Post on 23-Aug-2014
description
EU Lobbying Tips
Laura Vallance Claire Calder
Public Affairs Manager Policy Officer
Dogs Trust Eurogroup for Animals
Brussels
The Basics
How it works
• The European Council
• The European Commission (EC)
• The European Parliament (EP)
• The Council of the European Union
The European Parliament
• 766 MEPs
• 22 committees
• Next elections: May 22 -25 2014
• Seven political groups: EPP, S&D, ALDE, ECR, Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL, EFD, (+NI)
• Meets three weeks a month in Brussels and one week a month in Strasbourg for plenary sessions
How EP Influences
• Own-initiative reports
• Public hearings
• Questions to the European Commission and to the Council
• Intergroups (Animal Welfare)
Intergroup Animal Welfare
Lobbying MEPs
The EP, a key player in the EU decision making process
• The most approachable and democratic EU institution
• MEPs represent the will and concerns of the EU citizens
• Lobbyists are part of the system
Ways to Lobby
• Letters, emails etc
• Face to Face meetings
• Ongoing relationships
• Visits to Shelters
• PR & Social Media
Be Well Informed
• Master the content of your briefings
• Know your arguments
• Look for convincing answers to counter arguments
• Be able to say were further information can be found
• Propose to speak with experts if detailed knowledge is
required
Research the MEP
• Do your research on the MEP you are meeting
• Get general background information ( internet, media)
• Which are her/his committees, which delegations
• Which reports of other parliamentary activities
Useful Meeting Tips
Some small talk helps to create a
positive atmosphere
Give an overview about the issues you
want to present
Have a brief agenda prepared
Hand out the briefing or folder with
briefings to be used as reference when
needed
Use a clear and simple language
Ask questions to gather information
Take some notes and come back to
aspects of interest
Listen carefully to give precise
comments and replies when needed
Don’t interrupt
If the conversation is drifting away
from the initial purpose try politely to
come back to the point
Shortly summarise what has been
discussed
Get concrete commitments by asking
clearly but politely
Assure that you will provide additional
information if needed and requested
Always end on a positive
Do a picture and PR if appropriate
Follow up on the meeting
Obstacles to Effective Lobbying
• MEPs get hundreds of letters/emails
• MEP not interested in animal welfare
• Companion animal welfare is not a
competency of the EU
• Language barriers
Lobbying Success – Dogs Trust
• Alyn Smith MEP
• Appointed as lead negotiator on Animal
Health and Welfare Strategy in July
• No Previous Contact
• Wrote a letter of congratulations & invited
him to visit Glasgow rehoming centre
Lobbying Success
• Written Declaration tabled in EP on Dog Population
Management & Compulsory Identification
• Eurogroup, Dogs Trust and 2011 ICAWC delegates lobbied
MEPs asking them to support declaration
• 401 MEPs signed
• Commission forced to act
• Dogs & Cats included in EU Animal Welfare Strategy
European Elections - Get
Involved • European Election May 2014
• 124 million owned dogs and cats
• Lobby your candidates (even if its just 1)
• Speak to them about issues in your country
• Invite them to visit a shelter
• Ask them to sign Eurogroup pledge
• Ask political parties to put the following in their
manifesto’s
Animal Welfare - Key Points
• EU rules to improve the breeding and sale of
dogs and cats
• Compulsory identification & registration in an
appropriate database, linked to an EU
database
• Licencing of dog and cat breeders and
traders
For more information please
contact:
laura.vallance@dogstrust.org.uk
c.calder@eurogroupforanimals.org
Thank You