Japan and Europe are both democracies which not only share common values and interests, but also cooperate closely in international fora such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the G7 and G20. They are also accelerating negotiations for a strategic partnership agreement and a free trade deal which together promise to take their bilateral relationship to a new level.

Russian influence in the Member States’ parliaments, media and business as well as at the European Parliament is significant. Russia has found allies in Europe’s far-right (in some cases arguably far-left) parties, which fiercely oppose pan-nationalistic tendencies such as the EU and NATO. These parties are vocal supporters of Russia’s political system and claim that alliance with Russia would help them gain independence from the economic and political clutches of the European Union.

Article written by : Bruno Amoroso and Jesper Jespersen Roskilde University, Denmark.

The article has been edited.

While the U.S. is shifting its strategic focus to Asia (the “Asian Pivot”), China is rapidly intensifying its relations with Europe and appears to be filling the strategic gap left there by Washington. As Chinese investment in (and trade with) Europe grows, so does Beijing’s influence on EU politics.

The European Commission intends to take concrete measures in the Investment Plan, the Digital Single Market, the Energy Union, the European Agenda on Security, the European Agenda on Migration, the Capital Markets Union, the Action Plan for Fair and Efficient Corporate Taxation, the new Trade Strategy and its most recent proposals to deepen and strengthen the Economic and Monetary Union. The Work Programme sets out the key initiatives the European Commission will take in the next twelve months.

As the European Union has expanded and evolved, Brussels, its de facto capital, has emerged as one of the world’s major hubs for government relations professionals. Just as in Washington, D.C., the only city with more of them,  it is dominated by corporate lobbyists. Many of them come from EU member countries, but they aren’t alone. American interests and corporations are ever-present, with formidable influence even comparable to companies with direct ties to the EU.

The launch of the Pact for Innovation took place on 7 December 2015 during the Opening Ceremony of the 7th European Innovation Summit. The objective of the Pact for Innovation (INPACT) is to create a space for close collaboration between key stakeholders and the European Institutions. The collaboration is meant to result in concrete solutions addressing the pressing issue of multiple barriers preventing a strong and globally competitive innovation performance in Europe.

The temperature goal

The final draft of the Paris deal includes a temperature limit of “well below 2C”, and says there should be “efforts” to limit it to 1.5C. This is stronger than many countries had hoped just months previously, but falls short of the desires of many island and vulnerable nations, which had pushed for 1.5C as an absolute limit

Long-term goal

The value of relationships, and how to maintain them, can be taught, but some of what is needed for knowing how to build relationships perhaps cannot be because it is too much a part of an individual's personality. Perhaps more than anything, a lobbyist's/public policy advocate's market value, especially if they work for a private lobbying firm is their portfolio of relationships. They are retained by individuals, corporations and interest groups, often for significant amounts of money, because they have built relationships with powerful, influential individuals.

Lobbying/ublic Policy Advocacy is not only about being a trusted provider of information; it is also about formulating and delivering effective messages. Those who win political conflicts are the ones who do the best job at framing issues, presenting them to lawmakers and the public in ways that appear sensible and consistent with broadly held social values. As communities become ever more crowded with advocates, effective framing and messaging is an increasingly crucial skill to have.