Source: Watson Helsby and Viapublic: www.watsonhelsby.co.uk

To read the full report: http://www.watsonhelsby.co.uk/insights-and-publications/getting-your-voice-heard-in-brussels

If you are trying to drive and shape the agenda, you need to have someone on the ground to make sure you are in the right discussions.

There are a number of factors that influence this decision. They are:

Every organization deserves to have its voice heard in Brussels whether it’s to shape current or pending legislation, protect existing or secure new funding, or simply build relationships that can facilitate the growth or viability of your entity. Unfortunately, doing this on your own requires a substantial commitment of time, energy, and resources, and pulls your  focus away from the daily operations of your organization.

Many foreign nations need to get a say at EU level and lobbyists can be helpful to countries that don’t have large embassies in particular. Smaller, poorer countries that have less European/International clout tend to be the ones most in need of external assistance in Brussels even if they are the nations that can least afford the expenditures.

1. Afghanistan (Belgium, Estonia, Latvia Lithuania)
2. Algeria (Belgium, Luxembourg)
3. Andorra (Belgium)
4. Angola (Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands)
5. Argentina (Belgium)
6. Armenia (Belgium)
7. Australia (Belgium, Luxembourg)
8. Azerbaïjan (Belgium, Luxembourg)
9. Bahamas (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom)
10. Bahrain (Belgium)
11. Bangladesh (Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland)
12. Barbados (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy)
13. Belarus (Belgium)
14. Belize (Belgium)

Index Description: The components help assess a CSO’s ability to research issues, the ability to track reaction to crucial events and decisions. Also crucial is the CSO’s ability to define its own position and to commit material and financial resources in order to organize information campaigns in the community, as well as working to influence political decisions.

Each of the index component should be rated on a scale, such as the following 5 point scale, where 1= none or very little capacity, 5= extensive or very strong capacity. Components of the index are the following:

The Institute was set up in 2015 as an independent body with the mission to scrutinise the evidence base for proposed and active legislation.  It provides impartial scientific and factual analysis on policy and legislative proposals, secondary legislation, amendments, active regulations, evaluations and other relevant policy studies.  The term "Impact Assessment" covers the entire policy process, from Inception Impact Assessments at the introduction of a new policy, through Ex-ante Impact Assessments accompanying policy/legislative proposals to Ex-post Impact Assessments for evaluations.

The  mutual benefits of EU-Russia energy cooperation and cross-border energy investments are undeniable. It is important to reflect on the creation of institutional structures that would enable the EU and Russia to rebuild trust by working together in a field of common strategic interest. The establishment of an EU-Russian energy agreement could serve to overcome the current misunderstandings that exist between the EU and Russia in respect of the interpretation and application of the main concepts of energy law.

Based on Potential Benefit

Winners

1. Estonia
2. Denmark
3. Portugal
4. Germany
5. Italy
6. Lithuania
7. Netherlands
8. Spain
9. United Kingdom
10. Finland
11. Ireland
12. Sweden
13. Belgium
14. Cyprus
15. Hungary
16. Slovakia

Losers

There are 129 nuclear power reactors (April 2016) in operation in the EU. Some reactors are being decommissioned, others are having their working lives extended, and several new units are planned or under construction. In addition to power reactors, a full range of fuel cycle plants (from enrichment to waste storage and recycling) are in operation in Europe. It is the responsibility of each EU Member State to decide on its preferred choice of energy mix. Currently 14 EU Member States out of 28 use nuclear energy for power generation.

FORATOM acts as the voice of the European nuclear industry in energy policy discussions with EU Institutions and other key stakeholders. It provides a bridge between its members and European policy-makers, thereby helping the industry to play a leading role in the policy debate