1. Whatis good Lobbying – Lobbying Guide
  2. Functioning of the EU (Commission, Council and the Parliament)
  3. Contact persons in the Commission and in Parliament - target groups
  1. What is Good Lobbying

Key to effective lobbying is :

  • Understanding of the broad political context and the EU’s agenda
  • The win/win potential or in other words how can CEOC International bring something to the targeted audience (e.g. Commission, MEPs, ….) likely to make the person more responsive to CEOC International’s arguments;
  • Provision of in-depth, specialised, targeted, credible, coherent and balanced information (people are busy and wish simple, credible and understandable information);
  • Be timely and objective;
  • Written briefings and emails followed by meetings;
  • Provide the right information to the right person at the right time.

Lobbying Guide

  • Define the message including facts and figures
  • Aim at adding value for the target group (knowledge, understanding, profiling …)
  • Identify and define “who does what” among CEOC’s members regarding the preparation of the position paper and its communication;
  • Define national level lobbying steps (it is always useful because of the decision making process that gives a key decision making power to Member States)
  • Consultation of CEOC members: Fast track procedure as often as necessary so as to ensure in-time positioning
  • Follow-up of issues : according to case, call, meeting, etc.
  • Identify allies and opponents and if relevant build alliances with sister organisations (e.g. EA, ANEC, CEN etc.)
  • Willingness to compromise (better some advantages than nothing!) although sometimes it is necessary to say “no”
  1. Functioning of EU

The co-decision procedure is the procedure now used for most EU law-making. In the codecision procedure, Parliament does not merely give its opinion: it shares legislative power equally with the Council. If Council and Parliament cannot agree on a piece of proposed legislation, it is put before a conciliation committee, composed of equal numbers of Council and Parliament representatives. Once this committee has reached an agreement, the text is sent once again to Parliament and the Council so that they can finally adopt it as law.

In brief the co-decision procedure works as follows:

  • European Commission prepares a proposal
  • European Commission adopts a proposal (College of Commissioners)
  • First reading by the Parliament that delivers an opinion(the opinion is prepared by a rapporteur, discussed in the relevant committee, then debated in plenary session where it is adopted by a simple majority)
  • If the EP approves the text without amendment the act can be adopted;
  • The Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee are consulted where the Treaty so provides
  • The Commission reflects the EP’s proposed amendments (some) in an amended proposal
  • First reading by the Council after preparatory work within working parties made up of experts of the MS. The position is based on the Commission’s proposal, amended where necessary in view of the EP’s first reading;
  • if the Council, accepts the Commission’s proposal which the EP has not amended, the act can be adopted;
  • If the Council accepts the EP’s amendments incorporated in the Commission’s revised text, the act can be adopted
  • In all other cases the Council adopts a common position;
  • In case of proposed amendments in the first reading, the Commission prepares a Communication on the common position presenting why it supports or rejects the common position;
  • EP Second reading : the EP has 3 months to take action
  • The EP can adopt the common position or take no decision then the act is adopted in accordance with the common position
  • The EP can reject the common position by an absolute majority in which case the Parliament works on amendments;
  • amendments must include amendments adopted at first reading and not accepted by the Council or relate to a new part of the proposal (compared to the initial text); the work takes place in committees and the plenary makes its position known on the basis of the amendments adopted in committees + amendments proposed in plenary by at least 37 members and adoption takes place by absolute majority;
  • If the EP proposes amendments to the common position, the Commission expresses its opinion on the amendments and the Council goes through a second reading;
  • Council’s second reading
  • If the Council aggress with all amendments of the EP the act will be adopted in the form of the common position thus amended
  • If the Council does not approve the amendments to the common position within 3 months, the Conciliation Committee is convened within 6 (max. 8) weeks
  • Conciliation Committee
  • brings together members of the Council and in equal number MEPs and Commission officials
  • the committee produces a joint text (compromise) by a qualified majority
  • The Parliament and the Council then adopt the act in accordance with the joint text
  • If the joint text is not approved by the latter the procedure is ended

  1. Target Groups

European Parliament

There are 730 MEPs so that an active lobbying of the Parliament needs to be organised by:

  • Committee
  • Political party
  • Privileged contacts

The key committees in which issues of concern to CEOC are likely to be discussed are:

  • IMCOInternal Market and Consumers Protection
  • ENVIEnvironment, Public Health and Food Safety
  • ITRE Industry, research and Energy
  • TRANTransport and Tourism

The key political parties are:

  • EPP (European People’s Party)266 MEPs
  • Socialists201 MEPs
  • Liberals89 MEPs
  • Greens42 + 41

It is essential to create special relationship with some MEPs who will progressively get to understanding certification and conformity assessment business and will be more likely to provide information and support amendments.

Besides these special contacts, key persons are:

  • The rapporteur
  • The shadow rapporteur
  • The head of political parties

European Commission

Best is to be informed at the very start of the drafting process, when the official starts reflecting on the future legislation. The aim for CEOC is for the coming years:

  • To be recognised as expert in a given field and as credible partner
  • To provide the partners with targeted and expert ifnroamtion
  • To be consulted by the institutions on issues of concern to CEOC
  • To be known as being the voice of the conformity assessment business

The key Directorate Generals in which issues of concern to CEOC are likely to be treated are with the corresponding Commissioner:

  • Internal Market and ServicesMr. McGreevy
  • EnvironmentMr. S. Dimas
  • Enterprise and IndustryMr. G. Verheugen
  • Energy Mr. A. Piebalgs
  • TransportMr. J. Barrot
  • Science and ResearchMr. J. Potocnik
  • Health and Consumer ProtectionMr. M. Kyprianou
  • CompetitionMrs. N. Kroes

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President
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Environment
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Financial Programming and Budget
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