Representing interestsRepresenting interestsin the European decision-in the European decision-

making processmaking processThe recognised opportunityThe recognised opportunity

as the greatest competitive advantageas the greatest competitive advantage

Pricomm ConferencePricomm Conference

Budapest, 2006.10.06.Budapest, 2006.10.06.

Edit Herczog, MEPEdit Herczog, MEP

SummarySummary IntroductionIntroduction

– Opportunities and risksOpportunities and risks I. The codecision procedureI. The codecision procedure

– A. The principleA. The principle– B. The processB. The process

II. What message can be conveyed?II. What message can be conveyed?– A. How to prepare your messageA. How to prepare your message– B. How to communicate your interestsB. How to communicate your interests– C. Who wins?C. Who wins?– D. What convinces the decision maker?D. What convinces the decision maker?

ConclusionConclusion– Maximise your chancesMaximise your chances

IntroductionIntroduction

Insufficient Ambition

Low investmentHigh costs

Excessive optimism

Risky investmentUnder-estimated costs

Opportunities and risksOpportunities and risks

Recognition of opportunities

Calculationof risks

Dramaticdisadvantage

Investment: 0Maximal costs

Optimalcompetitive edge

Well planned investmentWell calculated costs:

High RONI

I. The codecision I. The codecision procedureprocedure

I.A. The principleI.A. The principle

Parliament

Council

Commission

Parliament

Council

Administration

Commission

I.B. The processI.B. The process

White/GreenPaper

ConsultationLobbying theCommission

LobbyingCouncil + EP

LobbyingCouncil + EP

Thoroughknowledge

TranspositionLegislativeProposal

I. Reading II. Reading

European Institutions:Preparation

Member States:

Implementation /

Enforcement

Timescale

When toenter theprocess?

Opportunities

Risks

I.C. The details:I.C. The details:Preparation phasePreparation phase

Draftlegislation

White Paper

Parliamentdebate

Green Paper /public

consultation

Realising theNeed for

legislationStakeholder

Government

MEP

Council

EP

StakeholderDirect participation !!!

Stakeholder

Follow the news from the Commission !!!

MEP EP

StakeholderDirect lobbying, where expectations and interests

of the stakeholders are taken into account

StakeholderImpact assessment

I.D. The details:I.D. The details:Legislative phaseLegislative phase

Council Parliament

1st

readin

g2nd

readin

g3rd

read

ing

Committee

Plenary

Amendment tabled by 1 MEPAdopted by simple majority

Amendment tabled by 37 MEPsAdopted by simple majority

Committee

Plenary

Amendment tabled by 1 MEP of the lead committee, adoption by simple majorityAmendment tabled by 37 MEPsAdopted by absolute majority

From here on, the EP can’t putForward anything new.

Expert levelpreparation

CommonPosition:Qualifiedmajority

(min. 13 govts)

Conciliation – smallest common denominator

The opportunitesfor stakeholders

to influencethe debate

graduallydecrease

II. What message can II. What message can be conveyed?be conveyed?

II.A. How to prepareII.A. How to prepareyour messageyour message

Stocks:

Gatheringspare parts~ 100 pcs

Research:Identifying indi-vidual stakesand interests

I. Working phase:

Building upcomponents10 pcs

Analysis: Ponderation,coordination

II. Working phase:

Assemblingthe whole1 pcs

Synthesis:United, concise and targetted position

Delivery:

Ready-to-useproduct

Drafting:Ready-to-lobbyposition paper

HERE COMESTHE MEP

II.B. How to communicateII.B. How to communicateyour interestyour interest

The European playing field

SituationIndividualinterests

Occasional agreements

CoordinationConverging

lines Common

vector

IN THE EU, INTERESTS HAVE TO BE

COMMUNICATED THIS WAY.

You have to know:Where you start from

Where you want to getHow much you can get

II.C. Who wins?II.C. Who wins?Start Finish

Who is RIGHT

Who is RIGHTand CONVINCING

Who is RIGHTCONVINCINGand has the MAJORITY

II.D. What convincesII.D. What convincesthe decision maker?the decision maker?

Like this?

After the decision, how doesthe politician want to be perceived?

Like this? Or like that?

ConclusionConclusion

Instead of individual requests, use all Instead of individual requests, use all channels:channels:

You MEP

Yourmayor

Your chamberof commerce

Your national MP

Your nationalfederation

Your Europeanfederation

Increase yourpoliticall weight

Maximise your chancesMaximise your chances

The press

S

To sum up: What’s a To sum up: What’s a lobbyist?lobbyist?

Cambridge Dictionary definition:Cambridge Dictionary definition:– someone who tries to persuade a politician or someone who tries to persuade a politician or

official group to do somethingofficial group to do something

Oxford Dictionary definition:Oxford Dictionary definition:– someonesomeone who tr who triesies to influence politicians on a to influence politicians on a

particular issue particular issue

Herczog definition:Herczog definition:– someone who is – and is recognised as – the someone who is – and is recognised as – the

best source of information and solution during best source of information and solution during the decision making process, with the aim of the decision making process, with the aim of achieving their own targets as well as the long achieving their own targets as well as the long term [European] strategiesterm [European] strategies

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention.attention.

Edit Herczog EditEdit Herczog EditMEPMEP

edit.herczog@europarl.europaedit.herczog@europarl.europa.eu.eu

Tel.:+32 228 47596Tel.:+32 228 47596www.herczogedit.huwww.herczogedit.hu