Inside the lobbying world of Brussels
By Cédric Pierre-Louis on Thursday 10 September 2009, 23:07 - Society & Politics - Permalink
Since the beginning of may 2009, I have been a lucky intern in a consultancy
cabinet - EURODOM - located in Brussels and focused on european affairs. Our
main activity is to defend the economic interests of the European outermost
regions, mainly the French ones (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyane, Réunion,
etc.). Working in this area is very exciting but also very compelling. Most of
the time, you work on macroeconomic issues and deal with politicians or high
level experts. In the European affairs microcosm, there are few vacancies but
many applicants... Indeed, I met a lot of overqualified and high skilled people
who are looking for a job - since months - in the european affairs field.
That's the reason why I feel very lucky to do my trainee period in this
area.
Moreover, lobbying is a controversial activity which triggers many fantasies. Some are over-exaggerated and other are quite true. However, it is something more natural and transparent than people think. In Brussels, which is the second most important city in terms of lobbying (behind Washington), most European affairs cabinet are registred in a special register for transparency purpose.
Every sectors, NGO, european regions, EU member states, significant associations, etc. are represented in Brussels. From the NGO, Human Rights Watch to the Pharmaceutical firm, Sanofi-aventis, "everyone" can lobby for their interests or defend their cause. People used to think that Lobbyists make laws. In fact, the main important role of the 15000 people who work in the Lobbying industry in Brussels consist in informing politicians (european deputees, Commissaries) and european civil servants about technical aspects, they are not able to understand properly.
After all, politicians are those who make the decision and only them. Before implementing any measure, they have to weigh up the pros and cons, and never forget that they work for common interest. It can happen that some amendments could be directly inspired or wrote by a lobby but it is more an exception than a rule. Anyway, lobbying is as old as politics itself. The good question is how to make it more transparent, better regulated and more fair between those who have money and those who don't.