EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY EFFECTIVENESS

Internal Decision-Making

Efficient internal decision-making is a prerequisite to achieve favourable policy outcomes. Most associations are aware of the need for swift and efficient internal processes.

• Clear and coordinated communication strategy with adequate use of new media tools
• Realistic priortization and clarification of goals, tailoring the message, avoiding overkill contacts.
• An internal process that brings together all the expertise required without being a bureaucratic nightmare, and an efficient sign-off procedure are key.
• Decisions/positions should be clearly transparent and supported by all members.
• This is the result of good governance, trust and agreed processes, enabling the association to move forward with the engagement (delivery) strategy.

Internal Cohesion

• Communication on the goals
• Transparency with all members
• Having a committed Board
• Coordinated strategy with National Associations

If the process is not efficient key windows to influence the EU policy process may be missed. There is often tension between an Association Secretariat and its members. No efficient public policy advocacy will take place unless that is sorted out.

Timing

Timing is everything: Early preparation is key to success. You cannot wait for the Commission to come up with a proposal. You have to put down what your association wants ahead of time to have the most impact.

External Success Factors

• Unify forces and harness potential of membership support
• Solid understanding of EU politics (process and procedures)
• EU level expertise
• Solid awareness of key issues
• Good briefing materials
• Basing your position on facts
• Conveying clear messages
• Building coalitions with stakeholders with often affected associations
• Building coalitions with stakeholders beyond your sector
• Integrating traditional press and media relations
• Integrating digital elements and social media to public policy advocacy strategies

Measuring your public policy activities and objectives

• Being consulted on EU policies before they are drafted
• Achievement versus planned/agreed actions
• Reputation among high level decision-makers
• Return on Investment (ROI)
• Impact assessment of public policy advocacy through analysis of cost savings
• Impact assessment of public policy advocacy through analysis of additional revenues for your sector
• Increasing impact beyond the EU.

Exerting Influence 

European associations exist in all shapes and sizes, and their activities depend, at least in part, on their size and financial resources. For this reason associations tend to utilise direct lobbying, coalitions with companies and input of expert opinion to shape proposals and policy measures.

Associations use a variety of tools and mechanisms to exert influence over EU policies.

These include:

• Establishing key relationships and briefing policymakers: Associations see relationships with key policymakers as critical in shaping the policy agenda.  Associations consider it important  to hold one-on-one (or small group) private meetings to brief policymakers. The most effective way is to have one-on-one meetings and just explain what the issue is, highlighting the type of discussion that been held within the association's membership. It is useful for the policy makers to hear discussions associations have had internally, and then how they reached the position they got to. Informal relationship building (e.g. chat) is also considered important.
• Shaping the policy agenda at an early stage, including pushing new policy initiatives and agendas within the European Commission, Parliament:  Clearly, the most influential thing you can possibly do is be in at the start of saying to the Commission, ‘Look, we think you’ve got a policy gap here, we’d like you to do something about it and here’s some of our suggestions.’  In this manner, associations may seek to influence not just policy proposals but the policy agenda itself, before policy options are being considered. Laws that get passed have input from trade associations that’s their business, their main business; the Commission before it even makes a proposal runs a consultation phase and will engage with associations, so it’s institutionalised. Then it’s up to the associations how much they engage during the negotiations themselves.
• Utilising companies and other stakeholders to drive messages home: Another mechanism for exerting influence is the use of association’s member companies for example, through organising meetings and dinners between CEOs of large companies, and EU Commissioners. Or the association may go and meet MEPs with a small delegation of their members acting as lobbyists.
• Working with policymakers to swing votes and influence decisions: Associations are not always working solely to influence policymakers; sometimes they work alongside policymaker allies to advance particular policies. The closer to closing a legislative deal gets,  the more time intensive lobbying becomes.
• Press work, publishing open letters and adverts: Press work carried out by associations may be particularly high profile in the run-up to key decisions.  Press work is mostly directed to people that have an interest in the association’s work.
• Writing briefing papers and formal letters, and sharing information with policymakers and companies: Associations acknowledge the importance of putting together formal statements and position papers. Timing and the importance of policy items determines when formal position papers are formulated: There is no point in sending letters during the year just for fun, but really when it is near to a decision. Formal position papers and statements are developed alongside private meetings with policymakers.
• Events involving policymakers and technical policy experts: Events are quite effective because you give decision makers a platform to speak and you’re there as a captive audience for a couple of hours. Invitations to events like these are likely only to go to ‘insiders’ and such events are often held in the Parliament “behind closed doors”.
• Providing technical information and advice: Associations typically gain access through expert consultations, and advising the European Commission on technical policy matters. The further you get into the detail the more technical it gets, so the more opportunities to lobby. This type of  lobbying can take a variety of forms, from providing briefing papers to being an expert witness at hearings in the European Parliament. Trade associations can also commission and provide the evidence on which decisions are based. When policy-makers need to know something about an industry to actually design a policy then the industry is at its most effective as they know the information and the degree to which they can come across as credible and are be able to steer the direction of that policy for quite a long time.
• Trade associations may also benefit from the ‘revolving door’ between the public and private sector, which allows former trade association officials to be placed in policymaking bodies.