Do you want to influence the next European Commission? Start today

Because Lobbying is a long game, Public Affairs professionals should not wait 2024 to lobby the Commission. It starts today.

Apr 11, 2023

Let’s advance to Summer 2024. The European elections gave a new European Parliament with different dynamics.

The President of the European Commission is about to be sworn in by the European heads of state. Whether Ursula von der Leyen is reinstalled in her role or not, the agenda of the Commission will be renewed. Public Affairs professionals will try to influence the institution to the interests they represent.

Consider two different lobbyists. Ted has come underprepared, and late. He tries to play the short game and influence the Commission when the political guidelines are discussed at the European Council.

Now consider Bill. Bill has been carefully crafting his message for the past year. He has data, evidence, and arguments to submit to the Commission. Bill plays the long game. Who do you think will have the greater influence?

Don’t bother lobbying with memes, though.

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Gather relevant data, evidence, solutions, and arguments

To data-collection process is a long one.

It will be a painful and difficult task to receive data from your partners, stakeholders, and clients. And an even longer one to craft a narrative and offer solutions that are evidence-backed and workable. So better start early.

If you can present new Commissioners with a set of evidence and solutions ready to go, you'll be considered a serious partner.

Influence the political debate ahead of the elections

Try to have your concerns at the top of the mind of voters and/or future MEPs.

You should campaign so that the ideas you defend are seen as a necessity by the citizens, the European stakeholders, and the Commission itself. If you do it well enough, the policies will align without much effort on your part.

Try to find relays in your field.

Work with your national relays and think tanks to support your campaign

This is a direct follow-up to the previous points.

You will want to reach out to the members of your industry, and your relays to member states. They can already lobby their national governments in favour of your ideas. When the Council starts working on its Strategic Agenda, the elements that your network put forward will directly feed into this roadmap.

Furthermore, national relays can amplify your campaign to European citizens and voters.

Develop your credibility

Be seen as a trusted advisor who’s able to provide sound ideas and solutions.

This is not something you can come up with overnight. You need to develop your skills, train your eye, collect data (see point 1) and make enlightened suggestions.

That’s on a personal level.

Renew your team now rather than later

People will need to be trained and get used to the files and topics your organisation advocates for.

Give your collaborators enough time to get used to it. Give them a year or six months to fit into the job you will ask them to perform. Train them and develop their skills. When the policies will pile up, you’ll be glad to have the people ready.

You don’t want to arrive in 2024 with a team too small for your objectives and where the people are underskilled. Training is time they could have spent working on policy files.

I hope that this piece was useful and motivating. I would love to hear what you think. Leave a comment below.