Economic Forum FASTER TOWARDS THE EUROPEAN UNION Ohrid, 3 November 2008

Public-Private Partnership for Macedonian Interest Representation in Brussels

Prof.dr Boris CIZELJ Chairman, Slovenian Business & Research Association Brussels

Issues to be presented:

Brussels: the world lobbying capital Who is lobbying in Brussels? Modern Functions of Lobbying Already present from the region Proposal to create a Macedonian lobby office MBB – the PPP solution The MBB membership services, rights & duties Profile of SBRA: model and partner for MBB

Brussels - world capital of lobbying With over

3,000 organisations and 16,500 resident lobbyists Brussels surpassed Washington.

Lobbying - a relatively new profession in Europe - still regarded suspiciously, but already academic subject.

Since mid-1980s EU reached stage of Single Market and about 80% of economic legislation is adopted in Brussels. Positive function gradually accepted, codification and Transparency Directive.

Structure of Lobbying Organisations European professional associations, national federations 1.200

Corporations Legal firms Consultants specialized on EU matters Regional and city representation offices 500 200 150 300 Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) Trade union associations Research centres and institutes TOTAL 750 20 50 +/- 3.000

Employed 5.000

2.000

2.300

1.300

1.500

4.000

100 300 +/- 16.500

Functions of Modern Lobbyists

•

Besides directly influencing legislators perform numerous lobbyists “supporting” activities:

• • • • •

Gathering, evaluating, interpreting and disseminating relevant information and documents; Briefing and educating clients; Consulting clients; Networking and media management; Providing logistical support .

•

Difference between traditional and modern , professional lobbying is in analytical approach scientifically based communication . and

Lobbyists from Western Balkans

•

Already present in good number – out of 46 offices from 12 new members and 5 countries of ex-YU - 11 lobbying offices established:

• • •

6 from Croatia 3 from Serbia 1 from Montenegro

•

1 from Bosnia-Herzegovina

•

Though with limited staff (mostly 1-2 people) and various intensity of activities, these lobbyists play an important role in preparing their stakeholders for Accession to EU.

•

They also support building the “European image” of their respective countries in EU institutions and member states.

Macedonian Brussels Bureau - MBB

ECPD Regional Institute for Development Studies in Skopje proposed the creation of a PPP type lobbying office to jointly represent interests of Macedonian business, research, and local communities . The initiative has received a very strong, positive response , including the Government, Macedonian Economic Chamber, City of Skopje, Komercijalna banka, University of Skopje, Alkaloid, and others.

Feasibility Study months proposed MBB to be established in a few and start servicing its members with the support of Slovenian Business & Research Association (SBRA) with 9 years of successful experience in Brussels.

outsourcing

MBB Membership Benefits

      

Information, support and guidance to EU funding (Community Programmes and initiatives, IPA); An independent source of information on EU legislation and its actual implementation; a lobby in Brussels to intervene in EU institutions; an office to represent them in relevant European associations; a networking and promotional platform a base for logistical support in Brussels; when visiting Brussels; a mechanism for »reverse lobbying« in Skopje related issues.

on EU-

MBB Membership rights and obligations

Membership Category Founding member Member A Category Member B Category Consultancy Hours per year 150 Votes in MBB Council 3 100 50 2 1 Annual Fee (in €) 30,000 20,000 10,000

SLOVENIAN BUSINESS AND RESEARCH ASSOCIATION (SBRA) - proposed partner to MBB -

Avenue Lloyd George 6 B-1000 Bruxelles Tel.: + 32 645 19 10 Fax: + 32 645 19 17 E-mail: [email protected]

www.sbra.be

SBRA membership

Established 12 maja 1999 as international non-profit association and registered in Belgium (aisbl, 17/6/1999)

FOUNDERS Economic Chamber of SLovenia University in Ljubljana University in Maribor Institute Jožef Stefan Cooperative union of Slovenia Finansial suppor by: Ministry of Higher Learning, Science and Technology Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food MEMBERS Krka d.d. Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry Nova ljubljanska banka d.d.

Riko, d.d.

Sava d.d.

Chamber of Craft and Enterpreneurship City of Ljubljana City of Novo mesto City of Maribor City of Nova Gorica City of Celje City of Ptuj Primorska university, Koper Faculty for Chemistry and Chemical Technology Istrabenz, d.d.

Alianta, d.o.

Graduate School for Design Korona Gea College Niko transport, d.d.

Perutnina Ptuj, d.d.

Nafta-Geoterm

SBRA’s Identity Card

Staff: 6 people Membership: 5 founders, 2 Category A, 20 Category B Membership fees: 50,000 and 25,000 EUR yearly Budget: 800,000 EUR Share of budget earned through EU projects: 20-25% Premises: 380 m2 Brussels-based Networks coordinated:  NIROC – Network of Interest Representation Offices from New Members and Candidate Countries   EREF – European Regional Economic Forum RIBN – Research, Innovation and Business Network for Central and South Eastern Europe