two rules are thus opened to citizen participation in response to the commitments of the Government of Spain with transparency in decision-making and public integrity and the development of the IV Open Government Plan
The Ministry of Territorial Policy and Public Service opens a period of public consultation, from today until May 28, to promote citizen participation, through the Transparency Portal and the Ministry’s website, of the draft laws on transparency and integrity in the activities of interest groups and on the prevention of conflicts of interest of personnel in the service of the public sector.
Prior consultation is a procedure provided for in Law 39/2015, of the Common Administrative Procedure of Public Administrations with the aim of improving the participation of citizens in the procedure of elaboration of rules.
Minister Miquel Iceta has announced in different hearings that with the new regulations on interest groups, the Government’s objective is to regulate the activities of groups or entities - institutionalized or non-representative of interests (lobbies), under advanced standards of integrity and transparency.
On the other hand, in relation to the prevention of conflicts of interest, the Minister has also reiterated his commitment to establish a new regime for public employees that will strengthen their professionalism, effectiveness, impartiality and transparency in the fulfilment of their responsibilities.
Transparency and integrity in lobbying activities
As happens in other countries around us, it is necessary to undertake this normative advance, in line with the commitment of the Government of Spain to transparency in decision-making and public integrity and to develop the IV Open Government Plan (Integrity Axis), which includes this measure.
Objectives of the standard:
- Definition of the groups and collectives affected
- Establishment of advertising and registration standards
- Definition of the duties and obligations of the members of these groups
- Limitations of revolving doors between senior officials and public employees, on the one hand, and interest groups, on the other
- Establishment of a code of conduct
- Attribution of the management of this registry to the Office of Conflicts of Interest (OCI), given its competences on the control of conflicts of interest of high positions and public employees and employees
Prevention of conflicts of interest of staff in the public sector
It is necessary to modify some precepts to adapt them to the demands of the new administration, more demanding, and to establish a system of prevention and management of conflicts of interest that is not exclusively aimed at the limitations applicable to the performance of a second activity. On the other hand, the emergence of new forms of provision of professional activities requires a regulation that specifically covers them. It is also intended to comply with the recommendations of the Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe (GRECO) regarding the promotion of public integrity.
Objectives of the standard:
- Establish a new system for the prevention of conflicts of interest and incompatibilities of public sector employees.
- Regulate the performance of new forms of provision of professional activities that are not contemplated in the current regulations.
- New regulation of activities exempted from the regime of incompatibilities
- Establish limitations on the performance of private activities in cases of administrative situations other than active service.
- Establish a new and more rigorous system of conflict of interest prevention for contingent personnel.