Contacts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Norbert Hobrath, Director, Sales & Branding
State and Federal Communications, Inc.
nhobrath@stateandfed.com, +1 440-212-3520

State and Federal Communications, Inc. Expands Offering of Lobbying Compliance Services with New ‘I COMPLY European Political Compliance Laws’ Online Publication

AKRON, OHIO, January 17, 2018 – In the world of lobbying and governmental relations, State and Federal Communications, Inc., based here, is the clear information leader in researching and presenting complex, ever-changing political compliance laws in the U.S. and Canada.

            Now the company is taking that expertise a step further by launching its first new online publication in 10 years, called ‘I COMPLY European Political Compliance Laws’. Starting in January 2018, this will complement the firm’s four other online compliance publications.

            According to President & CEO, Ms. Elizabeth Bartz, the new European publication has been developed for several reasons. “We have an established reputation in the U.S. and Canada in our industry. Companies know and trust us to keep them current with the latest lobbying compliance regulations and laws. This publication has been an outgrowth as we further help our many multi-national clients with their international compliance reporting needs too.

“Our clients have been asking about compliance-related issues in overseas markets. The compliance reporting laws can be quite different with nuances that need to be clearly understood and presented at all levels of government. So our new European publication is a natural extension of these developments of the past several years,” she explains.

‘I COMPLY European Political Compliance Laws’ is the fifth online publication in the arsenal of tools government relations professionals, corporate compliance officers, contract lobbyists, and legal and professional firms rely on from State and Federal Communications to cover the realm of compliance laws on lobbying, political contributions, and procurement lobbying. All publications are accessed by users at: www.stateandfed.com

Ms. Bartz points out these publications are considered invaluable to knowing, understanding, and complying with all the various government laws regarding compliance. “We make it easy to decipher and understand compliance rules and regulations, and to accurately report activities to government entities as needed,” she says.

The new European-focused publication covers entries for the European Union, United Kingdom, and Republic of Ireland. It offers the international compliance information on lobbying, campaign finance, and procurement lobbying laws, in the same online presentation format used for the Canadian and U.S. compliance publications. “If a client is familiar with searching and using our website to find what lobbying and campaign finance activity is permissible and subject to disclosure in any listed jurisdiction, they will find the new European publication just as easy to use,” Ms. Bartz explains.

WHY COMPLIANCE REPORTING MATTERS

Government relations professionals involved in compliance need to know the unique restrictions and obligations in each jurisdiction where advocacy efforts occur. It is imperative companies, organizations, and individuals understand and following ethics and compliance rules. If they do not, this can result in civil and criminal convictions. Violating lobbying and campaign finance laws can result in removal from the registry, costly fines, unwanted media exposure, and even imprisonment.

Ms. Bartz highlights that “Federal governments, states, provinces, and municipalities want more transparency as to what lobbying activity is occurring, such as who is doing what, where, why, and for how much. They want to know who is making contributions, and how much they are providing. These are exacting questions that need accurate and timely compliance answers. That’s how we’ve built our business model – by keeping clients current on reporting requirements.”

The new European publication focuses on companies and entities conducting business in the European region, and that need to know and stay current with all political compliance reporting laws.

            Highlighted coverage in the publication includes summaries and citations of applicable laws and regulations, full descriptions of lobbyist registration and reporting requirements, jurisdictions requiring lobbyist registration for procurement activities, and relevant advisory opinions, guides, and supplementary information. Further, there are complete definitions of special terms, Pay-to-Play laws, summaries of gift laws and political contribution limits and specific prohibitions. Users will find information regarding who can make contributions and to whom contributions may be made, along with contact information for government offices, and required forms for lobbying, political activities, and procurement activities.

CHANGES FOR A NEW YEAR

The development of the new European publication is one of several changes in 2018 at State and Federal Communications. The company is entering its 25th anniversary, after being founded by Ms. Bartz in 1993 in Washington, D.C and moving that year to Akron, Ohio, its current home.

            A key decision for 2018 has been to brand all five company compliance publications under the I COMPLY designation. This well-known marketing phrase, coined more than 10 years ago by the company, describe the compliance reporting assurance that users of its services can say when asked about their lobbying compliance disclosure of activities to governmental entities. The answer… ‘I Comply.’ This phrase has taken ahold in the lobbying industry.

Today the company and its staff of 40 attorneys and assistants provide compliance information and consulting to many Fortune 500 companies; to trade, labor, and professional associations; and to corporate and contract lobbyists throughout the United States and Canada.

The five online I COMPLY publications are well researched, continually updated with fresh content, and available 24/7. Annual publication subscriptions can be purchased individually or in specially priced combination bundles.

The company’s complete 2018 brochure of services is available for PDF download at: http://www.stateandfed.com/files/State_Fed_Brochure.pdf

Ordering information is at http://www.stateandfed.com/services/order-guides/

For more information, contact: State and Federal Communications, Inc., 80 South Summit Street, Suite 100, Akron, Ohio 44308 USA, or call at +1 330-761-9960.

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State and Federal Communications, Inc., 80 South Summit Street, Suite 100, Akron, Ohio 44308 USA
Toll-Free: 888-4-LAW-NOW      Phone: 330-761-9960      Fax: 330-761-9965       www.stateandfed.com