GAME CHANGER: THE CITIZEN LOBBYIST

Despite the legal instruments put in place by EU institutions to ensure the active participation of EU citizens, including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and organized groups of citizens, there many barriers preventing their active involvement. This is due mainly to the complexity of procedure involved in taking action. The impression is that only well established CSOs based in Brussels have the capacity to use the instruments put in place by the EU institutions. In addition, there are no instruments to ensure the active participation of marginalised groups. This creates a sense of frustration and a lack of motivation among EU citizens for taking action.  

The European Commission attempts to engage civil society in policy formulation and implementation by inviting members of civil society to participate in organized committees and online consultations. However, there is still a long way to go to make political participation effective and legitimate. The idea of participatory democracy is increasingly becoming „cheap talk‟. Very few citizens actually participate in EU level politics except for highly educated academics. Not only, do ordinary citizens not have  uniquely substantial power over EU policy decisions, they have little or no independent influence on policy at all. By contrast, economic interests have a quite substantial, highly significant, impact on EU policy.

The Solution

Citizens need to act as a counterweight to the influence of large and politically well-connected business interests by lobbying as citizens: The objective should be to empower both citizens and NGOs to lobby for under-represented interests in the EU.

Before this can occur, however, there is a need for citizens

1. To get acquainted with advocacy concepts, to identify the core skills required for advocacy, and learn how to develop an advocacy strategy
2. To consider how advocacy can contribute to achieving their objectives
3. To understand some of the key tools and methods used in advocacy
4. To reflect on the role and influence of the EU and identify key institutions and individuals relevant to the interests and activities of CSOs.

It is imperative that citizens become more involved in, and have a better understanding of, the EU decision making process. Citizens must understand and actively consider the policy choices that are before society, if they are to help determine the course public officials pursue.

Citizens want to participate in the political process, if they feel they can make a difference-that their voices will be heard-that public officials are truly listening. The public will participate when they believe there is at least the possibility of creating and seeing change. They want public officials to be accountable.

In order for citizens to be involved in the policy formulation process, they must have a reason-an interest in politics, a concern regarding public issues, a sense that their actions will make a difference, a sense of civic responsibility. In addition to this psychological engagement in the political process, the availability of certain resources may have a profound effect on involvement. Resources which have the most effect are time, financial resources and civic skills .

Citizen participation in shaping and implementing public policies is a critical ingredient of participatory democracy. It is noteworthy that the underlying role of participatory democracy is not to replace representative democracy, but rather to supplement it and make it better functioning. To that end, citizen participation serves several important functions:

1. It provides an opportunity and creates conditions necessary for citizens to engage in political life regularly—and not only during elections.
2. It creates a framework for citizens to advocate for their legitimate interests and thus contributes to the development of a vibrant democratic society.
3. It makes the work of public authorities more transparent and closer to their constituencies.
4. It contributes to the quality of adopted public policy and its smooth implementation. If all stakeholders participate in the process, their legitimate interests will presumably be protected and the costs of implementation of such a policy will be reduced. Citizens are more inclined to embrace public policy if they have an opportunity to participate in the process of its shaping, even if their proposals are not favorably met.
5. It facilitates CSOs' watchdog role in the implementation of adopted policies.

As for CSOs, they play a twofold role in this process. On the one hand, CSOs are a suitable institutional tool, which facilitates citizen participation in public policy. They allow citizens to organize themselves and express and advocate for their legitimate interests more effectively—as well as making the entire process of participation more transparent. On the other hand, CSOs are also a legitimate party to this process—at least insofar as some of the human rights from which the right of citizen participation is derived are also extended to CSOs (e.g., freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of free access to information).