| Page 456 | Association of Accredited Public Policy Advocates to the European Union

NEW MEDIA AND PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY PRACTICE

Submitted by christian on Thu, 05/30/2013 - 12:58

New technologies are being developed and updated continuously and in themselves pose challenges for public policy advocates in terms of keeping abreast of not only what is available but also of what is being planned for release in the future. Conventional techniques of public policy advocacy are being undermined by the mobile nature of new media and this requires public policy advocates to rethink how they relate to publics (in the broader sense). New media technologies are having a revolutionary impact in the field and practice of public policy advocacy.

HOW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING TRADITIONAL PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY

Submitted by christian on Thu, 05/30/2013 - 10:17

The Internet has radically altered the lobbying arsenal. This was brought home with a vengeance in 2011 and 2012 in the United States by the failure of traditional lobbying strategies to win approval of the "Stop Online Piracy Act" (SOPA). In early 2011, by all normal standards, the odds were with passage of SOPA. The legislation had the backing of some of the most powerful companies and associations in Washington D.C. In addition, the measure had strong bipartisan support.

WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING CLEAN LOBBYING

Submitted by christian on Wed, 05/29/2013 - 19:09

Lobbying that respects the values and purposes of government institutions, lobbying that adheres to high ethical standards and that advances rather than undermines educated and ethical decision-making by legislators is the kind of lobbying that advances public good rather than lobbying calculated to exploit the principle of reciprocity. There are various aspects of the reciprocity rule: For example, a person can trigger a feeling of indebtedness by doing us an uninvited favor. Further a small initial favor can produce a sense of obligation to a substantially larger return favor.

THE CASE OF NONLAWYER LOBBYISTS EMPLOYED BY LAW FIRMS IN WASHINGTON D.C.

Submitted by christian on Wed, 05/29/2013 - 17:34

Many Washington lobbyists are lawyers, and many are not. Until recently, lobbyists who are lawyers, and nonlawyer lobbyists employed by lobbyists, have not had a clear answer to whether the D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct apply to their work. They had been left to wonder: "If one doesn't need to be a lawyer in order to be a lobbyist, can lobbying constitute the "practice of law" ? And if not, apart from such basic obligations as complying with lobbying laws and avoid deceptive conduct, do legal ethics rules have any bearing on what they do?"

THE CASE OF LAWYERS ACTING AS LOBBYISTS AT EU LEVEL

Submitted by christian on Tue, 05/28/2013 - 19:31

Law firms that provide lobbying services as well as the more traditional legal services have been reluctant to embrace transparency from the beginning, and most remain unregistered in the EU Transparency Register. Of those that have registered, many refrain from disclosing their lobby clients.

HIRING A LAWYER VERSUS A NON-LAWYER FOR PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY

Submitted by christian on Tue, 05/28/2013 - 16:36

When interested parties look for representation in the legislative and/or the executive branch, are they better served by individuals who are members of the bar, or such a credential a nice but not necessary extra? Some say having a lawyer makes all the difference, as legal training is crucial in successfully navigating the legislative and executive branches. Others say what matters is access to decision-makers, which has no particular connection to legal training.

PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY BEST PRACTICE IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Submitted by christian on Tue, 05/28/2013 - 10:39

Public Policy Advocates must be prepared to have everything they say placed on the record and keep their contribution timely and to the point.

10 Golden rules for Public Policy Advocacy in the European Parliament

FUNDAMENTALS OF LEGISLATIVE LOBBYING

Submitted by christian on Mon, 05/27/2013 - 19:42

Public Policy Advocacy is both an art and science. As an art it has a general set of fundamentals which when applied increase public policy advocacy quality.

THE EU IS STILL DIVIDED OVER TURKEY'S MEMBERSHIP

Submitted by christian on Mon, 05/27/2013 - 15:04

The EU presents itself as deeply divided over the issue of Turkey's membership of the Union. The respective positions of the member states are backed by a bundle of arguments concerning eventual political and economic problems and/or consequences of Turkish membership.

The "Pro" Camp

INFLUENCING POLITICAL OUTCOMES

Submitted by christian on Sun, 05/26/2013 - 18:39

Influencing political outcomes has many synonyms including educating lawmakers and providing helpful information. Public Policy Advocacy is about “educating,” “informing,” “advising”

Engaging solely with the government alone is not adequate. To maximize impact, you need advocacy programmes that engage other critical stakeholders including regulatory bodies, NGOs, press and think-tanks. Successful advocacy and political influence are built on careful strategy, drawing on the key disciplines of: