Adopting of the «Foreign agents act» as a first stage towards legal regulation of lobbying in Russia

Introduction: Russian «foreign agents act» adopted in 2013 and foreign lobbying legislation have the same purposes and political nature, status of the subjects and same disclosure mechanisms. Purposes: 1) to establish the same political and legal nature of the lobbying activity and political activities of "foreign agents" as a legal influence on the government. 2) To analyze the beginning of the first stage of formation of the Russian lobbying legislation and to make recommendations for its further reformation. Results: legal regulation of the political activity of "foreign agents" appeared in order to protect the sovereignty, constitutional order and national interests against external influences. Later the mechanism of ensuring openness of this activity covered the control of internal influences (lobbying). Author realized the analysis of term "political activity". Conclusions: author sticks to the point that the lobbyists according to foreign lobbying legislation and Russian NGOs performing the functions of foreign agents have the same structure (system) of the responsibilities assigned to them by law. The disclosure of information about political activities in the special register of lobbyists and register of foreign agents has common features. The Russian foreign agents legislation is the first stage in the formation of a full-fledged lobbying legislation in Russia according to American model. The current legal concept of political activity should be reviewed, accounted the experience of American law schools and Russian legal practice. Author considers that it is necessary to adopt in perspective special «foreign agents act» and special federal lobbying regulation act closely associated with it.