Our office in Brussels

cnt_text 1483 Why is Brussels so important for our customers?

Nowadays, around 80% of European economic legislation originates in Brussels. At a national level, governments are merely required to implement the European directives, and EU regulations are effective immediately. Once legislation has been approved by the EU, associations and companies have very little room left for maneuver at the national level when it comes to representing their own interests or expressing reservations. To ensure that it is possible to formulate concerns and have them factored into the legislative process, it is necessary to conduct a permanent constructive dialog with the relevant European institutions, such as the European Parliament and the European Commission.

Therefore it is essential for companies, associations and business organizations to have a presence and also be well networked at the European level. What is required is continuous active collaboration with the legislative institutions. This should involve not only commenting on suggestions, but also demonstrating a positive approach toward finding solutions that incorporate the goals of the institutions themselves. And this is precisely how a company or other economic operator can create genuine market chances and measurable competitive advantages for itself. A “fly-in, fly-out” approach is simply no longer adequate for the growing complexity of a Europe with 27 member states and specific national market situations, varying corporate philosophies and divergent interests.

Measurable benefits of a lasting active presence and participation in Brussels:

Playing an active role in shaping European legislation
Proactively introducing knowledge and expertise into the European thought and legislative processes. This increases the interest level, understanding and inclusion of legitimate interests in political considerations and decisions.

Reputation boosts for companies, associations and organizations
Enhanced positioning as an opinion leader in political and public discussions. This can help to increase awareness about the industry represented, with all the benefits this brings with it.

Cost avoidance through risk management
In Europe too there are some battles that just cannot be won. In these situations, the most important thing is to recognize coming changes and negative draft legislation and, if they cannot be stopped, then at least to reduce their impact by introducing compromises.

Utilizing market chances and competitive advantages
Having a permanent and active presence in Brussels makes it possible to take the initiative and influence issues even before the start of consultations and other legislative processes. This opens up chances to exert an active influence – to the economic benefit of a company or association.

EU subsidies and positive spillover effects
Taking part in subsidized EU projects offers companies a unique chance to generate significant financial support. One important aspect of a successful participation comes in the form of positive spillover effects. Companies have a great opportunity to establish themselves as responsible and innovative players within Europe.


What kinds of consultancy services can we offer our customers in Brussels?

Deal campaigning is a communications discipline with which companies and economic operators can achieve and retain opinion leadership during complex and critical phases. In Brussels we pool crucial competencies from the area of public affairs with targeted strategic communications related to Europe.

Your own EU office: always there, at the heart of it
Your own liaison office as a base for continually cultivating and consolidating relationships with the European institutes and agencies.
• Regularly updated “Who’s Who”: who is making which decisions? What is the current state of our concerns?
• EU people management: establishment and long-term support of a tailored network with the partners who are important for you.
• Regular meetings and discussions with opinion leaders and decision-makers from the European Parliament, the Commission and Council as well as the advisory bodies.

Political audit & analysis: your made-to-measure concept for Europe
Identification of EU-relevant subject areas for your company, association or organization.
• Alignment of your company’s or organization’s action areas, product portfolios and interests with regard to existing legislation and policy plans.
• Development of a political SWOT analysis.
• Identification of reference groups and development of a “friends and foes” matrix.
• Definition of required action and drawing up of a road map for successfully protecting your interests.

EU monitoring & early warning: always well informed
Monitoring of EU publications and processes, discussions in important think tanks, the activities of opinion leaders, NGOs, industry and economy as well as the press regarding predefined issues.
• Reliable early-warning system, the moment critical content or issues arise.
• Sounding out of the European environment, pooling of key information and tailored preparation.

European issue management: focusing on key issues
Development of a clear picture of “how Brussels thinks” to help you increase the efficiency of your active monitoring and facilitate the successful promotion of concerns you have identified.
• Working out and presenting companies’ and organizations’ key concerns to the institutions.
• Prioritization and coordination: which subject areas could be better introduced via professional associations?
• Detailed analyses: what is the position of the Commission, the member states and the Parliament regarding this specific concern?
• Friends and foes: which players are interested in this issue? What are their positions? Where are the majorities?

Strategic political lobbying & advocacy: positioning as opinion leader
Efficient communication and putting across your specific interests.
• Detailed analyses and continuous updating of positions and scenarios of all players involved in the process as well as the expected timings.
• Development of an efficient and target-oriented strategy for pushing through the identified concerns.
• Inclusion of all key contacts at a functional and political level in the European Parliament, the Commission and the representations of the member states as well as other involved institutions and agencies.
• Prioritization (timetabling) and coordination of the strategy with the current process.
• Development of tailored position papers suitable for the European forum by adapting them to include the needs of various contacts and to allow for the progress of the procedure.
• Coordination of all involved players as well as securing broad-based support by building alliances.

European trade issues: these too require successful political accompaniment
Tailored political support of trade processes involving the political and economic interests of all relevant decision-makers and economic operators.
• Reinforcement of the legal argumentation by utilizing targeted political intervention and communicative support.
• Focused approaches to and synchronizing communication with important political decision-makers and committees.
• Inclusion of opinion leaders, NGOs and the general public in communications activities.

Funding & procurement: acquiring interesting EU resources
Targeted identification of interesting business opportunities – comprehensive project support. This includes sounding out possible funding programs, support during the application process and contractual negotiations right up to dissemination and marketing.
• Continual screening and evaluation of European funding opportunities.
• Support during the preparation and submission of projects and in the search for suitable project partners – this significantly increases the chances of success.
• Support during contract negotiations to ensure optimal positioning throughout the entire project.
• Help with the dissemination and marketing of projects to the institutions, industry and interested third parties.

Alliance campaigning: optimum pooling of interests
Creation and maintenance of strategic alliances to optimally promote your interests.
• Cross-national alliances: forming alliances with the European member states to create majorities for EU Council decisions.
• Multilevel alliances: initiating, pooling and coordinating alliances to effectively promote the identified interests of companies, NGOs, national and international associations, etc.
• Party alliances: development and support of interparty coalitions in the European parliament to promote targeted concerns.
 
Deal campaigning: achieve and retain opinion leadership
Pooling and integration of various communications disciplines – such as public affairs, financial relations, and change communications – to successfully accompany the competition policy decisions of the European Commission.
• Reinforcement of the legal arguments by including European political interests as well as those of the individual member states.
• Communications support of deals from the preparation phase to implementation and beyond by addressing all key economic operators, such as investors, management, employees, the public, etc.
• Support for post-merger integrations by engendering acceptance for various corporate cultures and the decisions intrinsically linked to the deal.

Your contact in Brussels is Andrea van Arkel.