Lobbying in Brussels

Richard Tuffs Director ERRIN [email protected]

www.errin.eu

Tel 0032 2 503 25 30

Contents

     Why lobby Who to lobby How to lobby Working in Brussels Discussion

Why lobby

 Lobbying is all about influencing decision making either directly or indirectly  Decision making  Directives, regulations, norms, standards, recommendations, terminology, etc.

 Directly or indirectly   Open, upfront or behind the scenes Lukes three dimensions of power

Lukes

   Democratic voting  Electorate, parliament, committees, etc.

 Majority wins Agenda setting  Who sets the agenda, who decides what is to be voted?

Ideological  Setting wider frameworks of thinking  Sustainability vs technology   Capitalism vs socialism Research vs innovation

Lukes

Voting

Activities Who Where How Timelines Measuring success

Agenda setting Ideological

EU ‘Lobbying’

  In the European context, lobbying enables anyone that is working on EU affairs, to get involved with the EU Institutions, participate in the debate, contribute to the EU decision making, by influencing.

Networking: provide the individuals the opportunity to enhance this influencing potential and maximise the impacts, by bringing together individual resources, skills and interests.

6

Why lobby

  Proactive: to compete for the future, don’t just adapt to the future, make your future  Wayne Gretsky “ don’t skate to where the puck is, skate to where it is going to be” Reactive: defend your position – someone else may be lobbying against you – doing nothing is not an option

Lobbying, the good, the bad and the ugly

Getting the right decision at the right time Protecting your interests

The ugly…

The ugly… 2

Why lobby in Brussels

  Widening power of EU  Estimates from 40% to 80% of EU legislation affects national level    Single market 500,000 consumers 27 countries EU budget – ‘juste retour’ getting more out than you put in… EU institutions  Commission    Parliament  More powers of co-decision under the Lisbon Treaty Council  Permanent Representations Committee of the Regions  Economic and Social Committee

The opportunities: Why Brussels as a Hub ?

 The EU budget 2007 13  EU Policy development: 80% of all national legislation directly or indirectly influenced by decisions made at the European level 12

Funds from Europe

Lobbies in Brussels

      800 Press Corps (second after Washington) 1500 professional associations  CEFIC – 150 people 300 companies 200 regions 150? EU networks  Regional networks  AER, CEMR, CPMR, CEBR, REGLEG, AlpesRegio, ISLENET, EURADA, ERRIN, Eurocities… 100 management consultancies/law firms  APCO, Burson-Marsteller, GPlus, Hill & Knowlton, Weber Shandwick…

Cohesion Policy

    44% of EU budget Objective 1 and Objective 2 regions Objective 2 regions get more funding Funding implications      Overall EU budget Percentage allocated to cohesion Sub-divide in categories of regions Spending categories – what spent on  Shift from cohesion to competitiveness  Bridges to brains Matched funding – how much from regions

Research Framework Programme

80+?

60

€ Billion

50

53,3

40 30 20

17,5 13,12 14,96

10

3,27 5,36 6,6

0 1984-1987 1987-1991 1990-1994 1994-1998 1998-2002 2002-2006 2007-2013 2014-2020 16

Future Cohesion Policy

The European Research and Innovation system

•Alzheimer •Agriculture, Food

Security & Climate change

•Health and Diet •Cultural Heritage

ERANET+ ERANET

  

Ageing (More Years Better Lives) Climate Knowledge (Clik-EU) Seas and Oceans Urban Europe

JTI Artemis Eniac Clean Sky IMI FCH

 

Art. 169 AAL Bonus EMRP

Eureka!



EUROSTARS



ICT-FET (Flag Ships)



ERC

   

INFRASTRUCTURES PEOPLE SMEs and SME Associations JTI PPP Programmes Instruments New thematic initiatives



Wind Energy 6B€ Solar Energy 16B€ Bioenergy 9 B€ Electricity Grid 2 B€ Sustainable Nuclear Energy 7 B Smart Cities

     

eHealth eIdentity ICT for TT Energy efficiency PPP Energy Efficient Buildings Future of Factories Green cars eHealth Future Internet TT, mobility & logistics Content Large Scale Demos & trials Deployment Fundamenta l Applied Developme nt Innovatio n

Horizon 2020 consultation 2011

   1303 responses via response to questionnaire 775 position papers http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon 2020/index_en.cfm?pg=home

Consultation on Horizon 2020

Lobbying – does it work?

  “It is virtually impossible for any single interest or national association to secure exclusive access to the relevant officials or politicians, let alone to exert exclusive influence” “ Lobbying is like advertising, 50% of it works, the problem is which 50%?”

Lobbying how?

The Brussels Maze

– This way to influence!

         Understanding Information Intelligence Briefings Strategy Tactics Networking Multi-player platforms Return on investment

Lobbying: some key P’s

Patience Process Professional People Power Expertise Partners Planning Position Policy

Process – the policy cycle

Council and European Parliament MS LRAs

Implementation Decision Preparation • Get on agenda • Stop • Influence scope • Influence start date

Commission

• Green Paper Proposal 2?

Consultation Proposal 1

Commission CoR, ESC, Think Tanks, sectoral associations and networks experts, regions

The lobbying structure: the EU institutional triangle European Commission European Parliament European Council 25

The European Commission  Driving Force –draft proposals for EU Law  25,000 staff but one third secretarial/translation  Executive Body: implements policies and allocates funds  Guardian of the Treaties: ensure that EU legislation is correctly implemented in MS  The first port of call to either lobby an issue on its agenda or bring a ‘new issue’ 26

The European Parliament

 Elected by the Citizens: the Voice of the People  Joint Decision Making Body  Approves with the Council the annual EU budget  Committee Structure  Members sit in Political Groups 27

The Council of the EU : the interest of MS      Ministers from each MS with capacity to commit their governments Joint Decision Making Body Political institution of the Union-the Council decides All MS have a Permanent Representation in Brussels Each country retains Presidency of Council for 6 months 28

Know your EU policy

EU 2020

Key strategy 3 priorities smart, sustainable inclusive 5 targets 7 flagships

Europe 2020: 7 flagships

Smart growth Sustainable growth Inclusive growth

Innovation Union Resource efficient Europe New skills for new jobs Mobility – Youth on the move Industrial policy for the globalisation era Digital Agenda European platform against poverty

European Policy

Innovation key driver of EU policy Europe 2020 Innovatio n Union Horizon 2020 and Smart specialisatio n

Innovation Union

 Ten key points 1.

Member States must invest more in education, R&D, innovation and ICTs 2.

3.

4.

5.

Better value for money by tackling fragmentation and linked national R&D research and innovation systems Modernise all levels of education Better mobility for researchers and innovators and completion of the European Research Area Simplify EU funding programmes (FP7/FP8) and more European Investment Bank Funding and strengthened European Research Council. Structural funds should be fully exploited to develop research and innovation capacities based on smart specialisation strategies

Innovation Union

 6.

7.

8.

9.

Ten key points (part 2) 10.

Get more innovation out of research with better cooperation between the worlds of business and science Reduce barriers for entrepreneurs to bring ideas to market e.g. better access to finance, affordable IPR, smarter regulation, faster standardisation and strategic use of procurement European Innovation Partnerships should be launched to accelerate research, development and market deployment. First EIP is on healthy ageing (future ones on smart cities, water-efficient Europe, smart mobility, agricultural productivity and sustainability) Exploit EU strengths in design and creativity and champion social and public sector innovation Work better with international partners – opening access to EU programmes by getting access to outside programmes too.

Innovation Union: actions

  34 actions backed up by the European Council. The European Parliament is invited to give priority to Innovation Union proposals with an annual major policy debate. Member States (and their regions) should ensure appropriate governance structures and review Structural Funds to reflect Europe 2020 priorities. Annual Innovation Convention to discuss the state of the Innovation Union  Innovation Convention took place December 5th/6th 2011 – 1200 participants…

Policy drivers

Smart Sustainable Competitiveness Environment Innovation SMEs Single market Eco…5Rs Climate change Inclusive Skills Education

Planning: the importance of early warning

political policy Draft legislation

Time

Decision of the Commission Council and EP readings 36

Start early

politics

Go strong and aim high Use door openers Negotiation… If… then… Go low and go early Use ideas

policy

Understand timing

    Commission Annual Work Programme  Published November before the year Presidency priorities  We want a decision on this before…   Community patent Budget negotiations Flagship roadmaps  Actions and dates Contacts with Commission staff

Proposal / Consultation

   For big policy ideas, Commission will do a consultation    Questionnaire Position papers Common Strategic Framework  X responses Concrete is still wet at this stage  Still time to influence Develop position  Involve other relevant stakeholders

Position: do we know what we know?

We know What we know

Answered questions

We know that we know

What we don’t know

Unanswered questions

We know that we don’t know

We don’t know

Unquestioned answers

We don’t know that we know

Unquestioned questions

We don’t know that we don’t know

Position: what do we want?

Must

Minimum that we can accept

Example

It could be worse!

Like

We would not say no

Example

Put back timing Narrow scope

Intend

Success!

Example

Stop a proposal Get direct wording in text

Power

Low influence Low interest

Monitoring

High interest

Seek partners and lobbyists

High influence

Support partners but low intensity Follow debate Lead debate and actions

Position

       Influence ideas Seminars Expert round tables Academic papers Think tank papers (EPC, Brueghel…) Position papers Case study

Position: bring solutions

    Situation  As you know*…EU/European consumers want(s) higher welfare standards for chickens  New battery cages for chickens Problem  Not all MS farmers have complied yet  Unfair competition Solution  Ban export of eggs from non-compliant farmers Evaluation of solution  Encourages speedy adoption of EU legislation *

Eurobarometer – useful for surveys

“Friends” MEPs Other Regions Other Representations Commission DG Other Networks/ Contacts Other DG Other DG Council Perm Reps CoR & ECOSOC The Right Message In The Right Format To The Right People At The Right Time ?

?

?

Develop alliances

     Look for other networks who support your position 80:20 rule Exchange position papers Joint meetings Cross-border alliances always stronger Look for the EU added value  Ask not what the EU can do for you but what you can do the for the EU

Patience and professionalism

    EU policy is slow Big policy changes take 5 years The junior officer/intern/MEPs assistant you started talking to in 2011 may be well placed to decide in 2016 or 2021… Being professional is key, your reputation is your calling card

Professional

     Know the dossier inside out Develop a strong narrative Good presentation skills in English and all other languages an advantage especially French, German and Spanish Look professional   Business cards on hand Dress – more smart than casual Personality – you are the message…

Expertise

     Aware of processes Aware of planning (timetable) Actively involved in the policy Aware of the people and how to contact   Networking Intelligence Able to articulate a position   Convince , Clear, Concise, Continual but adapting to… Context

Bibliography  “Networking in Brussels , A practical guide to navigating EU networks”, Pascal Goergen, 2009  “The new practical guide to the EU labyrinth”,Daniel Gueguen, edition 2009  “iLobby.eu, Survival Guide to EU Lobbying”, Caroline De Cock, 2010  “ European Lobbying’ Daniel Gueguen, 2008  “Machiavelli in Brussels, The Art of Lobbying the EU”, Rinus van Schendelen, 2003 (recently updated)  “Bursting the Brussels Bubble” www.alter.eu

 “Lobbying in the European Union – current rules and practices” European Parliament Working Paper AFCO 104EN 04/2003   “Brussels the EU quarter” Lobby Planet, 2005 “Lobbying in Brussels” Friends of the Earth Europe 50

Richard Tuffs

Director

3 rue du Luxembourg B-1000 Brussels Tel +32 2 503 3554 [email protected]

The views expressed in this presentation do not reflect an official ERRIN position

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