I am a lobbyist. I am very happy about it.

Due to lack of time, today's piece will be a little special. It has a more personal touch. I hope you appreciate it.

I had a full day. Not a terrible one: it was very enjoyable, despite being completely packed.

In fact, it was one of my most happy days at my current job. For the first time in my life, I assisted in person to a committee meeting at the European Parliament. For the very first time, I used a “lobbyist” badge to get in and sat in the room where the AFCO (Constitutional Affairs) held its meeting.

This was a grand day for me. To understand it, let me take you back to a year and a half ago.

In March 2021, I quit my administrative job at a European trade association. The job was nice and I was good at it. But it was not exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. So when 2021 turned, I decided I would leave and start my career over.

I was passionate - and still am - about EU politics. I thought: “why not do it as my full-time job, rather than as a hobby?”

I started training myself in EU energy policy. I followed online classes, read books, and wrote online pieces as a way to “train in public”…