GR ASSOCIATIONS LANDSCAPE IN EUROPE

EU LEVEL

1. AALEP- Association of Accredited Public Policy Advocates to the European Union
2. EPACA- European Public Affairs Consultancies’ Association
3. PACE- Public Affairs Community of Europe
4. SEAP- Society of European Affairs Professionals

EU Member States

1. Austria- Austrian Public Affairs Association (OePAV)
2. Belgium
3. Bulgaria
4. Croatia- Hrvatsko Drustvo Lobista/Croatian Lobbyist Association
5. Cyprus
6. Czech Republic
7. Denmark
8. Estonia
9. Finland
10. France- Association Française des Conseils en Lobbying (AFCL)
11. Germany : degepol- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Politikberatung
12. Greece
13. Hungary
14. Ireland-Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII)
15. Italy
16. Latvia
17. Lithuania- National Lobbyists Association (passive/inoperative)
18. Luxembourg
19. Malta
20. Netherlands- Beroepsvereniging voor Public Affairs (BVPA)
21. Poland- Association of Professional Lobbyists in Poland (APLP)/Unilob
22. Portugal
23. Romania- The Romanian Lobby Registry Association (LRRA)
24. Slovakia
25. Slovenia- Association of Slovenian Lobbyists (ASL) passive/inoperative
26. Spain- Asociacion de Profesionales de las Relaciones Institucionales-APRI/ Institutional Relations Professionals Association (APRI)
27. Sweden
28. United Kingdom- Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC)

Non-EU

1. Albania
2. Bosnia and Herzegovina
3. FYR Macedonia- Macedonian Lobbying Centre (MLC)
4. Kosovo
5. Montenegro- Lobbying Society of Montenegro (passive)
6. Russia- National League of Government Relations Specialists of the Russian Federation/ GR League
7. Serbia- The Serbia Lobbyists Association
8. Switzerland: Swiss Public Affairs Society (SPAG-SSPA)
9. Turkey
10. Ukraine- Professional Lobbying and Advocacy Institute (PLAI)

Government Relations vs. Public Affairs

Government Relations (GR) and Public Affairs (PA) deal with how an organization interacts with the government, with governmental regulators, and the legislative and regulatory arms of government. The two functions often overlap and are often referred to as synonyms, but there are very minor differences.

Government relations (GR) helps an organization communicate with governmental publics. Government relations is often a more organization-to-government type of communication in which regulatory issues are discussed, communication directed to governmental representatives takes place, lobbying efforts directed at educating legislators are initiated, and so on.

Public affairs (PA) helps an organization interact with the government, legislators, interest groups, and the media. Public affairs is the external side of the function that deals more broadly with public policy issues of concern among constituents, activists, or groups who lobby the government on behalf of a certain perspective. Public policy issues are those with the potential of maturing into governmental legislation or regulation (international, federal, state, or local). A strategic issue is any type of issue that has the potential to impact the organization, how it does business, and how it interacts with and is regulated by the government.

Public Affairs are often issues of public concern that involve grassroots initiatives, meaning that everyday citizens organize and create a movement in favor of a certain issue or perspective. In that case, Public Affairs Specialists would work to resolve conflict or negotiate on behalf of an organization, working with these groups to create an inclusive solution to problems.

Public Affairs Specialists act as lobbyists on behalf of their organizations, and they interact with publics who are interested in lobbying the government for legislation regarding particular issues. Public Affairs Specialists might focus on a particular area of public policy, such as international trade agreements or exchange rates, security and terrorism, equitable wages and working conditions, the regulatory process, safely disposing of production by-products, and so on. The list of public policy issues with which an organization must contend is practically endless.

In some organizations, the Governmental Relations arm or Public Affairs unit is coupled with issues management. Issues Management and Public Affairs are extremely close in their responsibilities, goals, and activities. Both Issues Management and Public Affairs seek to facilitate interaction between organization and the government or governments with whom it must deal, and to incorporate and update organizational policy in accordance with governmental standards. However, Issues Management is the larger function because it deals not only with governmental and regulatory publics but also many other types of publics. The Governmental Relations or Public Affairs function is more narrowly focused on legislative, regulatory, and lobbying issues.

Public Affairs can be used in a corporate setting to interact on policy and legislation with the government, interest groups,and the media. An organization must also use Public Affairs to communicate about policy and procedures with investors, regulatory publics, employees, and internal publics, as well as communities and customers.