It is a common practice for foreign governments to hire Brussels-based firms that specialize in strategic communications and policy to promote their interests in EU circles, away from the official diplomatic relationship run through their embassy.

In order for foreign countries, NGOs and corporations to have their issues heard and addressed by EU officials in a timely manner, they need to have an ally who can give them the knowledge, skills and support to take their advocacy to the next level.

Japanese influence at EU level takes place at various levels:

1. Mission of Japan to the European Union
2. JETRO Brussels Office
3. Japan Machinery Center for Trade and Investment (JMC) Brussels Office
4. Japan Business Council in Europe
5. Japan Center for International Finance (JCIF) Brussels Office
6. Japan Petroleum Energy Center (JPEC) Brussels Office
7. Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) European Office
8. EU-Japan Business Roundtable

 Topics pertinent to both the EU and Japan

Created in 1999, the Japan Business Council in Europe (JBCE) is a leading European organisation representing the interests of almost 70 multinational companies of Japanese parentage active in Europe.

Members operate across a wide range of sectors, including information and communication technology, electronics, chemicals, automotive, machinery, wholesale trade, precision instruments, pharmaceutical, railway, textiles and glass products. Together, member companies represented in 2012 global sales of 1.2 trillion euros.

The EU-Japan Business Round Table (BRT) was established in its current form in 1999 to foster communication between the Japanese and European industries. Since April 2014, it has been co-chaired by Fabrice Brégier (President & CEO, Airbus S.A.S.) and Kazuo Tsukuda (Senior Executive Adviser, MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, Ltd.). It meets annually, alternately in Japan and in Europe. The BRT's Members are senior executives from some 50 leading European and Japanese companies.

There is a growing realization in Beijing that China needs strong influence in Brussels. When it comes to international regulation and decision-making, there are three cities in the world that count: Washington, Beijing and Brussels. China and its businesses seek to protect and promote their interests in Europe.

From tracking rulings by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg to decisions on EU trade policy, Chinese officials and companies are watching closely, learning the EU's acronyms, jargon and working practices, and establishing how best to act.

Based on what is publicly reported, foreign governments spent millions in 2013 to develop relationships within the United States with members of Congress, federal agencies and even the media, according to an analysis from the Sunlight Foundation.

The data collected by the U.S. Department of Justice under FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) does not include “diplomatic contacts by members of a nation’s embassy.”

The Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) requires every agent representing a foreign principal to register with the U.S. Department of Justice and file disclosure forms outlining the purpose of representation, income and expenditures by the agent on behalf of the foreign principal. FARA requires only registration of foreign agents and disclosure of their activities. It does not attempt to restrict the behaviour or lobbying activities of foreign agents, but other statutes do.

Definitions

The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), initially known as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative and Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC), is an International/Diplomatic Organization with 20 Member States that includes:

In order to improve coordination and surveillance at the euro area-level, all euro area Member States submit by mid-October their draft budgetary plans containing a detailed presentation of the planned budget for the forthcoming year. The Commission examines and provides an opinion on each of the plans; in case of severe non-compliance of a plan with the obligations under Stability and Growth Pact, the Commission may request that a revised plan be submitted.

Lobbying regulations can promote different levels of transparency and accountability. In July 2012, Austria passed its first piece of legislation aimed at regulating the relationship between interest groups and public officeholders. The Austrian legislation of 2012 established a mandatory register and a formal set of rules including registration requirements, some spending disclosure requirements and sanctions for non-compliance.

The Austrian regulation presents the following characteristics: