Lobbying in Brussels Peter Linton Chairman, Europe BKSH The Worldwide Government Relations Division

1
Lobbying in BrusselsPeter LintonChairman,
Europe BKSHThe Worldwide Government Relations
Division of Burson-Marsteller

• Politikkongress 2004
• Berlin
• 30 November 2004

2
Lobbying in Brussels

• What do the lobbied think?
• The next five years key questions

3
What do the Lobbied Think?B-M/BKSH Sponsored
Research

• Research Goal
• To better understand the most effective ways to
  communicate with European Commission Officials
  and Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)
• Methodology
• 10 minute telephone interviews with 61 Commission
  officials with posts of sector head and above
  from a selection of 15 DGs, and members of 15
  Cabinets in the corresponding policy areas.
• 10 minute telephone interviews with 75 MEPs.

4
Perceived Effectiveness of Industry Lobbying
Efforts
European Commission
62
33
On a scale of 1 - 10, how would you rate the
effectiveness of industry lobbying efforts in
general?
Base All respondents
5
Perceived Effectiveness Lobbying Efforts MEPs
VS. Commission Officials
5
20
19
21
19
Commission Officials MEPs
21
62
62
19
16
15
33
37
11
3
5
7
1
5
7
On a scale of 1 - 10, how would you rate the
effectiveness of industry lobbying efforts in
general?
Base All respondents
6
Perceived Effectiveness Lobbying Efforts Cabinet
Members VS. Commission Officials
European Commission
73
58
20
37
Cabinets Members
Commission Officials
On a scale of 1 - 10, how would you rate the
effectiveness of industry lobbying efforts in
general?
Base All respondents
7
Perceived Effectiveness of Industry Lobbying by DG
European Commission
Trade Energy and Transport Budget Environment Heal
th Consumer Protection Competition Internal
Market Information Society Enterprise Education
and Culture Taxation and Customs Union Employment
Social Affairs Development Economic Financial
Affairs Agriculture
Average 6.0
On a scale of 1 - 10, how would you rate the
effectiveness of industry lobbying efforts in
general?
Base All respondents
8
Perceived Effectiveness of Sector Lobbying Efforts
European Commission
Chemical Energy Utilities / Public services IT /
Telecom Electrical Electronics Financial
services HC / Pharmaceutical Transport Consumer
goods / food / Drinks Retailing
Rate the following industries on how well you
perceive their lobbying efforts on a scale of 1
10, where 1 means very poor and 10 means
exceptionally good
Base All respondents
9
MEPs Perceptions of Effectiveness of Sector
Lobbying Effort
European Commission
Mean on 10-point scale
Biotech Food Chemical EE Cosmetics Retailing
Rate the following industries on how good they
are in their lobbying efforts on a scale of 1
10, where 1 means very poor and 10 means
exceptionally good
Base All respondents (n75)
10
Perceived Helpfulness of Industry and NGO
Representation
European Commission - Industry
8.0
7.0
6.8
6.5
6.4
6.2
6.2
6.0
5.6
5.6
5.6
5.4
4.8
4.5
4.4
Trade Energy Transport Enterprise Internal
market
Economic Financial affairs Education
Culture Environment Information society
Competition Development Taxation Customs
union Agriculture
Employment Social affairs Budget Health
Consumer protection
Rate the best way that industry information is
communicated to you, where 1 means it is not an
important way and 10 means very important
Base All respondents and respondents most
familiar with each respective industry.
11
Perceived Helpfulness of Industry and NGO
Representation
European Commission Industry NGO
8.0
7.0
7.0
6.8
6.6
6.5
6.4
6.2
6.2
6.0
6.0
6.0
5.7
5.6
5.6
5.6
5.5
5.4
5.0
5.0
4.8
4.6
4.5
4.4
4.4
4.2
4.0
3.8
3.0
3.0
Economic Financial affairs Education
Culture Environment Information society
Competition Development Taxation Customs
union Agriculture
Trade Energy Transport Enterprise Internal
market
Employment Social affairs Budget Health
Consumer protection
Rate the best way that industry information is
communicated to you where 1 means it is not an
important way and 10 means very important.
Base All respondents and respondents most
familiar with each respective industry.
12
Issues on Which NGOs Are Most Effective on
Lobbying
MEPs
of respondents
Which issues are NGOs most effective lobbying on?
Source Wirthlin - Europe, Survey of MEPs,
September - October 2001
13
Good Lobbyists (Commission View)

• Provide balanced views
• Target information
• Give practical solutions
• Mobilise other interest groups
• Dont waste time
• Work in partnership with officials
• React to requests
• Keep in touch
• Make timely interventions
• Lobby EU capitals as well as Brussels

14
Bad Lobbyists (Commission view)

• Lack understanding of what Commission can/cant
  do
• Dont compromise
• Make shallow arguments
• Intervene too late
• Bombard officials with E-mails
• Are aggressive
• Provide general information
• Are unfocused
• Rely on one-off contacts
• Make little personal contact

15
Characteristics of Effective Lobbying (MEP view)
Spontaneous comments
Source Wirthlin - Europe, Survey of MEPs,
September - October 2001
16
Characteristics of Ineffective Lobbying (MEP
view)
Spontaneous comments
They come in with most interesting information
and provide objective answers
They are very organised, send reports, arrange
meetings and arrange dinners With government
representatives
Why did you rate certain industry sectors lower?
Source Wirthlin - Europe, Survey of MEPs,
September - October 2001
17
Best Way of Communicating Information
European Commission
Written briefing material Meeting E-mail Site
visit Media Conference Phone
Rate the best way that industry information is
communicated to you where 1 means it is not an
important way and 10 means very important.
Base All respondents
18
Importance of Different Sources of Information
MEPs
My staff My colleagues My personal
research Industry representation Media NGO
representation
On a scale of 1 10 rank these sources of
information in the order in which they are most
helpful in providing what you need to make
informed decisions.
Base All respondents
19
Do Industry Trade Associations Lobby Better than
Individual Companies? (MEPs)
20
Perceived Importance of MEPs Lobbying Efforts
European Commission
Rate lobbying of your DG / Cabinet by MEPs in
terms of its importance where 1 is not at all
important and 10 means very important.
Base All respondents
21
In ConclusionLobbying the EU System

• Integral to EU legislative regulatory system
• Welcome if conducted in an ethical manner
• Effective if intelligent and professional
• Demands sustained effort
• Influence a function of interests represented

22
Representation of German Interests in the EU
System

•  Everybody is a foreigner in Brussels 
• German interests well represented and active
• Effectiveness strategy and performance
•  Networking  is the differentiating factor
• Trust is the essential personal asset

23
The next five years key questions

• Leadership?
• Commission Strong leader, weak college?
• DGs more influential
• Parliament More powerful vs Commission
  Council
• But more political, with no stable majority
• Council Logistical nightmare
• Power in Working Groups
• Presidency more significant

An increasingly political system with no
political centre
24
The Anatomy of EU Power
(Community Process)

Political benediction
European Commission
Heads of State Government
Council of (relevant) Ministers debate
Policy development
Policy concepts Policy communication
Research  Green Papers   Programmes
European Parliament
Policy communication
Opinions/own initiatives
Conclusions/ Recommendations Resolutions etc.
Work programmes
Legislative Process
Draft legislation Internal external consultation
Formal proposals (Commission monopoly)
Member State Expert groups
Proposed amendment
EP
Consultation
Commission
Menber State Management Consultative committees
Member States QMV Common Position
Implementation by Member Stares
Management Regulatory responsabilities
Much stronger veto
EP
Member States QMV Conciliation?