AALEP's PPA Community of Practice has laid Ground Rules for being a Community Member:

Mission: The mission of AALEP’s Public Policy Advocacy (PPA) Community of Practice, hereafter referred to as the 'PPA Community of Practice' is to provide an environment for people working in the field of public policy advocacy (PPA) for the exchange of ideas, best practices, and business opportunities through a variety of learning, communication, and networking settings.

Generally speaking an expert is someone widely recognized as a reliable source of technique or skill whose faculty for judging or deciding rightly, justly, or wisely, is accorded authority and status by peers or the public in a specific well-distinguished domain. An expert, more generally is a person with extensive knowledge or ability based on research, experience, or occupation in a particular area of study. Experts are called in for advice on their respective subject, but they do not always agree on the particulars of a field of study.

Over the years, the European Union’s relationship with Ukraine has been undermined by a split on both sides. On the European side, some wanted a reform-minded, western leaning Ukraine, either as a good thing in itself, or in order to eventually transform or at least contain Russia. Others, meanwhile, were less interested in Ukraine and might even have been secretly relieved to see Ukraine stagnate because it kept the thorny question of enlargement off the table. On the Ukrainian side, some saw their future lying in Europe, while others wanted to move closer to Russia.

Founded 10 years ago, Cambre Associates has pioneered an integrated approach to public relations and public affairs, based on best practice and in-depth knowledge of PR and PA landscapes in Brussels and internationally.

Cambre Associates is part of the independent (SEC Group) with offices in Brussels, Madrid and across Italy, as well as a network of partners in the key EU member states and beyond.

European Offices

Ketchum is a global public relations firm, offering marketing, branding, and corporate communications services, health care, food and nutrition and technology. Ketchum is a member of Omnicom Group and the global network includes more than 100 offices and affiliates in EMEA, the Americas and Asia Pacific healthcare, food and nutrition, and technology.

Founded in 1981, Grayling is a leading global Public Relations, Digital Marketing, Government Relations, Investor Relations and Events firm. Grayling has more than 1000 staff in 54 offices across the US, Western and Eastern Europe the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. It is a subsidiary of Huntsworth PLC.

Research by The Daily Telegraph has established that Lady Ashton, who finishes her job as High Representative of Foreign Affairs in October this year, will be paid € 162, 349 a year, 55 per cent of her basic salary, until the end of 2017.

All members of the European Parliament are paid the same amount every month from the EU budget.

Salary: The salary is € 7,956.87 per month with a mild EU tax bringing it down to around € 6.200,72. MEPs leaving the Parliament after 3 years membership may have an "end term" allowance where the salary continue in up to 2 years.

There seems to be quite a consensus about the direction towards which the elections are going. Analysts all seem to agree that populists, eurosceptics and fringe parties are likely to gain an alarmingly high number of seats. Whatever the outcome of the European Parliament elections, it seems likely that the new European Parliament will have far more MEPs who are sceptical of the internal market.