There is eldeom much advantage to be gained by those in government in talking frankly about those who petition them. The enormous diversity of experience, the broad range of issues, and the inherent uniqueness of so many situations often makes it difficult to articulate relevant generalities.

But there are some common complaints and observations by elected and non-elected officials that can enumerated: They include:

Public policy advocacy is about the approach; strategies and tactics employed by external interests to influence decisions of government, including the adoption, modification or rejection of specific policy options. A public policy advocate is usually concerned with how the idea or measure created by clients, employers, or colleagues might be most effectively promoted, advanced or sold to policy advisors and decision-makers in government.

The media often deals with the question of whether lobbying is acceptable or whether the lobby influence is too big and needs to be tackled by politicians. Many articles on the subject of lobbying in Brussels express the perception that it is the lobbyists who hold the real reins of power in Brussels, and that they exert undue influence over the institutions (dangerous liaisons between the EU institutions and industry). This perception of lobbying in Brussels as somehow controlling the European policy agenda is a perception that sadly is extremely widespread.

Five Pillars

First of all, we cannot continue to distinguish the 'good' lobbies of the public sector from the 'bad' lobbies in the private sector.

Secondly, today, much of the lobbying that affects Member States happens in Brussels. As a result interest groups need to have people both at home and in Brussels.

Thirdly, EU Member States have problems with their lobbying profession regardless of their political systems, languages, cultures and lobbying histories.

Paris will only be successful if governments have done their homework in advance of the meeting. The new agreement must be built on ambitious national action and it must accelerate the paradigm shift to a renewable energy future.

From a report submitted by Jean Pisani-Ferry to Emmanuel Macron, Minister for Energy, Industry and Digital Affairs

Transport infrastructure projects, including airport-related actions, are an important area of spending from the EU budget. The EU has spent over 4.5 billion euro on air transport related investments in the years 2000-2013 via the ERDF, the Cohesion Fund and the TEN-T programmes. Out of this sum 1.2 billion euro was spent on airport-related investment in technologies and multi-modal connections and 500 million on studies and smaller infrastructure works in airports in non-cohesion policy areas.

Based on a Report of the RAND Corporation Final Report (D7) 31st May 2013 (Prepared for the European Commission, DG Communications Networks, Content and Technology (CONNECT)

Definition

The Internet of Things builds out from today’s internet by creating a pervasive and self-organising network of connected, identifiable and addressable physical objects enabling application development in and across key vertical sectors through the use of embedded chips.

Brinkmanship is defined as the art or practice of pressing a dangerous situation to the limit of safety and peace in order to win an advantage from a threatening or tenacious foe.

The landslide victory of SYRIZA (Coalition of the Radical Left) in Greece's national elections is likely to have important consequences at the national and European level. The way this development is treated by European leaders will be influential on the future of the European Union.