nEUrosis

Feeding the industry

May 18th, 2007 by Paolo Berrino

..especially with refreshing drinks!

I know I had promised to get a grip on myself and go back to talk about politics, but the Brussels’ working life is so appealing that I can’t help blabbing a bit more about it. So, after the post on the multi-faceted psyche of the intern-type, I would like to address the mono-mandatory goals of the lobbyists – also called “the bitches of the industry”.

That’s right, it is crucial not to confuse lobbies with the other organisations floating in the muddy waters of Brussels. As a dictionary puts it, the lobbyists are those who “conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation”. Usually, they are paid by the private sector to carry on these tasks. Thus one might find lobbies working to promote the interests of the industry of fruit juices, or various types of energy, or textiles, or metals. But never do their goals stem from a norm, such as the protection of Human Rights, or improving the quality of research in a specific field. Lobbies can be non-profit organisations, but they shouldn’t be confounded with NGOs and think-tanks.

Even in Brussels, many do not totally understand this distinction. However, it wouldn’t be possible to describe the life of a lobbyist without grasping the difference of working with the precise aim of protecting interests, with the aim of promoting values. The former gives you a legitimate representational power, which comes from the money the industry pays you to do your job. The latter, might be a laudable aim, but it is usually based on public funding or personal donations.

The conclusion of this briefing is that the lobbyist has to work to please the industry, whatever the sector is. This makes the job pretty much alike for all those who are involved in the game. Lots of stress, lots of talking, lots of meetings…and lots of drinking!!

In Brussels, the targets are obviously the EU institutions. Therefore you will always see lobbyists wondering around the Committees in the Parliament, struggling to get to talk with some Commission officials, and inviting representative of member states to VIP cocktails. You should watch out when you are in a pub or at a restaurant in the European area, as a lobbyist may be lurching in the bushes around the corner.

I would say the life of a lobbyist is divided in three threads: the preparation, the battle, and the party. The preparation starts in the office, where experts of a sector have to analyse the legal situation and come up with position papers to “improve” current legislation. It is not an easy task, particularly at the EU level. The members of these associations are hundreds, and they all want to gain from the work they pay for. Often, in different countries there are different issues with some aspects of the legislation in place, or with the harmonisation of national laws with European law. The members are those who pay the salary, and the lobby do not want to lose them. So, it has to find a common interest, through a long and time consuming process of coordination, meetings, and to a certain extend diplomacy, with its own members. This common interest will define clear aims, and will provide the weapons for the battle.

The second part of the lobbyist’s life is the most stressful. They run back and forth the three main institutions striving for some attention. They have to make their voice heard in an ocean of voices, they have to find the right timing to address the policy makers in an ordeal of fully booked agendas, and they have to carry along a big deal of positive attitudes. Most importantly, they need networking skills, both mentally and physically.

The third aspect of a lobbyist’s life, constantly overlapping with the others two, involves lunches, dinners, parties, cocktails, receptions and the like. Probably, the very moment the defences of their targets are low is exactly after working time, which makes the lobbyist a night bird. But this is not the end of it. When organising meetings and social events for its own members, the lobby does not go about with low-class stuff. The best places, the best food and the best treatment. What’s better than a refreshing drink, in a fancy place, with nice company, to feed the industry?

Altogether, it’s a lot of fun, if you can handle it!

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