Lobbying in Brussels

Richard Tuffs Director ERRIN director@errin.eu 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 – 3 dimensions of power

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 Agenda-setting

Ideological

Activities

Who

Where

How

Timelines

Measuring success

6

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.

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

Protecting your interests Getting the right decision at the right time

The ugly…

The ugly… 2

Why lobby in Brussels

Widening power of EU In UK an estimated 13% of Acts and Statutory

Instruments have an EU influence, whereas that rises to 62% when EU regulations are included in addition to Acts and Statutory Instruments.

Single market 500,000 consumers 28 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 ?

EU Budget 2015

12

Funds from Europe

Who pays what?

Longterm lobbying

Lobbies in Brussels

800 Press Corps (second after Washington)

15,000-30,000 lobbyists

5,678 organisations on Transparency Register

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

Cohesion Policy 2014-2020

3,275,36 6,6

13,12 14,9617,5

53,3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1984-1987 1987-1991 1990-1994 1994-1998 1998-2002 2002-2006 2007-2013

€ Billion

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2014-2020

Research Framework Programme €79bn

Horizon 2020 consultation 2011

1303 responses via response to questionnaire

775 position papers

http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/index_en.cfm?pg=home

Consultation on Horizon 2020

European Innovation Council

Workshop on 13th April

80 participants – full house!

Good publicity!

European Innovation Council

1000 replies

170 positions

Problem: Navigating range

of initiatives

Problem: Lack of access to risk

finance

Consultation

Strong agreement to support disruptive innovation

Wide agreement that there are gaps in innovation support for above

Strong calls for EIC that would simplify and fill in gaps

EIC Possible Next Steps

Simplify access to H2020 Innovation Support

SME Instrument, prizes, continue Fast Track to Innovation and FET Open…

Strengthen support for disruptive market creating innovation

Open for any area

SME Instrument should be fully bottom up with improved business processes

Introduce external advice through a group of innovators (serial entrepreneurs, business angels, start ups, etc.) to advise the Commission

EIC ERRIN Possible Next Steps

Suggest a fourth leg to the EIC argumentation:

More focus on building capacity for regional and local place-based research and innovation ecosystems which include research infrastructure, innovation parks/campus, Living Labs, Fab Labs, maker movements, etc. which could possibly be linked to future Smart City calls, Capital of Innovation prize, urban agenda, Innovative Urban Actions, etc.

Possibly work with ENoLL for a joint event in September

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?

Understanding

Information

Intelligence

Briefings

Strategy

Tactics

Networking

Multi-player platforms

Return on investment

The Brussels Maze – This way to influence!

Lobbying: some key P’s

Power

Planning

Policy

People Partners

Position

Patience

Process Professional

Expertise

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

European platform against poverty

Digital Agenda

Innovation Union

Ten key points 1. Member States must invest more in education,

R&D, innovation and ICTs 2. Better value for money by tackling

fragmentation and linked national R&D research and innovation systems

3. Modernise all levels of education 4. Better mobility for researchers and innovators

and completion of the European Research Area 5. 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

Ten key points (part 2)

6. Get more innovation out of research with better cooperation between the worlds of business and science

7. 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

8. 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)

9. Exploit EU strengths in design and creativity and champion social and public sector innovation

10. 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 Inclusive

Competitiveness Environment Skills

Innovation Eco…5Rs Education

SMEs Climate change

Single market

Juncker Priorities 2014

1. A new boost for jobs, growth and investment

2. A connected digital single market

3. A resilient Energy Union with a forward-looking climate change policy

4. A deeper and fairer internal market with a strengthened industrial base

5. A deeper and fairer Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)

6. A reasonable and balanced free trade agreement with the United States

7. An area of Justice and Fundamental Rights based on mutual trust

8. Towards a new policy on migration

9. Europe as a stronger global actor

10. A Union of democratic change.

Planning: the importance of early warning

Draft legislation Decision of the Commission Council and EP readings

Effort Effort

Time

37

policy

political

Start early

policy

politics

Go low and go early Use ideas

Go strong and aim high Use door openers Negotiation… If… then…

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?

What we know What we don’t know

We know

Answered questions

We know that we 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 Like Intend

Minimum that we can accept

We would not say no

Success!

Example

It could be worse!

Example

Put back timing

Narrow scope

Example

Stop a proposal

Get direct wording in text

Power

Low interest High interest

Low influence

Monitoring 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

The Right Message

In The Right Format

To The Right People

At The Right Time

Who to lobby

MEPs

Commission

DG

Other DG

Other DG

Council

Perm Reps

CoR

&

ECOSOC

Other Networks/

Contacts

Other

Representations

Other

Regions

?

“Friends”

? ?

People:stakeholder analysis

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 2017 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

Lobbying and rhetoric

Ethos

Logos

Pathos

Ethos

Identify with your audience

‘Ich bin ein Berliner’

‘Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears’

Look the part…

Logos

Sounding reasonable

Make the audience anticipate the conclusion

Adjust argumentation to audience/context

Astronomer, Physicist and Mathematician cross the border to Scotland and see a black sheep Astronomer – all sheep in Scotland are black

Physicist – some sheep in Scotland are black

Mathematician – in one field, with at least one sheep, with at least one side which is black!

Pathos

Appealing to emotions

Fairtrade

Charities

Trump vs Clinton

BREXIT – I want my country back!

“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 – now updated

http://www.pacteurope.eu/the-new-practical-guide-to-the-eu-labyrinth/

“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 to The Art of Lobbying the EU: More Machiavelli in Brussels

“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

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/bibliotheque/briefing/2013/130558/LDM_BRI(2013)130558_REV1_EN.pdf

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Bibliography

for listening

3 rue du Luxembourg

B-1000 Brussels Tel +32 2 503 3554

director@errin.eu

Richard Tuffs Director

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