Lobbying Success in the European Union


Book Description

Having information is key in most political decisions – for both decision-makers and societal actors. This is especially crucial in democratic countries where external stakeholders are invited to participate in decision-making processes. Assuming that every actor who gets involved in decision-making processes has a certain lobbying goal, we face a heterogeneous set of actors competing against each other to provide information to the decision-makers. This competition leads some stakeholders to be more successful in achieving their goals than others. Frames and the framing of information play an important role in such lobbying success. In this book, Daniel Rasch questions if and how information impacts lobbying success and shows how groups perform in three instances of European decision-making. He does so by combining findings from a qualitative content analysis with the results of a cross-case analysis using the quantified qualitative data. The new dataset contains a representative sample of over 200 position papers from EU level and national consultations, press releases and evidence from national stakeholders from Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Lobbying Success in the European Union effectively bridges research from interest mediation and framing studies and offers a new model about how to measure stakeholders’ success. This new and pragmatic approach to study lobbying success with a traceable and easy to use instrument can be used and adapted to any policy analysis and issue.




Lobbying in the European Union


Book Description

Thousands of lobbyists lobby decision-makers in Brussels every day, but little is known about their impact on policy. Lobbying in the European Union addresses this research gap and analyzes the conditions under which interest groups can successfully lobby the European institutions.




Lobbying in the European Union


Book Description

This book sheds new light on how lobbying works in the European Union. Drawing on the first-hand professional experience of lobbyists, policymakers, and corporate and institutional stakeholders, combined with a sound academic foundation, it offers insights into successful lobbying strategies, such as how alliances are formed by interest groups in Brussels. The authors present key case studies, e.g. on the shelved EU-US trade deal Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), lobbying scandals, and the role of specific interest groups and EU Think-Tanks. Furthermore, they highlight efforts to improve transparency and ethical standards in EU decision-making, while also underscoring the benefits of lobbying in the context of decision-making. Understanding the tools and techniques of effective lobbying, as well as the dynamics and trends in EU lobbying, will allow professionals involved in the lobbying process, such as policymakers and corporate and institutional stakeholders, to improve their performance and achieve better results when pursuing their respective interests.




Lobbying in the European Parliament


Book Description

This book explains when and how interest groups are influential in the European Parliament, which has become one of the most important lobbying venues in the EU. Yet we know little about the many ways in which interest groups and lobbyists influence parliamentary politics. The author offers insights on four key cases of lobbying, based on the analysis of EU documents, lobbying letters, and 150 interviews. She argues that lobbying success depends on a number of factors, most notably the degree of counter-lobbying, issue salience, and committee receptiveness. These factors are brought together in the framework of “Triple-I” - interests, issues, and institutions – to determine the success or failure of lobbying. This book will be of use to students and scholars interested in EU politics and governance, EU decision-making, and interest group politics, along with policy-makers and practitioners.




The Political Influence of Business in the European Union


Book Description

Many citizens, politicians, and political activists voice concern about the political influence of business in the European Union. But do business interests really pull the strings in Brussels? Contrary to expectations, this book shows that business interests are no more influential than other interests in shaping contemporary EU policies. Andreas Dür, David Marshall, and Patrick Bernhagen present an original argument that stresses the role of public actors in facilitating or impeding interest groups’ lobbying success. Novel data on a large number of legislative proposals on the EU’s agenda and three case studies present strong support for this argument. The Political Influence of Business in the European Union offers new insights into how lobbying success depends on the demand and supply of information, as well as new ideas on how to measure lobbying success. The book advances a fresh perspective on the question of business power and shows why business interests often lose in the policy struggle.




Lobbying the European Union


Book Description

Unique in bringing together contributions from academics and practitioners on the theme of strategic, intelligent modern lobbying this book provides a thorough and accessible discussion on key ideas pertinent to the pursuance of public affairs in the European Union. Combining innovative academic research with first-hand professional experience it offers the reader a combination of practical recommendations, case studies and academic theory to add new insights to interest group research and lobbying strategies. While focusing on the European Union the contributors acknowledge the multi-level dimension of EU decision-making and incorporate research on multi-level governance as well as lobbying by sub-national authorities. Through this they present a fuller picture of a subject that should appeal to students, academics and practitioners alike.




Lobbying the European Union


Book Description

It is universally accepted that there has been a huge growth in EU lobbying over the past few decades. There is now a dense EU interest group system. This entirely new volume, inspired by Mazey & Richardson's 1993 book Lobbying in the European Community, seeks to understand the role of interest groups in the policy process from agenda-setting to implementation. Specifically, the book is interested in observing how interest groups organise to influence the EU institutions and how they select different coalitions along the policy process and in different policy domains. In looking at 20 years of change, the book captures processes of institutional and actor learning, professionalisation of lobbying, and the possible emergence of a distinct EU public policy style. More specifically, from the actors' perspective, the editors are interested in assessing how the rise of direct lobbying and the emergence of fluid issue-based coalitions has changed the logic of collective action, and what is the potential impact of 'venue-shopping' on reputation and influence. From an institutional perspective, the contributors explore resource and legitimacy demands, and the practical impact of consultation processes on the emergence of a distinct EU lobbying relationship. It will be essential reading for academics and practitioners alike.




Brussels Versus the Beltway


Book Description

This book presents the first large-scale study of lobbying strategies and outcomes in the United States and the European Union, two of the most powerful political systems in the world. Every day, tens of thousands of lobbyists in Washington and Brussels are working to protect and promote their interests in the policymaking process. Policies emanating from these two spheres have global impacts—they set global standards, they influence global markets, and they determine global politics. Armed with extensive new data, Christine Mahoney challenges the conventional stereotypes that attribute any differences between the two systems to cultural ones—the American, a partisan and combative approach, and the European, a consensus-based one. Mahoney draws from 149 interviews involving 47 issues to detail how institutional structures, the nature of specific issues, and characteristics of the interest groups combine to determine decisions about how to approach a political fight, what arguments to use, and how to frame an issue. She looks at how lobbyists choose lobbying tactics, public relations strategies, and networking and coalition activities. Her analysis demonstrates that advocacy can be better understood when we study the lobbying of interest groups in their institutional and issue context. This book offers new insights into how the process of lobbying works on both sides of the Atlantic.




EU Lobbying: Empirical and Theoretical Studies


Book Description

EU Lobbying: Empirical and Theoretical studies offers an analysis of large empirical studies of interest group politics and Lobbying in Europe. Recognising the continued European economic integration, globalisation and the changing role of the state, it observs significant adaptations in interest mobilisation and strategic behavour. This book assesses the logic of collective and direct action, the logic of access and influence, the logic of venue-shopping and alliance building. It addresses specific issues such as: the emergence of elite pluralism in EU institutions, the pump priming of political action by EU institutions, and the growing political sophistication of private and public interests in Brussels. Through these issues the book explores how interest groups lobby different European institutions along the policy process and how the nature of policy dictates the style and level of lobbying. This book was previously published as a special issue of Jounal of European Public Policy




Lobbying in the new Europe


Book Description

The Treaty of Lisbon came into effect on 1 December 2009. It gives the EU a new primary law framework and has significantly enhanced its competence and importance, thereby causing a remarkable increase in the EU's influence. Certain changes in the voting procedures should be particularly significant for companies: alongside the double majority rule in Council decisions, under the Lisbon Treaty, only a majority is now required in many areas previously governed by the principle of unanimity. Foremost examples here are justice and internal affairs, foreign trade and agriculture. Persuading its own national government that its concerns are legitimate is, therefore, only of limited benefit to a company as individual Member States can easily be outvoted in Brussels. A strong position in the company's "home Member State" only can rapidly become an insignificant minority position. Nevertheless, European actions and procedures remain obscure and inaccessible for many company heads. Companies, for this reason, often fail to see many opportunities and chances which a deeper understanding of and a strong presence in the European capital can offer a business. It is not simply the underlying conditions for companies in one Member State which are at stake, but rather the conditions governing an internal market with around 500 million consumers. The need for effective and efficient lobbying has increased due to the recent renaissance of the State observed in the crisis: in the context of partial nationalisation, far-reaching regulation of entire sectors and a general increase in state control of company decisions, good channels of communication to legislative and executive decision-makers are more important than ever. The publication helps to guide companies through the intricacies of Brussels and offers an insight into the complex but diverse and interesting service of lobbying. It is designed as a practical tool especially for decision-makers and executives in companies. Numerous figures and tables illustrate the text. Main topics include the characteristics of lobbying at the European level, taking account of the changes brought about by the Treaty of Lisbon, the notion of a lobbyist's "practical tools" and finally suggestions for a company's strategic positioning vis-a-vis decision makers in the European legislature and executive.




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