ROMANIAN ORGANISATIONS ACTIVE IN PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY

Here below are the key stakeholders involved in Public Policy Advocacy matters and related areas in Romania.

1. Romanian Lobby Registry Association (RLRA)

The Romanian Lobbying Registry Association (RLRA) was founded in June 2010 with the purpose of contributing to the popularization and promotion of the lobby activity, viewed as a multidisciplinary activity, which requires juridical, economical, sociological and communication knowledge. RLRA has elaborated and adopted common principles and values for its members as well as a code of ethics which governs the lobby activity.

RLRA encourages all the organizations and persons that represent interest groups in front of public authorities to adhere to the Association. Non-governmental organizations, professional associations, think-tank organizations, lawyers, lobby and public affairs agencies are also welcome to participate in the Association. RLRA believes in transparency through a self-regulatory system. The Registry is organized based on the model of the EU Transparency Register. Registration is independent to the quality of member of the Association. However, the registration is mandatory for the members of the Association.

Current members (8): BDR Associates, Chelgate Romania, Grayling Romania, Links Associates, Maldon & Wat, McGuireWooods, Point Public Affairs, Serban and Musneci Associates. Observers: Candole Partners, Moderator, Asociatia “Pro-Vita”

2. Academy of Advocacy

The mission of the Advocacy Academy is to influence public policy on behalf of civil society. The academy was formed in 2002 by five business organizations as an experimental pilot project for Eastern and Central Europe with technical assistance and financial support from the Center for International Private Enterprise. The Advocacy Academy introduces innovative instruments for participative democracy, an essential factor for catalyzing institutional reforms in Romania. It facilitates public consultations, advocates the interests of the Romanian private sector and larger civil society, promotes transparency in public decisions and open access to public information, and develops and conducts advocacy training programs. It has established a Masters Program in Public Politics and Advocacy in cooperation with West University of Timişoara.

The Academy formed a Coalition called Coalition 52 to improve dialog and a transparency law for public consultations organized by public officials. In June 2013, the Academy formed a so-called ‘Corpul Profesionistilor in Lobby’   Body of Professional Lobbyists. 383 Specialists, representatives of employers' associations, trade unions, NGOs, chambers of commerce and associations of SMEs, have been certified under the project "Strategic Partner Active and Involved. The purpose of the Association is to maintain and promote high professional standard as well techniques of transparent public decisions and good practices.

3. Centre for Advanced Research in Management and Applied Ethics (CARMAE))

The main aim of CARMAE is to contribute significantly to the advancement of the two areas of interest, namely organizational management and ethics in organizations, professions and society. Therefore, the Centre coordinates fundamental and applied research projects with immediate impact on the organizational, professional and social environment. The Centre also organizes conferences (Bucharest Conference in Applied Ethics ; European Media Ethics Congress, edits the "European Journal of Applied Ethics”  and "Responsibility. A Journal of Social Responsibility, Ethics, and Sustainability ", and offers consulting and training services for public institutions, professional organizations and NGOs.
 

4. Centrul Roman De Politici Europene (CRPE)

The Romanian Center for European Policies (CRPE) was established in 2009 by a group of experts bound by shared objectives of supporting Romania’s role in Europe. The mission of CRPE is to promote Romania as an influential leader in the development of EU agendas and policies. Another objective is to advance the Europeanization processes in Romania and to promote the European citizenship by providing expertise in various fields by initiating and participating in public debates.

Areas of Expertise: EU Institutional Design, Democratization, Media Studies, Transparency and Accountability in Public Administration, Republic of Moldova, Educational Policies, Structural and Cohesion Funds, Project Management, Non-Profit Sector, Public Administration, Strategic Planning and Functional Review of Public Institutions, Social Entrepreneurship, European Regional Cooperation, Civil Society and Advocacy, EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, Energy Security, European Energy Policy, Democratization and Sustainable Development, Justice and Home Affairs, Regional Policy-Structural Funds, Enlargement, European Law, Consular and Diplomatic Law, European Politics and Institutions, Europeanization and Democratization Process in Central and Eastern Europe, Bilateral Relations between Republic of Moldova and Romania.

 5. Expert Forum Romania (EFOR)

Expert Forum (EFOR) is a think tank, set up in June 2011 by four well-known experts in public policy and public governance reform. The main sectors covered by the organization are: administration reform and public sector integrity; decentralization, regional development, public finance; justice and anticorruption reform; social policy and pensions; energy and transport; healthcare. Expert Forum members have been involved in the most important evaluations of institutional reforms in the public administration and have analyzed the policy process in recent years in Romania and neighboring countries (particularly in the Western Balkans and Moldova), in collaboration with the European Commission, Council of Europe, World Bank and United Nations Development Programme. Since its beginnings EFOR has set as an important goal for itself to forge partnerships with the business community in order to fight together for a cleaner and more responsible government, transparency in public budgets and a more open and predictable policy process. The organization works with private businesses or business associations for policy analysis in taxation and public budgets, public healthcare, pensions, energy policy and taxation etc. The think tank has obtained support from international donors as a project leader to promote transparency and good governance in Romania and the region (Croatia, Serbia, Moldova, and from 2013 also Bulgaria) to monitor the proper, transparent use of public budgets. Expert Forum is also part of the Open Government Partnership) initiative to assist governments for enhanced transparency on information and public decisions. EFOR experts are frequently asked by the Government to participate in working groups for strategies and legal drafts. At EU level, the president of EFOR Sorin Ioniță is member of the European Economic and Social Committee, whereas Laura Ștefan, anti-corruption expert, is member of the 17 experts commission that monitors EU member states on anti-corruption policies and transparency.