Public Policy Advocacy is an increasingly visible and influential feature of every political system around the world, practised by tens of thousands of people. Most Public Policy Advocates are college graduates, and many have advanced degrees. Of these advanced degrees, the most prevalent is legal training, with other common backgrounds being communications, teaching, public relations and journalism.

The European Business Summit (EBS) is Europe's key meeting place for business leaders and decision makers. Every year, the EBS attracts more than 2,000 participants from over 60 countries, European Commissioners, Prime Ministers, high-level officials and about 200 journalists.

The theme of the 2013 summit is "Unlocking Industrial Opportunities- An EU Strategy for Competitiveness". This deals with the challenge of re-industrialisation of Europe and the promotion of competitiveness through innovation.

Today, the CE marking only signals that all essential requirements have been fulfilled when the product was manufactured. The CE marking is not a mark of origin, as it does not indicate that the product was manufactured in the European Union. Consequently, a product affixed with the CE marking may have been produced anywhere in the world. Given the crisis that the EU is going through, it may be worthwhile to restate the advantages that could be gained by having an EU origin marking scheme.

The interaction of the elements of ADVOCACY, LOBBYING and CAMPAIGNING when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements. Public Policy Advocacy focuses on providing a comprehensive integrated system bringing the components of ADVOCACY, LOBBYING and CAMPAIGNING into one system and ensuring that they function together as a system.

ADVOCACY

"Advocacy means to give a voice to people. It is a system of actions aimed at changing attitudes, policies and practices."

Author: Mr. Emmanouil Patavos, Public Affairs Professional- Article published 2012 and reposted here

" The 'Brussels bubble' is expanding rapidly. Not in the literal sense, the physical borders circling Brussels remain steadfast. However, the actors and activities which define the essence of the 'Brussels bubble' have started to become more prevalent on line.

In France 'Lobbying' is a catch-all term that is applied across the board to private interests, corporate interests, NGOs interests and Member States' interests. In addition, the French have come up with the term COMMUNICATION D'INFLUENCE (Influence Communication).

Influence communication designates a set of processes aiming to arouse, bring about, legitimate or prevent public decisions with the object of promoting or defending the commercial or ideological interests of an organization by using as prime action lever the influence of public opinion.

"Advocacy" is a word that is widely used in public discourse, research and policy. Journalists, activists, academics, lawyers, government officials, non-profit managers, and others use the word differently in their profession. "Advocacy" describes a wide range of individual and collective expression or action on a cause, idea, or policy. It may also refer to specific activities or organizations. Sometimes a distinction is made between advocacy on behalf of others and grassroots advocacy or civic or political participation.

In its ‘Convention Europe April 2013’, the French Socialist Party advocates a European Regulatory Framework for all lobbies and the organisation of private interest groups, which they argue are based on money and influence, leaving consumer groups, communities and citizens often defenceless. “European institutions must be politically exemplary regarding transparency and independence. It is necessary to mobilize the institutions and citizens’ energies to create efficient counter powers and to take into consideration counter-expertise (second opinions).”

AALEP has launched a Speakers Bureau to meet the demand for speakers at conventions, national and international conferences, seminars, special events, local authorities, community groups, private sector businesses, embassies and representatives from foreign countries and governments, trade and professional associations, chambers of commerce, students at school, colleges and universities as well as for in-house training requirements.

The meaning of Advocacy varies greatly across Europe. These diverse interpretations can be explained in part by the various cultural, political, social, economic and legal contexts that make up Europe. Yet, there is some common meaning and vocabulary to define the scope of activities which are undertaken and supported in the name of Advocacy.