european agenda 05 2008

I S S U E 0 5 / 2 0 0 8

Environmental PerformanceEurope looks towards 2020 and beyond

French PresidencyFacts & Figures,Personalities & Priorities

Strategy and PracticeMicrotargeting, Digital Public Affairs& Lobbying via the Member States

SustainabilityBiofuels, Carbon Labelling & Electra

EDITORIAL

rom now until the end of the year, all eyes are firmly fixed on France as she takes up the Presidency of the EU. In con-trast to his immediate predecessor, Sarkozy has been a vo-cally pro-EU and pro-US figure, and this is his chance to show a new side to France in relation to her European neighbours, as much as to new allies across the Atlantic. In this issue of European Agenda, we explore some of the key priorities France has elected for its Presidency, presnting expert opin-

ions from think tanks across Europe, and introduce some of the key play-ers that we will all be hearing a lot more of over the course of the next six months.

One of the central planks to the French Presidency will be the Envi-ronment and Sustainability, and this issue also features an interview with Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner for Environmental Affairs, who speaks to us about his work promoting environmental sustain-ability. The challenges of reconciling environmentally-sound practices on the one hand, and sustaining economic growth on the other, is one of today’s key issues, and one which we explore in the following pages. Dimas also speaks to us about Carbon labelling, which is receiving a lot of pan-European attention at the moment: if information is power, then accurate labelling of daily products, alerting us to the carbon emissions incurred in their production, could be a highly potent tool in our search for a greener future.

French ResolutionsThis issue of European Agenda also continues the magazine’s new edi-

torial direction: Not content with merely covering the most important news, topics and debates in today’s EU, we are also extending the reach of the magazine by including more analysis of cutting-edge strategies used in political communications and public affairs. Michael Meyers, who has much experience in assisting political campaigns in the States, tells us how microtargeting voters is key to successful campaigning; James Stevens from Fleishman-Hillard writes on the importance of improving your google factor when it comes to public affairs work in Brussels; and Peter Lochbihler from Pleon explains the finer points of lobbying via the EU’s Member States.

And finally, the onset of the summer break brought out a rash of glam-orous EU celebrations, which we have faithfully covered in our Gala sec-tion - be sure to check it out.

European Agenda will return in the month of September and so we wish you a succesful—and hot— July and August!

Grit FiedlerEditor-in-Chief

F

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CONTENT

EUROPEAN AGENDA 05/2008

Editor in Chief: Grit Fiedler

Editors: Azra Ahmed, Beatriz Gamboa, Varvara Garneli, Dafydd Phillips, Daniel Le Ray, Sara Schützeberg, Paul Thomas

Graphical Concept: Steffi Butter, Christina Ohmann

Layout: Steffi Butter, Melanie Schröder

Illustration: Burkhard Piller

Photo Editors: Albrecht Noack, Olga Bode

Cover: European Commission, www.marco-ur-ban.de

Managing Editor: Max Obenaus([email protected])

Business Development Director: Cristina Silva([email protected])

Publisher: Rudolf Hetzel, Torben Werner

Editorial offi ce: Rue Philippe le Bon 64, 1000 Brussels, BelgiumTel.: +32 (0)2 219 22 90Fax: +32 (0)2 219 22 92E-mail: [email protected]

Helios MediaFriedrichstraße 209D-10969 Berlin

Print: Druck Vogt GmbH, Schmidstraße 6, 10179 Berlin

TYPICALLY France: A Country in Numbers

NEWS from EU Brussels

INTERVIEW with Commissioner Stavros Dimas

FRENCH PRESIDENCY Facts & Figures FRENCH PRESIDENCY Troika

FRENCH PRESIDENCY Priorities

STRATEGY & PRACTICE Microtargeting

STRATEGY & PRACTICE Regulatory Developments

STRATEGY & PRACTICE Digital Public Affairs

STRATEGY & PRACTICE Lobbying via the Member States

PEOPLE Women in the EU

PEOPLE Personnel Changes

PEOPLE Gala

SUSTAINABILITY Biofuels Pro & Con

SUSTAINABILITY Carbon Labelling

SUSTAINABILITY Electra: New Report

SUSTAINABILITY Events 2008/09

AGENDA July - December 2008 BRUSSELS INSIDER Cultural Institutes in Brussels

BRUSSELS INSIDER 9 EU Presidency Logos

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Gala: Energy Globe for Gorbachev, p. 41

Interview: Stavros Dimas, p. 12

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TYPICALLY


Typically French?

As of January 1st, 2008, 64,473,140 people live in the

French republic: 61,875,822 live on the mainland, whereas 2,597,318 live overseas.

64.5

France’s immigrant population stands at 22 per cent. 7 per

cent were born abroad, nine per cent are first generation born in France, and six per cent second generation born in France.

22%

The urban p o p u l at i o n of Paris in

millions, France’s largest urban population. Compare it to Lon-don’s 8.2 and Berlin’s 3.7.

9.8

There are 4.6 marriag-es per 1000 popula-

tion, as opposed to 2.1 divorces.

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12.8m The number of visitors to EuroDisney in 2006, making it France’s most popular tour-ist site, with the Louvre coming in second place with 8.3 million visitors.

When it comes to Adult Literacy rates, France boasts almost top marks.

99% Due to overseas départements and territories,

France is spread over 4 con-tinents: Europe, N. America, S. America & Antarctica.

4

Percentage of the GDP France spends on Health.

9.7%

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TYPICALLY


Number of Nobel laure-ates (Literature 13, Physics 11, Peace 9, Physiology &

Medicine 8, Chemistry 7, Economics 1). Jean-Paul Sartre was awarded the prize for Litera-ture in 1964, but declined it, naturally.

843

Pe r c e n t a g e of the popu-lation under

the age of twenty, as opposed to 20.7 per cent over sixty.

25.1

There are twenty seven wine regions in France, and in an

average year between 50 and 60 million hec-tolitres of wine are produced, or some 7 to 8 billion bottles. Santé!

27

Almost ninety per cent of the popula-

tion prefer to spend their holidays in France.

89.2%

The French un-e m p l o y m e n t

rate in 2007 was 7.5 per cent, down from 9.7 per cent in 2006.

7.5%

49

It is actually recommend-ed that you should wait at least thirty months af-

ter making Comté cheese before settling down to eat the stuff. It’s worth the wait.

The French state was formed in 843,

with the Treaty of Verdun. The current consti-tution dates back to 1958.

3025.3.1957France acceeded to the European Union on March 25, 1957.

A Country in Numbers

551,670 France covers 551,670 sq. km (220,668 sq. miles), making it the largest west European country, about four-fifths the size of Texas.

July 14th is France’s national day. Despite being called Bastille Day in English, it has nothing to do with the storming of the Bastille in 1789, but celebrates the Fête de la Fédération, which happened on the same date the year after.

14.7.1790

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NEWS


News from EU Brussels

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AssessmentEmergency? Call 112

The single European emergency number 112 was introduced in 1991. Its aim is to provide one unique number to call in case of emergency in the EU, thus making emergency services more easily accessible, especially for travellers. To raise awareness of 112 ahead of the summer holidays, the European Commission is present-ing an assessment of Member States’ perform-ance in ensuring its functioning. This assess-ment was presented by Commissioner Viviane Reding on 3 June together with a new website and exhibition dedicated to 112.

Award

Energy Globe Awards The Energy Globes reward local and regional projects that contribute to energy conservation, environmen-tal protection, or the supply of basic resources such as water and electricity to remote and poor communities. The 9th Energy Globe Awards for local environmenztal projects were presented on May 26 at a gala ceremony in Parliament`s plenary chamber. Projects from around the world promoting the use of clean and renewable ener-gies competed in five different categories: Eath, Fire, Wa-ter, Air and Youth. Singers Dionne Warwick, Alanis Morri-sette and Zucherro provided musical entertainment. The ceremony also presented an lifetime acheivement award to Mikhail Gorbachev. Received the lifetime achievment award: Mikhail Gorbachev

LaunchFootball Hotline

EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva announced the launch of an EU UEFA informa-tion campaign and helpline to advise fans trav-elling to the Euro Championships this summer. The hotline, open for the duration of June, will be open to answer questions on consumer rights, shoppers’ rights and passenger rights. The free-phone service is available from 9h00 to 18h30 CET on weekdays, 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11. www.euro2008.comwww.supportersrights.eu

Meglena Kuneva

Viviane Reding

CampaignAre you at risk?

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has developed a Eu-ropean-wide infor-mation campaign fo-cusing on risk assess-ment. It’s slogan is “Healthy Workplaces: Good for you, Good for business” which will run until 2009. The campaign wants

to demystify the risk assessment process by promoting a simple 5-step-approach. The overall objective during this period is to reduce the rate of accidents at work by 25% across the EU. The others are improving and simplifying legislation, designing national-specific strategies and main-streaming health and safety concerns in other policy areas. The Campaign was presented in a press conference with Vladimír Špidla.

Vladimír Špidla

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NEWS


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AwardEuropean Green Capital Award

The European Commission is launching a new annual European Green Capital Award to be giv-en each year to a city judged to be leading the way in environmentally friendly urban living. The award is intended to help European cities be-come more attractive and healthier places—“fit for life”. Starting in 2010, the award will be given to a city that has a consistent record of achieving high environmental standards, is permanently committed to environmental improvement and sustainable development, and can act as a role model to inspire other cities and promote best practices in all other European cities.

Green cities

InstitutionsNew rules on MEP`s assistants

Plans are underway in Parliament to reform the existing staff regime contract for Brussels-based assistants. The new contracts, which will need to be agreed in detail with the Commission and the Council, would be administered directly by Parliament`s services, while MEPs would retain complete freedom to determine the nature and duration of their assistants` employment, in-cluding salaries. The detailed implementation of these new guidelines will be developed by the high-level working group on the Members` statue, assistants and the pension fund, led by Vice-President Martine Roure.

Martine Roure

EU Parliament

European Parliament

Equal salaries The 785 EU Parliament members are soon go-ing to be on the same financial footing. Start-ing next year, members from all EU states will receive the same salary: €7412.69 per month be-fore taxes. Until this point there had been major differences between countries as to pay rates: an Austrian member came in at around €8,000 whilst Italian EU officials were amongst the best-payed with €11,000, and most new mem-ber states from East Europe were much lower. Ingo Friedrich, the longest-serving MEP since the first EU elections in 1979, called it a “great step towards more transparency” for the way in which the European Parliament works.

Human table footballAustria triumphs

As a light-hearted gesture to celebrate football’s European championship, EU parliamentarians from many countries gathered on May 28th to take part in the first “human table football tour-nament”, hoping to bring Europe back into the limelight before kick-off. Eight teams took part in the tournament, but in the end it was the Austrian parliament members who experienced a sensational victory, trouncing their German colleagues 7:1 in the final.

Othmar Karas MEP playing human table football

CampaignSubsidiarity is a word.

The Assembly of European Regions launched a campaign in mid-May for the inclusion of the word Subsidiarity in every dictionary in every language worldwide. The word’s definition has been set as “the principle that decisions should be taken as closely as possible to the citizen.” The call to include the word was sent to 71 dictionar-ies which have yet to feature it in their publica-tions. Subsidiarity does not appear to be includ-ed in online dictionaries and is not recognised by the Microsoft dictionary. The AER believes in a Europe with bottom-up governance which em-powers regional authorities to take decisions.

Dictionary definition

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NEWS


InitiativeThe EU’s Truck Tour

Keep on Truckin’

The Truck Tour is an EU wide information cam-paign which began in 2003 and aims to raise awareness of discrimination and the legislation which exists to combat it. This year the Truck Tour will set off from Prague on the 21st of June from where Commissioner Špidla will give a press conference. The tour will visit ten EU coun-tries, all of them in the east, stopping at music and film festivals, sport events, universities and other social events, to disseminate information about diversity and discrimination through mu-sicians, NGOs, artists and businesses. www.stop-discrimination.info/

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ExchangeIsraelis and Pales-tinians at the EP

Twenty-one young Israelis and Palestinians worked together at the European Parliament in Brussels from 25 to 28 May on the relationship between identities and politics. EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering organized and hosted the event. Topics included “From hereditary enemies to pooled sovereignty—the EU integration expe-rience as a model?”, “Creative solutions for Jeru-salem”, and “Identity and sovereignty - the ques-tion of Jerusalem”. As part of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, this meeting was an opportunity to exchange political and individual experiences in a neutral environment.

Hans-Gert Pöttering

Just off the RapidRain on the EU’s Parade

Ireland voted NO to the Lisbon Treaty on Friday 13th of June, bringing plans for a European con-stitution to an end. As the only member of the European Union who was to hold a referendum on the treaty, Ireland’s NO means more than just a simple shake of the head, the plans for this re-formed constitution have been vetoed and thus finalised. This time around the renamed constitu-tion appeared to have a stronger chance of sur-viving eurosceptics’ glance with already 18 of the 27 members having agreed to it. The Irish have claimed that they do not understand the treaty, but again we see the attempts of the EU to unite the people of Europe slowly slide into failure. Is Europe just not ready to take this large step to-wards a stronger cooperation, or do Europeans still need to believe in a European identity?

Campaign

Driving home the mes-sage of Climate Change

June’s World Environment Day will receive an added boost this year, in the shape of the second wave of a special advertising campaign implemented by the International Association for Public Transport (UITP), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). At the heart of the campaign is a strikingly simple advertisement in the style of a child’s drawing and narrated by a six-year old girl, promoting the message that using public transport is the easiest way to cut down on carbon emis-sions. The makers hope that the ad’s no-frills style will cut through the complexities and controversies surrounding the issue and make an indelible impression on the viewer. The spot was presented at the Cannes Lions international advertising festival in June, and has been short-listed as a finalist of the CARE Awards of the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA). The London-based ad-agency McCann Erikson designed the advertisement, and negotiatiated free air time from major international networks, including BBC World, CNN, EuroNews, Sky News, Bloomberg, Eurosport, and E! Entertainment. Over 60 companies and organisations have used the animation on national TV, the internet or on board public transport vehicles; and 16 new language versions are on the way.

A still from “The Voice of Reason (Aged 6)”

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NEWS


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Online Community

Myparl.eu MEPs and the 27 national co-ordinators for each member state held talks at the end of May in Brussels about the possibility of in-vesting in a Facebook/My Space style web-site for politicians and MEPs to keep up that networking. The goal is not just for the peo-ple to network, but their ideas. Myparl.eu will put forward three main themes for de-bate—the future of Europe, climate change and intercultural dialogue in the three main languages of the EU; English, French and German. The site is planned to be open to the public, who will be able to react to the issues with letters to the editor, and works as an initiative to lessen the gap between poli-cy-makers at the EU level and EU citizens.

Just a click away?

Location, location, locationEuropean Agenda, Helios MediaRue Philippe le Bon 64, 1000 BrusselsPlease note our new postal address from the 16th of June 2008

InitiativeAER asks young citizens: “Do you speak European?” The Assembly of European Regions (AER) is mark-ing Europe Day this year by communicating Eu-rope to young citizens. As part of AER’s “Do you speak European?” competition, young people from Romania, Croatia, Sweden and United King-dom are today presenting their artistic talents in response to the question “What does Europe mean to you?”Launched this year for the first time, AER’s “Do you speak European?” competi-tion has given young people from 36 regions in 12 European countries the opportunity to explore what it means to be a part of Europe. Winners from national levels will go on to compete in the European final on 3rd De-cember in Brus-sels. The Euro-pean winners will be awarded an AER prize and their presenta-tion featured at future AER events. Speaking European

LaunchA Window East: Chinese Exchange

On the 2nd of June the EU-China exchange pro-gramme, “EU WINDOW”, was officially launched. The first phase of the programme will last for two years and will consist of two activities: sum-mer training for 50 Chinese Language teachers from EU member states, and a ten day study visit of 100 School Headmasters and Education Administrators from EU member states. Partici-pants will be responsible for their own interna-tional travel expenses with other expenses be-

ing borne by China. The parties agreed on 3 main priority subjects (language teaching, joint PhDs and education through sport) to be developed into cooperation activities in the two forthcoming years. The first activity will be the organisation of a conference on languages to be held in Beijing in March 2009 which should coincide with the visit of Commissioner Orban to China. In order to prepare the conference, a steering group is being created. It will be made up of Chinese and Euro-pean language experts.

InitiativeGreat Synagogue of Europe On the 4th of June, Commission President Bar-roso dedicated a Brussels temple as the “Great Synagogue of Europe”. Barroso signed a docu-ment of dedication with two chief rabbis. His name will appear on a plaque in the temple. The synagogue, an 1878 Romanesque-style building in Brussels’ central Rue de la Regence, is to be-come a symbolic focal point for Judaism in Eu-rope, a little like St Peter‘s Basilica in Rome is for Roman Catholics. A prayer especially written for this event was read following a performance by the European Choir, a choir created in 1958.

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INTERVIEW


Interview Changing behavioursfor a changing climateEU Commissioner Stavros Dimas talks to European Agenda about the Sustainability Package, carbon footprint labelling and environmental protection as an economic opportunityby grit fiedler

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INTERVIEW


“Sustainability” is a concept that is much talked about at the moment, and that virtually everybody is laying some claim to. How do you person-ally define the term “sustainability” in your work?

It is a very useful concept, because it enables us to express the fun-damental relationship between the environment, the economy and social well-being. An economist would tell you that for something to be sustainable, production costs should be in tune with the prices paid by the consumer, so that production can continue as long as raw materials and labour are available and for as long as the consumer is willing to pay the price. A sociologist would tell you that for society to be sustainable there should be broad equilibrium between people’s sense of well-being and their expectations about where their lives are going, with employment and an adequate range of social services at their disposal. But the environment—while taking those two ele-ments on board—completes the picture: our environment is the basis of everything. It provides the infrastructure that under-pins our society, both socially and economically. So in fact all three are closely intertwined.

For sustainability to be achievable we need to balance those three elements—environmental, social and eco-nomic —based on a full awareness of what is essential in each domain, and preferably with mutually supporting objectives in each domain. That is what we are trying to achieve.

Do you encounter any particular definitions of the term —e.g. in corporate ads—that misinterpret the concept in your opinion?

I wouldn’t say they ‘misinterpret’ it, but I would agree that there are many different views on what sustainability is and many different ways of presenting it. This question is frequently a basis for analysis and debate. What is a sustainable prod-uct? What are the most important environmental factors to consider in the life cycle? Carbon footprint? Use of recycled or recyclable materials? Emissions to water, air, soil or hazardous substances? Everyone needs to be very careful before making sustainability claims—after all, the most sustainable product on the market is nothing at all!

The Commission is about to launch a new “Sustainability Package”. Could you sum up the main points of the initiative for us in a few sentences?

The package you refer to contains an Action Plan on sustainable con-sumption and production, and it should be finalised within the next few weeks. The unsustainable nature of our current consumption and pro-duction patterns is at the root of many of today’s environmental prob-lems, including climate change and the loss of biodiversity, so action in this area is vital. The major innovation will be the introduction of mini-mum environmental standards for selected types of products that have a significant impact on the environment. At the same time producers will be encouraged to go beyond these minimum standards on a voluntary basis by taking part in the EU Ecolabel scheme, which will be revamped to make it more attractive and more efficient. We will also work with re-tailers to harness their expertise in the cause of promoting sustainable

consumption, and we will take further steps to encourage governments to ‘buy green’ through their procurement policies.

You have mentioned that providing European citizens with more product information may be one way of helping them to make environmentally-friendly purchasing decisions. Do you think that a mandatory carbon foot-print product label, for example, could be a way to achieve that aim?

Looking at the carbon footprint of products can be useful, and can re-veal the key stages in the life cycle of products where carbon impacts are highest. But it is still technically difficult to calculate the carbon footprint of products in a meaningful way for the purposes of labelling. There is no standard methodology, and no unified database. It is also very com-plex, time-consuming and expensive. There is a risk of inaccuracy, and it may be difficult to make useful comparisons between certain products. There is also a danger that labelling carbon footprints could lead to other

important environmental considerations being overlooked and ignored.

By which other means do you hope to convince the indus-try to actively improve the environmental performance of their products? Do you think that voluntary labels like the EU Ecolabel and Green Procurement policies alone can pro-vide the industry with enough incentive to achieve a fun-damental change?

The Commission is looking into how it can help provide guidance on carbon footprint measurement and labelling. After revising the EU Ecolabel scheme, we are now moving on to Green Public Procurement policies. These schemes may include criteria on the carbon footprint, but will also cover other environmental impacts and issues. The EU Eco-label scheme will reach 25 further key product groups over

the next five years, and will also specify public procurement criteria. The Ecolabel cannot solve all our problems, but as a benchmark of good en-vironmental performance it can play an important role in policy-making and help shift production practices in the right direction.

Do you think European consumers would be inclined to trust a scheme that falls short of mandatory requirements and relies on voluntary com-mitments by the industry?

European consumers can certainly trust the EU Ecolabel, which doesn’t fall short of any mandatory requirements! As it is a third-party certified labelling scheme, the requirements for putting the label on products could not be stricter. Perhaps the question to ask is whether there will be sufficient uptake of the label to give consumers real choices when purchasing goods. The Commission hopes that with the revision of the scheme the answer to this question will eventually be ‘yes’.

It seems that, by now, a large part of the European public is aware of the problem of climate change. The next step (and probably the more difficult one) to take is moving from awareness to action and changed behaviours. Which measures does the Commission propose to facilitate this step?

Our environ-ment is the

basis of every-thing. It pro-

vides the infra-structure that underpins our society, both socially and

economically.

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INTERVIEW


Our far-reaching, influential campaign has generated a significant amount of awareness about the devastating effects of greenhouse gases on the environment. After that success we are now starting on a second, more targeted campaign, aimed at five of Europe’s newer coun-tries, to help boost understanding of climate change and the role that citizens can play in the fight against it. Regarding the bigger picture, in January this year, the Commission proposed a dynamic package of proposals delivering on our ambitious commitments to fight climate change and promote renewable energy up to 2020 and beyond. In everyday terms, this legislation proposes at least 20% of cuts in green-house gases by 2020 as well as a 20% share of renewable energies in EU energy consumption by the same year. Those are all very concrete actions. And lastly, regarding the behaviour of industry, the EU Emis-sions Trading Scheme was set up to provide incentives to change overall investment behaviour. Something which we are beginning to see more and more. Ph

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At the rate we move now, do you think that we have a realistic chance of reversing the effects of climate change?

The EU’s climate policy is aimed at limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels (meaning anything measured before 1860). This is what scientists are telling us to do to avoid drastic negative effects from global warming. In order to reach this goal we need to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 60-80% by 2050. We need to get started on this reduction path in the next 10 years or so, first in de-veloped countries, and then in developing countries like China and India. That is why it is so important that we get an international agreement at the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen later this year, setting the rules for long-term action. Ultimately, we need to do more—both in the EU and elsewhere. We should not forget, however, that it is also about mindset and mentality. Large changes only happen with shifts in mental-ity and with specific, concerted action on the basis of those changes.

The necessity of a constant growth in production and consumption rates seems ingrained in our economic system. Against this background, how do you think a balance can be achieved between environmental sustainable development and economic sustainable development?

Economics and the environment are rarely thought of as being the best of friends, but in reality they can work together extremely well.

We should not forget that it is about mindset and mentality.Large changes only happen

with shifts in mentality and with speci�c, con-certed action on the basis of those changes.

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INTERVIEW


about stavros dimas

Stavros C. Dimas was born in 1941 in Athens, Greece and is currently European Commissioner for the Environment at the Directorate General Environment. He has studied law and economics at the University of Athens in Greece and New York University in the USA. Prior to his political career, he worked as a lawyer for the World Bank in Washington, D.C., as well as holding positions with Sullivan & Cromwell, a Wall Street Law Firm, and with the Hellenic Industrial Development Bank. He has been elected to the Greek Parliament ten consecutive times since 1977 and has held leading posts in Greek politics before becoming Commissioner in 2004. He moved to the Directorate General for the Environment in November of that year.

political career

1977-2004: Member of the Greek Parliament representing the party of New Democracy1977: Member of the negotiating committee for the accession of Greece to the EEC1977-1980: Deputy Minister of Economic Coordination1980-1981: Minister of Trade1985-1989: Parliamentary spokesperson for New Democracy1989-1990: Minister of Agriculture1990-1991: Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology1995-2000: Secretary General of New Democracy2000-2003: Senior Member of the Political Analysis Steering Committee of New Democracy2000-2004: Head of the New Democracy delegation, Council of Europemarch 2004 - october 2004: European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairsfrom november 2004: European Commissioner for the Environment

Good environmental performance, such as the more efficient use of en-ergy and resources, is good for economic competitiveness. It also leads to household savings. Environmental protection is a big opportunity for companies. The EU eco-industry sector now has an annual turnover of over €200 billion, and it is growing fast. But at the same time, negative environmental habits are growing and contributing to climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss and the depletion of natural resources. Prices paid by industry and consumers for environmental goods usually do not reflect the full social cost. This is why the EU increasingly favours the use of market-based instruments—such as environmental taxes or trade-able emission rights—to improve price signals, so that economic actors change their behaviour to make it more sustainable.

How do you address the fear that the comparatively ambitious environ-mental plans of the EU will prove an economic disadvantage in competi-tion with the U.S. and emerging markets like India and China, at least in the short term?

There is no evidence that environmental policy has a negative impact

on international competitiveness. The EU, the United States and Japan have similar levels of environmental protection; they all spend about 2% of their GDP on this area. On the contrary, thanks to EU environmental standards, companies in Europe are in a privileged position to develop leading technologies with the added bonus of being able to export them around the globe.

We are conscious of the short-term impacts environmental policy ini-tiatives can have, and we are looking at them. In the recent proposal to revise the EU Emissions Trading System, for example, the Commission has said it will consider increasing the share of free emission allow-ances for certain energy intensive industries that could be vulnerable to competition from countries that do not impose comparable constraints on emissions. We obviously do not want European industries relocating to such places since we would lose jobs and global emissions would probably rise under laxer environmental rules. We will take a decision on this by mid-2010 in the light of the international climate agreement that is due to be concluded at the end of next year.

Within the EU, the different Member States are at varying stages when it comes to the implementation of environmental policies. What areas present you with the biggest challenges as you try to coordinate the contrasting and different demands and expectations of individual EU Member States?

Commission compliance and enforcement work addresses all environ-mental policy areas, including nature conservation, water, waste, air pol-lution, climate change and so forth. I think it would be wrong to single out any one area, although I would mention that there is a particularly high level of public interest in the work we do on nature conservation.

Both the EU and the Commission have been very active in recent years drafting environmental legislation. As you have said yourself, the challenge is now to assure the implementation of this legislation. Could you give one concrete example where you still see shortcomings in the implementation, and which measures the Commissions proposes to implement it?

As an example of a deficit, I would mention urban waste-water treat-ment. In 1991, the EU-12 committed themselves to ambitious goals of treating the waste-water of bigger cities and towns by deadlines ranging from the end of 1998 to the end of 2005. Unfortunately, while major in-vestments and upgrades were begun, not all the work was completed on schedule. The Commission has been addressing the gap by encouraging the use of Community funds and by targeted legal action.

An Action Plan on sustainable consump-tion...should be �nalised within the next few weeks. The unsustainable nature of

our current consumption and production patterns is at the root of many of today’s

environmental problems, including climate change and the loss of biodiversity, so ac-

tion in this area is vital.

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FRENCH PRESIDENCY


1951France, Italy, the Benelux countries and West Ger-many sign the Treaty of Paris, creating the ECSC and what would later become the first EU institutions.

French Foreign Minister Robert Schu-man presents Jean Monnet’s plan for deeper cooperation between France and Germany through the future creation of the European Coal and Steel Community. Every 9th of May is now celebrated as ‘Europe Day’.

France in the EUPolitical Leaders

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PRESIDENT: NICOLAS SARKOZY

Since his time as French Interior Minis-ter, Nicolas Sarkozy has called for a

vigorous French involvement with the EU. As the face of a ‘new’, more inclusive France, Sarkozy promoted himself through-out his election campaign as breaking with the country’s

traditional ruling elite, and he made much of his roots as the

son of immigrants – it will be inter-esting to track the course of immigra-

tion and asylum policies under the French EU presidency. Another Sarkozy characteristic thus far has been his eagerness to appeal to the left – both Prime Minister Fillon and Foreign Minister Koucher have left or left-lean-ing backgrounds. He has promised to return France to the heart of Europe and to make amends with the USA. Although negative stories continue to circulate over the state of his relationship with Angela Merkel, he is largely responsible for helping her to overcome the European Union constitution stalemate in the guise of the new Lisbon Treaty.

PRIME MINISTER: FRANCOIS FILLON

Francois Fillon, 58, became Prime Min-ister following his role as a political

advisor in Sarkozy’s campaign for President. Prior to that he was the French Education and Social Affairs Minister. It was Mr Fillon who, in a speech in Strasbourg on 19 February, out-

lined France’s priorities for its tenure during the Presidency of

the European Union. Given his boss’ hyperactivity, Mr Fillon could be said to

stand in Sarkozy’s shadow, reduced to merely faithfully parroting the Presi-dent’s pre-delivered messages: “Fillon spotted at the Assembly”, mocked the left-leaning newspaper Libération in a headline the morning after a major speech by the Prime Minister. Perhaps the six-month presidency will be his chance to step into the spotlight.

9 May 1950The Paris Treaty is signed in 1952, inaugu-rating the European Defence Community. However, this treaty would not be ratified due to uneasiness in the French parliament concerning loss of sovereignty. As a result, Jean Monnet, President of the ECSC, re-signed in 1954.

May 1952-1954

19 March 1958Schuman is elected President of the European Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg.

April-June 1965Treaty instituting a Council and Commission of the European Community is signed in Brussels. France ratifies this treaty in June.

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FRENCH PRESIDENCY


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MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS: BERNARD KOUCHNER

Bernard Kouchner has a long history with foreign affairs and interven-

tion. He worked in Biafra as a doctor for the Red Cross in 1968, and has been involved in inter-vention work since then. He

and his friends founded Mé-decins sans Frontières, carrying out humanitarian projects all

around the world with the help of his media skills. Kouchner is a great

believer in the West’s duty to provide care to those who cannot afford it, and wrote and published a book entitled “The Duty to Intervene”. He was in favour of the Iraq war, citing humanitarian reasons, and his expertise gained him the role of UN Special Representative from 1999 to 2001. An MEP for three years in 1994, he will focus on the admission of Turkey into the EU in the upcoming French Presidency. As a member of the socialist party, Kouchner was always the most pro-American, and Sarkozy’s pick may be seen as a conciliatory gesture towards both the left and the US.

MINISTER IN CHARGE OF EUROPE-AN AFFAIRS: JEAN PIERRE JOUYET

Jean Pierre Jouyet has been the French Minister for European Affairs since

his accession to the post follow-ing Nicolas Sarkozy’s election to French President last Spring. In 1991, he worked for Jacques

Delors’ European Commission Presidency as Deputy Head of Cabinet until he became Head

of Cabinet in 1994, a post he held for one year. In recent months, Jouyet

has been taking part in many interviews and has shown interest in environ-mental and immigration issues. However, he has leant especially towards increasing military and civilian capabilities. Since December of last year, Jouyet has had regularly updated his political blog online (www.jpjouyet.eu), allowing him to interact with voters in a Web 2.0 environment.

General de Gaulle leads France in the “empty chair” crisis, an open boy-cott of Commission and Council meetings because of his rejection of the principle of a qualified majority in order to reach decisions about the Community.

July 1965 - January 1966

The first part-session of the directly-elected Parliament is held in Strasbourg. Simone Veil, known as the first lady of Europe, was elected by an absolute majority becoming the first President of the European Parliament.

17th - 20th July 1979

January 1985 Jacques Delors be-comes President of the new Commission and in June presents a draft on the com-pletion of the Single Market, known as the Delors Report.

2004 European Convention is chaired by Giscard d’Estaing. A plan is drafted for an eventual European Constitution.

July 2008Nicolas Sarkozy’s govern-ment

will take over the Presi-dency of the European Council for the twelfth time since 1959.

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FRENCH PRESIDENCY


Troika

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1995 The Lobbying Disclosure Act is passed, requiring lobby-ists to register semiannual reports of their activities

On the of 28th of May, the trio of France, the Czech Republic and Sweden, presented their 18-month programme for the upcoming troika. From gen-der equality to fi shing, the next 18 months will be a very busy time. At fi rst glance, the challenges they set themselves may appear ambitiously con-

tradictory: fi ght climate change and increase competitiveness; keep food prices down and improve sustainable development and commitment to health; keep control of immigration but free up the movement of labour. But then again, some say ambition is all you need...

CZECH REPUBLIC: JANUARY-JULY 20092009 will be an important year for Eastern Europe as it celebrates 20 years since the fall of the Iron Cur-tain, and to kick start the year, the Czech Republic will take the Presidency of the European Union. Under the logo, “Europe Without Barriers”, the fi rst six months will aim at removing borders within Europe re-garding the labour market. During this time we should look out for Alexandr Vondra, Minister for Euro-pean Affairs. The Czech Presidency will continue the Troika’s focus on energy and climate change when it holds talks with Russia, but overall they have an impressive past with this issue as their greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by more than 20% in the last 15 years. In an interview with Vondra, the Minister made clear that there should be a more balanced attitude towards Sarkozy’s Mediterranean Union, and compared the idea to the creation of a Baltic Union or a Black Sea Union.

SWEDEN: JULY-DECEMBER 2009Sweden’s Summer-Autumn Presidency has outlined four Cs to take centre stage during the six months: Competitiveness, Climate change, Creativity, and Co-ordination. Climate change will be important in following the Troika agreements, but the Swedes are more focused on reforming the EU budget so that money can be diverted towards education, research and development, entrepreneurship and infrastructure. The Presidency will also have to overlook the appointment of a new Commission. Whilst they understand the diffi culties in consolidating the necessity of immigration with the importance of security, the Swedes hope to open the labour market and seem more accepting of Tur-key’s joining the EU. The CAP is also a sore point for the Swedes as they seem unwilling to concede over 40% of the budget to the CAP, and so, like the Czechs, would like to see a reform of both the budget and the Common Agricultural Policy.

2004 $24,236 The GDP of the Czech Republic is

approximately $24, 236 per capita

1.0% Czech contribution to EU budget: 1,0% in 2006

1995 Sweden joined the European Union in 1995

$36,900 Sweden’s average GDP per capita is aproximately $36,900

2.6% The contribution of Sweden to Euro-pean Union budget was 2.6% in 2006

4.839 The labor force of Sweden cur-rently totals approximately 4.839 million workers

The Czech Republic makes its EU acces-sion in May of 2004

5.36 The total labor force in the Czech Republic is 5.36 million

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FRENCH PRESIDENCY


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Priorities Presidency promises‘A more protective Europe’: The concept of protecting Europe was introduced by Jean-Pierre Jouyet, Secretary of State for EU Affairs, at a conference in Oc-tober last year. The idea is to defend Europe’s social and economic model from the pressures of globalisation. If the reforms of the Lisbon treaty are ratified,

this will be one of the last six-month rotating EU presidencies before the job is handed over to one president for two and a half years at a time. The French seem determined to see it off with a bang, and so among Nicolas Sarkozy’s top priorities for the six months of the French Presidency of the EU are:

ENERGY Energy is France’s biggest industry sector, and Prime Minister Fillon has spoken of plans to push ahead for the greater secu-rity of energy supplies, to the detriment of any plans to separate distribution and pro-duction activities, which France is widely held to be against.

DEFENCETurn to p. 16 to read Tomasz Weiss’ opinion of France’s plans for the future of EU Defence.

C.A.PFind out what the French can expect from the Common Agricul-tural Policy in Nad ège Chambon’s ar-ticle on p. 22.

THE MEDITERRANEAN UNIONPlans to push ahead with Sarkozy’s propsed ‘union-within-a-union’ for several countries along the Mediterranean, including non-EU countries. See Dana Moss’s opinion on p. 23.

NUCLEAR ENERGYAs the second largest producer of nuclear energy, France will make the case for nu-clear energy as a key source that ensures diversification and security of supply.

IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUMFrance faces tough decisions on immi-gration. Read Elizabeth Collett’s opinion on p.20.

THE ENVIRONMENT France aims to promote the EU as a global leader in battling climate change.

FOREIGN POLICY With new leaders for Russia and the US, it will fall to France to establish new relations with the two super-powers.

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FRENCH PRESIDENCY


n July 1, it will be France’s turn to take n the EU presidency, and they have included the European defence policy among their priorities. Even if the Presidency has little power over whether the Coun-cil reaches a compromise or not, the right to set the agenda and to propose ideas for the discussion is a powerful tool that may influence the developments in the EU. However, we should not be too optimistic about what can be reached during the next months, because the European defence may turn out to be too complicated even for such a big and experienced

country as France. French politicians have identified a number of issues that deserve attention. These are the EU security strategy update; strengthening European civilian and military capabilities; developing instru-ments of Defence Europe; and reinforcing partnerships with other organisations and countries (such as NATO or Russia).

In general, there is little doubt that all addressed topics are relevant and crucial for the future development of the ESDP. The only problem is that some of the goals are hardly achieva-ble and success of others is well beyond reach of the Council Presidency.

LIMITATIONS OF THE TREATY AN OBSTACLELet us give some examples. According to the Minister of State responsi-

ble for European Affairs, Jean-Pierre Jouyet, it is no longer a case of ‘NATO or Defence Europe, but NATO and Defence Europe’. In connection with President Sarkozy’s plans to join the NATO military structure again af-ter more than 40 years, it would seem that the NATO-EU relations are gaining momentum and that we are witnessing the beginning of an ex-tensive and fruitful cooperation between the two organisations. How-ever, it is not the French opinion on NATO’s role in Europe that has been hampering the NATO-EU relations in recent years., but rather it has been the Cyprus matter above all and the ice-cold relations between the Greek Cypriots (members of the EU) and Turkey (member of NATO). The EU has already committed its biggest mistake for decades, namely accepting the membership of the divided Cyprus (thus giving a disproportionate ad-vantage to the Greek side.) Unless the Greeks and Turkish Cypriots settle

Opinion Discussing Defence despite treaty limits

their differences (and the EU has no tools to influence the process any-more), no Presidency will be able to strengthen the NATO-EU relations.

Another problematic goal is the creation of a genuine European inter-nal defence market. There is no doubt that the EU countries need to in-vest more effectively in defence and that common projects and pan-Eu-ropean competition is the way forward. However, weapons have always been more explosive goods than liquors or bricks and the basic treaty contains provisions setting up a special regime for defence equipment. In fact, Article 296 EC largely excludes weapons and alike from the scope

of the treaty and the Lisbon Treaty changes nothing in this respect. Thus, all initiatives to introduce more com-petition to the defence market will remain only voluntary or without any sanctions, such as the EDA’s code of con-duct. Again, the Presidency cannot do anything to change the treaty limitations and will have difficulties to push through anything groundbreaking.

Nevertheless, whatever the content of the French Presi-dency priorities in defence and even if the results lag behind the goals, it is important that the EU is going to talk about defence issues during the next half a year. The raised topics are important and the EU needs to discuss

them constantly. It is not relevant, which country organises the debate, because it will be suspicious every time: the French will be accused of attempts to chase Americans from Europe, the British of being American poodles, and the small member states do not count in defence at all. In any case, the EU must not stop talking defence and step-by-step, it will be able to take its share of responsibility in the world. Even if the only tangi-ble result of the French presidency was the introduction of ERASMUS-like exchanges for European military academies, we should appreciate that defence issues are not going to disappear from the agenda.

by tomáš weiss

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about tomáš weiss Tomáš Weiss is a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations, Prague. His main field of interest is the EU common foreign and security policy with focus on ESDP & counter-terrorism and transatlantic relations .

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FRENCH PRESIDENCY


he renaming of the Mediterranean Union as ‘Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean’ (UfM) symbolizes the dismantling of Sarkozy’s grand project. First outlined in February 2007 in Toulon, a recent commission com-munication embodies the latest transformation of the idea, and the UfM will officially be launched on July 13, under the French Presidency of the EU. Conceived by Sarkozy, the original idea was a vague enunciation of the desire to rebuild France’s role in the Middle East and an implicit desire to stave off Turkey’s entrance to the EU. Initially, the idea was to be distinguished from the pre-existing Euro-Med Partnership and European Neigh-

borhood Policy, encompassing only the southern states of the EU and the 10 Mediterranean partners. Dogged by the opposition of Northern states, who were suspicious of the emergence of a power block within the EU that would exclude them, the idea was extensively diluted. It is now fully wedded to the EU’s machinery, and will, as described by Hans-Gert Potter-ing “strengthen and further the Barcelona Process.” Encom-passing all 27 states as well as other Mediterranean coastal states such as Croatia, the UfM attempts to distill a sense of ownership by urging co-presidencies, shared by a Mediterranean state and a high ranking EU post. Funding will come from existing EU funds, supple-mented by independent funding from Mediterranean countries as well as the private sector and observers such as Qatar, thereby hopefully allaying possible resentment by the Eastern partners. The UfM will retain its earlier, project-centered approach, with possible projects including an inter-Magh-reb highway, de-pollution strategies and development of solar energy.

DOUBTS PERSISTA reenergizing of Europe’s relationship to the MENA region has been long

overdue, and certain aspects of the UfM hold much appeal. The aim of fos-tering co-ownership and the emphasis on project visibility will correct some of the faults of the BP. Yet doubts persist, revolving around the possibility of pre-existing conflicts to derail any achievements, fears of over-bureaucra-tization and the dearth of good governance demands. The Elysees’s belief that concrete project-centered cooperation ‘will create solidarity between nations’ has been doubted by some. Acrimonious inter-state relations may disrupt the simplest functions of the UFM. For example, the post of Presi-

Opinion Mediterranean Union hostage to power play

dency requires consensus, so should Syria wish to assume that position, how would Syrian-Israeli relations be managed? Similar stumbling blocks may arise as a result of Algerian-Moroccan tensions. It is also uncertain that real cooperation will emerge as a side-effect of such projects when core issues are not dealt with. An inter-Maghreb highway as championed by the Magh-reb Union will not lead to true integration unless headway is made in resolv-ing the Western Sahara crisis.

The expanded version of the Union is another worry, as the involvement of all 27 EU states may lead, as one commentator noted, to “too many meetings, with too many participants that achieve too little.” Such concerns compound fears of an expansion of an already overly cumbersome European system. Furthermore, whilst the Commission document specified that the UfM will ‘complement’ pre-existing instruments, extreme care must be taken in over-

seeing the linkage, so that duplication is avoided. Another criticism is the lack of detail on how the UfM will link up with the EU’s political reform basket.

However, from this deficit may originate a greater sense of ownership among Southern partners, long resentful of the EU’s demands for reform. Yet to achieve the UfM’s stated goal of ‘employment creation’ special care must be taken to balance the UfM in the EU’s bilateral relations with

its neighbors. Without twinning economic reform to political adjustments, economic advantages gained through the program may continue to prima-rily benefit groups close to the political elite, as opposed to Middle Eastern populations as a whole.

Aside from these flaws, the project does hold promise for the region. It is unclear whether, once the French Presidency ends, there will be the same enthusiasm in the EU to bolster the Union. So far the UfM has become a hos-tage to European power play and it would be a real shame if this continues, as reform of EU-Middle East relations is long overdue.

by dana moss

So far the UfM had become a hos-tage to European

power play.

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about dana moss Dana Moss has a LLB (Hons) in Law and has received an M.Phil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Oxford. Before joining the Transatlantic Institute, she worked for MEC International.

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FRENCH PRESIDENCY


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decisive date for European agriculture will be 2013. The 2003 compromise to freeze the level of agricultural spending will come to an end and new financial per-spectives will be implemented. It could be the dawn of a new era for the Common Agricultural Policy, still governed by principles decided by the Treaty of Rome in 1957. But this will depend on the coming discussions in the European Council about the future of the CAP and the budget. Indeed if the health check doesn’t become a discussion about the goals and tools of the CAP after 2013, Europeans will miss the chance to get a new agricultural policy. Firstly, the basis of the next

financial perspectives will be set up in the 2008-2009 budget revision. After that it will be too late to introduce radical changes in the EU budget. Secondly, the European Agenda forecasts European elections and a new Commission in 2009. Once the political landscape changes, deep discussions such as big policy re-form will be difficult to imagine. And if Europeans postpone their choices of a future CAP to 2010-2011, the new reform will be influenced by short-term perspectives.

But the CAP does need a new perspective and a strong new political compromise. A “new CAP” has been up and running since 2003: more oriented towards market signals, more connected to world markets, no longer exclusively ag-ricultural but also concerned with other areas of town and country planning. After traumatic crises of overproduction, financial aid to the sector is now disconnected from production quantities. Despite big achievements, and despite important reforms in 1992, 1999 and 2003, these changes and the relative reduction of spending, CAP subsidies are criticised and the principles of the CAP are under attack. Likewise, the context is leading to an inexorable decline in the legitimacy of the CAP.

CAP CRITICISMSThe main focus of criticism is the architecture of the CAP’s first pillar

— market support measures. The total cost of the CAP is high (43 billions Euros or 40% of the budget); compensation payments are hotly contested on grounds of unfairness (70% of the transfers go to 20% of farmers); the principal beneficiaries - large farms - gain the most from price support and direct payments, without providing public good or positive externalities.

Opinion CAP The Last Chance

A second focus of criticism addresses the CAP’s second pillar, an ensemble of measures with varying objectives—to do with the environmental, plan-ning and social issues—which is more a collection of measures than a clear strategy. In addition to that, the disparities between Member States in the allocation of the budget are a persistent bone of contention for the Euro-pean project. And a number of Member States won’t accept that a large amount of spending should be directed to agriculture, a minor sector of the 21st century European economy.

Hence, Member States’ positions are polarised. However, most stake-holders in the debate are prepared for a thorough policy reform. Circum-stances have changed. In institutional terms, enlargement of 12 new member states has changed the balance of power: close, long-term coali-tions between Member States are a thing of the past. And France, both

an engine and a vehicle of blockages and stalling in the CAP’s history, has announced that it is ready to lead an ambitious debate.

The French presidency will be in charge of finding a compromise on the health check. Its leading position will determine the outcome of the exercise. Even if the Commission has conceived the health check as “an ef-fort to streamline and to modernise the CAP”, France can transform it into an opportunity for long-term reflec-tion. Some signs indicate that French leaders are likely to do it. One of these is the recent tour around Europe of

Michel Barnier, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, to meet with other EU agricultural ministries. Besides, as former European commissioner, he has the political experience and skills to engage all partners into a constructive debate. Whether this will happen or not is unknown today. For the answer, we must wait for the Agricultural Council of Annecy on the 20th and 21st of September 2008.

by nadège chambon

France, both an engine and a ve-

hicle of blockages and stalling in the CAP’s history, has announced an am-

bitious debate.

A

about nadège chambonNadège Chambon is Research Fellow and CAP Project coordinator at Notre Europe, the Paris-based research institute. She has received degrees from both the Institut d‘Études Politiques in Lyon and IEP Strasbourg.

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FRENCH PRESIDENCY


oliticians face increasing pressure to demonstrate control of migration flows, and it is in this context that the French Presidency will make immigration a policy priority over the coming months. How it will do so has made headlines in recent weeks and the Sarkozy government will seek agreement from the Member States for a much-vaunted immigration pact at the European Summit in October.

The proposed pact conforms to current national political pressures across Europe and focuses on how best to exert control over migration flows. France intends to make the nearly-agreed Returns

Directive a centrepiece, which establishes common rules for deporting illegally overstaying non-EU citizens.

In addition, the Sarkozy government proposes an EU-wide ban on mass amnesties for irregular migrants, and has suggested that EU Member States introduce an inte-gration ‘contract’ for new non-EU citizens to sign before entering the EU. This would commit them to learning the host language and adopting ‘European’ values.

But in focusing on the control of irregular migration, are European policy-makers asking the bigger ques-tions? Instead, the particular strength of the EU could be in taking a multidisciplinary approach to immigration policies, and there are a number of opportunities over the next six months.

At the EU level, one of the key innovations of the past few years has been the philosophical shift from constructing border controls and com-mon rules for admission towards looking outwards at partnership be-tween sending and receiving countries. This has been labelled the Global Approach to Migration.

GLOBAL APPROACH TO MIGRATIONAs part of this, the EU launched two pilot mobility partnerships—

frameworks for cooperation on migration issues—with Moldova and Cape Verde in June, and will pursue similar agreements with Georgia and Senegal in the coming months. In addition, the French Presidency will also host the second Euro-African Ministerial Meeting on Migration in October, a few days after the European Summit. At the moment rela-tionships with non-EU countries remain fairly shallow, conceived in the

Opinion Immigration pact to control movement

shadow of the fortress and developed rather from a fear of influx than a longer-term perspective. The symbolic importance of such dialogues should not be underestimated, but the EU needs to commit to looking more closely at the impact of its development, trade, agricultural, govern-ance and human rights policies.

There are good reasons for them to do so. Member States have yet to articulate sustainable policies for sourcing labour at all skill levels. While some fall back on the ex-post facto legitimisation of irregular workers already in-country, others are deeply against amnesties. As the ‘plenti-ful’ source of labour from the new Member States begins to peter out, governments need to become more creative.

Specific agreements with sending countries to obtain seasonal and temporary workers are currently limited. Circular migration — the moot-

ed panacea for maximising economic benefit while mini-mising social impact—will be difficult to put in practice and has to be considered a partial solution at best.

Migration policies can no longer be conceived, drafted and implemented in isolation. Not only do immigration policies affect integration outcomes, and border policies affect asylum outcomes, but foreign affairs, trade rules, development aid, social models, employment laws all af-fect—and are affected by—immigration to Europe.

This is the central challenge facing the French Presidency. However polarised the national debate has become, the European Union is well-placed to begin a serious debate over how to source such labour, and investigate the potential of key neighbours such as Turkey and Morocco. Integrating this challenge into a broader migration policy agenda is neces-sary to deliver a genuine and innovative Global Approach to Migration. But it will also determine the success of partnerships with third countries, and ultimately Europe’s success in managing migration to its shores.

by elizabeth collett

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Migration policies can no longer be

conceived, drafted and implemented

in isolation.

about elizabeth collett Elizabeth Collett is an analyst at the European Policy Centre, an independent Brussels-based think tank, where she coordinates the Migration and Integration Forum.

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STRATEGY & PRACTICE


European Agenda: You’re an expert on microtargeting, which originated in marketing. But it obviously works well in political campaigns—is poli-tics just a product that candidates sell?

Michael Meyers: Well we’ve spent a lot of time adapting it to make it work. Some of the basic ideas are the same. Whether it’s a product or an idea, you first have to get people interested, and if they’re not interested, you can’t sell it, they can’t vote for it. That was the basic element: how can we get people more interested in what the candidates are saying, whether they’re things the voter cares about, things the politician cares about. Talk to them about their top issue, get them more interested in the process, get them to open the mail, to listen to the phone, to listen to a knock on the door. So it’s certainly different to selling a product but there are some similarities to stimulate demand and create awareness.

Could you tell us about how you work, about the facets of microtarget-ing? What do you do first?

First you really need to get what we call ‘data islands’, where the cam-paigns have lots of information at their disposal but in lots of different places. We get all the lists together and put them into one big ‘master file’. The Republican National Committee spent most of the last decade-and-a-half to two decades building a voter file—a list of everybody in each district in each state who’s registered to vote in those districts. We can generally match about 95-98% of the voters to a consumer file that has at least some information. There are probably about 400 or 500 pieces of information and we’re really beneficiaries of the businesses who are wanting this information. It’s a multibillion dollar business keeping the data fresh, real and useable. We’ll take a look at what part of the district they live in, what’s the racial make-up of that area, how much the home is worth, how big it is, what kind of cars are in the garage or the driveway.

How do you get this information?It’s all either public, or certain pseudo-public information. In some

states we can’t get as much information. Housing information is public everywhere for tax purposes. There’s no health record or individual trans-actions, so I don’t know that somebody went to this store on Tuesday, but I would know that they’re the type that buys high-end audio equipment

Microtargeting Matching medium with message

etc. We add all that information, 400 or 500 pieces, and create another 200 or 300 pieces that are more applicable to politics. All that informa-tion has to sell product, and we are selling something a bit different so we want to manipulate that stuff. We want to take a look at single-moth-er homes, homes where grandparents are caring for grandkids…

So when you have found single mothers then you send your people to the door to talk to them, try to get them to vote for the Republicans?

First of all we’ll get all that information, then conduct a large survey off of that. Now we’ve asked them a bunch of political questions, we have the answers to all the political questions plus all of this information from the consumer marketers. We can take those survey responses and say: single mothers that make under $50,000 a year in this part of this state, don’t have credit cards and drive older cars—their top concerns are education and healthcare, and so we talk to them about education and healthcare. We may find other neighbours - an older couple getting ready to retire. We need to send them stuff about capital gains tax cuts, how we’re go-ing to protect their investments and their retirement future. Traditionally campaigns have been run at a geographic level: break a city up into 400 or 500 little pieces and look at each and say, is this a Republican or a Dem-

ocrat area? Republicans we would send all kinds of mail, all basically the same, talking about Republican issues. We look at the next neighbourhood and only 30% of the people vote Republican. We would pretend nobody voted Republican in that area and not send any information, because you were throwing away 7 out of every 10 efforts that you make. Then you have these middle areas where you didn’t know if they were Republican or Democrat, and you send everyone education or healthcare mail.

If you have found a district which is mixed Republican and Democrat, is this where you put your focus—on the swing voters?

Our clients will come to us and say, these are the five issues I want to talk about. Then we’ll start to say, how much money do we have, how many people can we talk to? We may say, these people are very supportive of you, likely to vote, we don’t want to spend any money on them because they’re going to show up and vote. Save that money to talk to this person, who is very supportive of you but hasn’t shown

Microtargeting expert Michael Meyers on communicating with the voting public by grit fiedler, sebastian lange and daniel f. le ray

One thing in poli-tics you have to

account for is that if you win, every-thing you did you did right; and if you lose, every-

thing you did was a big mistake.

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STRATEGY & PRACTICE


up in past elections. Or people that always show up but swing back and forth between Republican and Democrat. So we have two halves: provid-ing motivation to get people to vote that are already likely to be sup-porters; and persuasion amongst people who are most likely to vote. We don’t think it makes sense to talk to people who aren’t likely to vote, that money can be better spent. This year we’ll spend more money and more time on that middle group than we did in 2004.

Was that one of the reasons for George Bush’s success in 2004? Was his strategy different to John Kerry’s?

Kerry did seem to work with micro-targeting [but] I think that we were ahead of them at that point on the technology side. We think that we have some more creative uses than they had in 2004. Gov. Mark Warner from Virginia, who’s running for senate now, is a real creative user on the Democrat side. But one of the big advantages is that the Republican par-ty has spent the last 15 or 20 years trying to build this base file, and the Democrats really just started in 2004. There are elements of an arms race about this, but we can all buy the same computers, the same software. Our advantage is not only understanding the statistics and the science of it, but the art of it and where the best targets are. I think in 2004 it was obviously successful. One thing in politics you have to account for is that if you win, everything you did you did right; and if you lose, everything you did was a big mistake. I think we really helped provide some edge.

What does microtargeting mean in practice? After the analysis, do you simply send materials and autocall? How do you get the message out? Ph

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mass media & modern political marketing

With the mass production and distribution of content—whether movies, products or people—the US was instrumental in the development of mass media. Though the consultants of the 1930s and ‘40s might have been the starting-point of political marketing, as television reached a high saturation level in the ‘60s, reaching a large target audience at one fell swoop became far easier. Marketing was becoming more acute, targetting consumer groups more precisely through ’microtargeting’. Corporations could consult marketing firms with large databases of consumer information which helped direct marketing impact. And as the mass media politician became standard fare, brand became as important as message: think JFK’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” or “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” being beamed around the world. Direct marketing, research and demographics became more important over the 1970s and ‘80s as voter groups became less distinct and apathy increased. Though some microtargeting was done in California in ‘92, it only became a buzzword of US politics in 2004. Karl Rove used the method to get Bush’s re-election message out to more states than would otherwise be possible through direct mail campaigns and phone calls, reaching around 92% of Bush voters. As the Republican Party’s ‘Voter Vault’ of information may have proven determinant in 2004, recently the Democrats have launched their own version: ‘VoteBuilder’.

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STRATEGY & PRACTICE


I think we get closer each year to matching the messenger to the message. With a lot of new technology, you can actually come in and say ‘these are the issues I care about’, give that to the person running the phone operation, and they can give you a specific list of people that match those things. Most campaigns have not gotten that sophisticated yet. These robocalls have become very popular. Candidates rely on them too much because they’re so cheap and they think they can solve all their problems.

Microtargeting was first used in marketing in the 1960s. Why has it be-come so popular again?

I think there are a couple of things. Computers are faster than they ever were before, but what really has blown up is the ability to store and treat information. The other really big part was necessity: up through the ‘50s and into the ‘60s the Republican party was able to rely on its sys-tem of precinct captains and local leaders to know who the Republicans were, what issues they cared about, know who needed the special touch. Through the ‘60s that kind of fell apart—people didn’t know their neigh-bours, the parties weren’t as powerful—so we started to turn to the tel-ethon. But as more and more people were taking their phone numbers off the list, we were left in a situation where you could only get half the numbers and few of those people would actually answer your questions. Our philosophy is that the earlier system is the best: nothing can trump a neighbour knowing a neighbour, understanding what issues they care about and saying, ‘hey, John McCain really is the right guy’, but this is really filling a practical gap where we just can’t gather that information the way we used to.

about michael meyers

Michael Meyers is Partner and President of Target Point Consulting.

Meyers has most recently worked to provide microtargeting and direct voter contact consulting for Bush-Cheney ’04 and the Republican National Committee. His other clients have included the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Republican Governor’s Association, Senators Burr (NC) and Thune (SD), Governors Schwarzenegger (CA) and Lingle (HI). He has also worked with Wal-Mart, Pfizer and Magnolia Pictures/2929 Entertainment.

During the 2002 election cycle, Meyers was executive director of the Michigan Republican Party and helped to gain two Republican congressional seats. His work on Presidential campaigns began in 1996 as a field representative for Dole-Kemp, and he has also worked with former Michigan Lt Governor Dick Posthumus and on the Technology and Energy, and Senate Republican Campaign Committees.

Michael graduated from James Madison College at Michigan State University with a Bachelors Degree in International Relations in 1995. He currently resides with his wife Angela in Alexandria, VA.

Have you ever received requests from other countries? Do you think your method would work in Europe?

The Tories have a version of this that the National Committee helped set up. We’ve talked a lot to different parts of the Canadian right-of-centre parties, but a lot of it is privacy laws. The market for this data is not as strong in Canada because politicians are afraid to use it. What I encourage is: whether you can actually do this process or not, under-standing the individual pieces that make up your winning coalition is always important. Too often we just look at one data point and the can-didate will say: I’m doing really poorly with women—how do I fix it? Really you’d need to break that data down and say: you’re doing pretty good with older woman; and we’re doing OK with young women, ex-cept young woman who make less money and live in this part of the state. So that’s where to focus. The places where the President saw his biggest games in 2004 were in Democrat areas where we were taking the traditional 30% and were taking it to 35, 38, 39%. And a thousand votes, wherever they come from, are a thousand votes. Somebody men-tioned that if the Republicans were here in Europe, we’d probably be three parties, certainly two. In Europe you tend to build coalitions with parties but in the US we tend to build coalitions within one of the two parties, so it is better to understand how to build that coalition within your own party. It’s not just that CDU voters are reacting to social stim-uli; they vote for the CDU because of two or three issues. There’s very few cases where you would line up 10 people and all 10 would give you the same answer of why they voted. Understanding how each of those 10 comes to their answer is very helpful.

Do the national privacy laws you mentioned limit the influence of micro-targeting?

There’s obviously a different sense for privacy here than in the US. We all get the letter from companies that sell this data which says: here’s our privacy policy, unless you tell us differently we’re going to sell all the information. Almost nobody bothers to sit back and say, no, stop. Even the most paranoid people who don’t want to give any information to anybody get a magazine subscription and it says, we’ll give you a free umbrella if you answer the following questions. I think if you went to ask people, they would say, we don’t like this, we don’t think it should be going on; but almost no one takes the steps they could to restrict the information. But it is an interesting marketplace; there’s lots of informa-tion out there. The next big step will be as television inbreeds with the internet, whether you could start actually sending individualised ads to people, applying the same technology, from the television side. It’s a pretty big group of people, and the same way you send a piece of mail to someone you could send them a particular advertisement.

In presidential campaign years you probably work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We will get really busy. In 2004 we started just before Thanksgiving of the year before. This year almost all the analysis will be done in June, July and August so that it’s really fresh, up-to-date and ready to go, so those will be long months. Luckily most of our hard work is done before Elec-tion Day, so we can watch and try to provide some perspective to clients as they’re going nuts in October!

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STRATEGY & PRACTICE


he EU-US political relationship has passed through a difficult period in recent years. The Iraq War has changed the nature of transatlantic diplomacy and created political suspicion on both sides of the Atlan-tic; but indications are that we are emerging from this period. Efforts are underway to step up the construc-tive dialogue across the Atlantic. The main initiative to deepen the EU-US strategic partnership came at the EU-US Summit in April 2007, when Chancellor Merkel and President Bush agreed to create a Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC).

the transatlantic economic council Superficially, the TEC is uncontroversial, aiming for:• more effective and transparent regulatory co-operation;• progress on so-called Lighthouse Priority Projects established under the TEC’s predecessor, the Transatlantic Dialogue; and• promotion of economic integration in key areas, including intellectual property rights, secure trade and financial markets.

The TEC supplements existing co-operative efforts focusing on specific policy areas, e.g. the EU-US Financial Markets Regulatory Dialogue, but goes beyond these to bring together senior members of the EU and US ad-ministrations to address regulatory issues across industry sectors and with the political impetus to resolve them. The TEC is co-chaired by Daniel Price, Assistant to the US President for International Economic Affairs, and Com-missioner Verheugen, Vice-President of the European Commission respon-sible for Enterprise and Industry. In addition to them, the TEC is comprised of EU Commissioners and US Cabinet members responsible for the policy areas covered. The TEC is assisted by a Group of Advisors representing the views of legislators, consumers and producers from the EU and the US on priorities for transatlantic economic co-operation, and consisting of:• Chairs of the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue (MEPs and Members of Congress);• Chairs of the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (representatives of con-sumer organisations); and• Chairs of the Transatlantic Business Dialogue, (business representatives) providing a useful avenue for providing business input into the process.

Regulatory DevelopmentsThe Transatlantic Economic Council

where do we stand today?The TEC has now held two meetings: one on November 9th 2007 in Wash-

ington, D.C. and one on May 13th 2008 in Brussels. May set the tone for fu-ture work in the TEC during what will be a transition period characterised by the 2008 US presidential elections and the 2009 European Parliament elec-tions and change of Commission. Like all transition periods, it is also a mat-ter of opportunities and risks and will be critical for defining the future of EU-US relations. The May meeting recognised this and decided on the need for a compelling work programme, setting out priority regulatory areas. In discussing the work programme, commitments were made by the Commis-sion and the US administration to make progress on several controversial policy areas, including the import of chlorine-treated US poultry into the EU, US safety rules for electrical and electronic equipment, and the equivalence of US accounting standards to EU rules. The TEC also adopted a statement on open investment, emphasising the EU and US commitment to promot-ing open investment policies at home and abroad and the role that these policies play. It declares that such an approach is compatible with policies addressing national security as long as the latter are transparent, predicta-ble, proportionate, and precisely circumscribed. Given that security concerns have been cited with regards to political interference with business invest-ments (primarily in the US), and considering the ongoing debate on sover-eign wealth funds, this is an interesting statement. It remains to be seen whether its principles are adhered to in practice.

added value?The TEC recognises that neither side is satisfied that its concerns are suf-

ficiently addressed. It constitutes a new structure that still has to show the added value it can bring to transatlantic relations. Its survival beyond the US presidential elections and 2009 European elections and change of Commission will depend on it.

An initiative to deepen the EU-US strategic partnership by Catherine Gilliard

about catherine gilliard This section on the TEC is contributed by Freshfields

Bruckhaus Deringer, an international law firm. Catherine Gilliard is an EU Public Affairs Consultant in Freshfields‘ EU Public Affairs Practice based in Brussels, which advises clients on EU legislation and policy.

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any of us may do it for a living, but there is still debate about what “public affairs” actually is. Defini-tions vary. Some use the term in-terchangeably with “government relations”. The collective wisdom of Wikipedia prefers to equate public affairs with “lobbying” plain and simple. Whatever your definition, one trend is apparent: the scope of what activities are judged to con-stitute “public affairs” has expand-ed over the years. One only has to witness the rash of issue advertis-

ing in this and other Brussels based publications, the plethora of policy events in our diaries each day or the number of job adverts that seek a “Public Affairs and Communications Manager” to see this trend at work. Given the nature of Brussels, communicating to policymakers directly through one-on-one meetings will remain the most effective means of getting your message across. This of course assumes you meet the right people at the right time and say the right thing. But is it sufficient to achieve our goals as organizations and what role, if any, should digital play in our public affairs toolbox?

YOU ALREADY DO DIGITALThe good news is that, for a large part, the internet has already changed

the way public affairs practitioners work in Brussels. Gone are the days of receiving reams of faxed amendments from the Parliament. As long as you can know how to point and click, you can find most of the docu-ments you need on the EU institutions websites. EU information has become a commodity that is accessed through one of the largest public websites in the world. As a result, we have more time to concentrate our efforts on gathering political intelligence, conducting outreach and ensuring we have the right strategy to get to our objectives.

In this behavior, we are simply mirroring a wider shift in the way we get our information. When we want to know about something today, we do what everyone else does. We go to a trusted website or we google. Research recently conducted in Europe by Fleishman-Hillard and Har-ris Interactive has found that not only do Europeans increasingly turn

Public Affairs Can digital communications revolutionize public affairs?

to the internet for information but such information is more likely to influence the decisions they make than print and broadcast media. This research can be found online at http://www.fhdigital.net/InfluenceIn-dex/. As such, conversations about you and your issues are increasingly taking place online. These conversations can take place with or without you. They will have an impact on public policy, either directly as decision-makers read them, or indirectly as they filter through the media or shifts in public opinion.

POLICYMAKERS ARE NO DIFFERENTIn the use of the internet for research purposes, surveys of policymak-

ers from the US suggest that they are using it just as much as the rest of us. One survey from the National Journal found that around 50% of Congressional staffers use the internet as their primary research tool in the 24 hours before a vote, with 70% of them looking for position papers and 53% looking for tutorials to explain complex topics.

A number of factors suggest that the figures are just as likely to be as high, if not higher, for the European Parliament. Firstly, most assistants are relatively young and therefore more likely to be au fait with the use of the internet as a research tool. Secondly, European Parliamentarians have a much smaller and less experienced staff than most US federal representatives. Finally, the large number of technical issues that pass through the institutions are likely to lead to the need for the most basic information on any given issue.

With this in mind, the presence of your information online, whether on EU policy portals like Euractiv, your own website or your own blog, is a necessary condition for communicating effectively to policymakers. A second condition is of course that policymakers are able to find it. If your information is tucked away on a trade association site somewhere, will it be found by an assistant googling for a specific search term? For key search terms on an issue, both search engine optimization to increase your search engine rankings and search engine marketing to move your information up the “paid for” results should be considered as part of any public affairs campaign.

THE INTERNET CAN BECOME OUR ALLY IN ADVOCACYPolicymakers are also increasingly leading the charge in using the in-

ternet to reach out to voters. The presidential elections in the US have led the way in terms of using the internet to harvest political donations

How the internet influences public affairs work in Brusselsby james stevens

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Public Affairs Can digital communications revolutionize public affairs?

about james stevens James Stevens is an Associate Director at Fleishman-

Hillard EU and co-chair of the company’s European Digital Practice Group. He is regular contributor to Fleishman-Hillard EU’s blog Public Affairs 2.0 on the use of digital in public affairs and politics.

and find and motivate supporters to take action both online and offline. In a Brussels context, both the Commission and the Parliamentarians are increasingly seeking to use the internet to reach out to citizens. It has a number of benefits. It is relatively cheap as a form of communication. It is also effective, as it enables you to be targeted in reaching out to peo-ple that actually care about your issues. It also bypasses the traditional national media, who often only see the Brussels agenda through the prism of “red lines” and foreign ministers.

These benefits not only apply to the use of the internet by policymakers but could also apply for those seeking to practice public affairs in Brus-sels. Many of the legislative issues we deal with are of personal relevance to the daily lives of many of our fellow EU citizens. If only they realized it was the EU that legislates on them. On the internet, for every issue there is a self-selecting group of citizens that gravitate towards certain sites, blogs and Facebook groups. For public affairs in Brussels, the inter-net offers a cost-effective way of finding and motivating interested third parties to advocate either directly or indirectly towards policymakers, be they organizations or individuals. In a town where issues tend to be the primary focus, such techniques should be second nature to us.

Several campaigns have already sought to use such techniques. The disabled rights lobby and the European Parliament’s oneseat.eu cam-paign have both collected over a million signatures using an online cam-paign website, supported by both digital and offline activities to drive supporters to their sites. Such people power may be politically hard to ignore in the context of the Lisbon Treaty provisions on citizens’ peti-tions, even if the right of legislative initiative remains with the Com-mission.

While a million signatures may be a noble aim, to be successful in influencing policy an online campaign does not need to gather such a multitude of voices. On topics such as REACH, the NGO community has in the past used postcard campaigns to great effect. An inbox made up of individual contacts from concerned citizens is not something that can be ignored by policymakers who are themselves concerned about their connection with citizens. The nature of the internet should make it pos-sible for all Brussels organizations to harness these views from across the Union, a move which would allow them to supplement what are often dry, factual arguments with the emotional and persuasive weight of “real” people expressing themselves in their own words.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGESPolicymakers are of course influenced by the world around them as

much as your one-on-one meeting with them. Expressing yourself online

and in the media influences the likelihood that your message finds reso-nance. As the online world has changed the way we receive information and understand issues, so digital should become part of our toolbox of public affairs tactics.

There are a few barriers to overcome before you can go beyond “hav-ing a website” and use the internet to its full potential in your public affairs activities. Firstly, you should not be afraid of your lack of technical knowledge. For certain, most of us are more au fait with Parliamentary procedure than terms such as “blogs”, “RRS aggregators” and “social me-dia”, but at heart the principles behind online communications are little different from other forms of communications, including public affairs. Secondly, we should stop making an artificial distinction between “pub-lic affairs” and “communications”. Public affairs is at its heart communi-cations towards policymakers to influence policy. The trend of integra-tion needs to continue and public affairs practitioners should consider digital as part of their day jobs.

If we can integrate digital into what we do, there is a real world of opportunity for us and our organisations. Firstly, it is one of a number of tools that can help us all move beyond reacting to legisla-tion already in the process to thinking about how to shape the policy debate to come. Secondly, by helping us to make this shift, we can move closer to other communications colleagues and become inte-grators within our own organisations. Finally, it can help us succeed in public affairs more often, by ensuring that our message is found in the place where all decision-makers are increasingly looking for their information.

eu online grassroots campaigns

www.1million4disability.euThe disability rights lobby collected 1 million signatures for action by the European Union on discrimination

www.oneseat.euDespite a million signatures online for this campaign, certain Mem-ber States continue to say “non” to a move to one seat for the Euro-pean Parliament

www.whodoicall.euBloggers Jon Worth and Jan Seifert launched a website, blog and Fa-cebook group to argue for one individual to be both EU Commission and Council President

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the conversation will happen with or without you

Search for your issue in Google or Yahoo and see what results are re-turned. This is the information that Parliamentary researchers and Com-mission desk officers are finding on your subject matter. Who is talking about your issue or organization in the blogosphere? Try typing in your is-sue on www.technorati.com to find out. Blogs are increasingly used and read by those who influence policymakers, such as journalists.

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STRATEGY & PRACTICE


ver 80 percent of all legislation affecting the busi-ness community is adopted by majority voting at EU level”, said Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy in May 2008 in the build-up to the Irish referendum, addressing apparent con-cerns on the decline of Member States’ power. The EU plays an ever important role in tle life of citizens and businesses—no doubt about that. But even if Brussels is the place where decisions are made, politics still takes place largely in the Member States. Networked lobbying, i.e. coordi-nated lobbying in Member States and Brussels, is an essential cornerstone of successful advocacy in today’s European Union.

THE COSY DAYS ARE OVERSince its early days in the fifties, the European Union has undergone a

process of tremendous enlargement and change. Long gone are the days of a cosy European Community of six, nine or twelve. The Community has not only become bigger, but much more diverse in terms of languages and cultural characteristics, with the question of how and whether to define definite boundaries not being answered yet. In today’s EU, policy formulation takes place in 27 capitals (plus some more ‘regional capitals’ in federal Member States) and is influenced by manifold national back-grounds. Public opinion, the media landscape, national and regional elec-tion campaigns do not only influence governments; the 785 MEPs and the Commission are also exposed to such national aspects.

In this context of a changed political framework, the approach to ad-vocacy at EU level has also developed. The old way of high-level diplo-matic lobbying behind closed doors, as practised in the early years of the Community, is no longer the recipe for successfully representing interests in the EU. A modernised, professionalised and wider approach to Public Affairs saw a boost in the 1990s. Today a vast number of stakeholders, a broader range of policies and more complex procedures characterise the EU of 27. Commissioner Siim Kallas puts the current number of lobbyists in Brussels at around 15, 000, and a long standing member of the Euro-pean Parliament summarises that “pressure, competition for awareness and simply the amount of requests from lobby groups have increased exponentially.” Actors involved range from national and transnational

Public Affairs It’s the Member States, stupid!

NGOs, civil society organisations and business associations, think tanks and consultants to representatives of public institutions of a multi-level Europe and beyond. Keeping track and shaping policies in this context requires more specific skills regarding languages, cultural and political understanding than ever before.

MEMBER STATES CONTINUE TO BE CRUCIALAt first sight, the development of the institutional setup might seem

to favour more and more centralised decisions in Brussels (“The EU has decided...”, “Brussels bureaucrats suggest that…”). However, it is obvious that national interests continue to play a crucial role in any decision taken at EU level. By definition, national interests are represented in the Council, but national issues matter in other European institutions as well, like the Commission and the European Parliament. Alan S. Milward, the author of “The European Rescue of the Nation State” and Andrew Moravcsik seem to have a point: The political process encompasses much more than only the formal decision-making phase. Taking for example the co-decision procedure alone as a measure of influence in the European Union would be a limited view. Dividing the policy cycle into a simplified three phase procedure, it becomes evident that Member States play an essential role in each phase. They are the element continuously involved so that cor-responding public affairs activities always need to consider the national dimension adequately.

AGENDA SETTINGWhether a topic becomes a political issue or not is a question of out-

standing relevance for each stakeholder. Even though political issues are often discussed in Brussels for years, they only gain impetus when they enter a public sphere. And despite some niche European media the EU still lacks a common public sphere: Key media have a purely national fo-cus, and politicians are accountable to the parties and constituencies in their home country. Hence, societal discourses as a strong driving force of politics emerge predominantly in the national arena. Take the example of food labeling: Although common rules on food labelling are set in Brussels, the debate which steered the policy discussion spilled over from the UK. It was shaped both by international organisations such as the World Health Organisation and by the intense obesity debate in UK.

The lesson to be drawn from a European public affairs perspective is that early issue tracking in Member States is a neglected means of identifying

How to lobby Brussels via the EU’s member countriesby peter lochbihler

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about peter lochbihler Peter Lochbihler is Business Director in the Brussels

office of PLEON, a leading communications and Public Affairs consultancy with 33 offices around Europe. He has been active in EU Public Affairs since 2001.

and influencing future trends. Focus countries which shape the debates in the relevant policy field need to be identified and taken into consideration. Consequently, proactively par-ticipating in such discussions helps to avoid misunderstand-ings and critical developments at an early stage.

POLICY FORMULATION AND FORMATIONIn elaborating policy proposals the European Commis-

sion relies heavily on expertise and opinions of stakehold-ers. The extensive consultations bear witness to both limit-ed resources regarding in-house expertise and the pursuit of legitimacy. Apart from stakeholders, national ministries and authorities are the sources of expertise, from which legitimate and high quality input stem from. Drawing on current examples in the tele-communications and energy sectors, Member State interests reach far be-yond the formal role of national governments in decision-making. Where ‘national champions’ or serious national interests are concerned, the di-vides within the European Parliament go along national patterns rather than following the underpinning philosophy of the political groups.

Once again, lobbying in Member States directly influences decisions in Brussels. While decision-making in Brussels is often characterised by factual arguments, national public spheres determine the political and societal di-mension of discussions. Thus, a last minute change of position by a minister ahead of a Council meeting can often be attributed to publicly perceived, emotional issues emerging in the home country; and the same applies to MEPs. Therefore, to only look at what is going on in Brussels and Strasbourg it is too narrow a perspective. A permanent monitoring of political trends in Member States is a precondition for a successful European lobbying cam-paign, as is a direct contact to decision-makers in national bodies.

IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT EU legislation has become more and more detailed and technical in

recent years. As a consequence, a lot of implementation work is done through comitology procedures by representatives of national min-istries and authorities at working level. To assume that only minor technical details are decided in these committees chaired by the Com-mission would be a dangerous under-estimation of their role ( just as the relevance of standardisation is still neglected by large parts of pri-vate business). Often, it is exactly the details that decide about which technical solution will be apt to fulfil the requirements of legislation. And when it comes to enforcing EU law, there is always a margin of interpretation in the hands of public authorities. Applied to lobbying,

Member States’ institutions play a major role also in this phase of the policy cycle. Continuous dialogue with the working level in relevant departments of ministries and authorities can be as important as the direct access to a minister.

PRACTICAL RULES FOR LOBBYING THE EU VIA MEMBER STATES

In a nutshell, representing interests in Brussels is one important, but not exclusively sufficient approach to EU Public Affairs. So what are the ‘golden rules’ on how to lobby the EU via Member States? It is crucial to follow

one central lobbying strategy and implement it locally. By interconnect-ing political and public spheres at national and European level, synergies can be achieved. Apart from this, the general rules of lobbying also apply to lobbying in the Member States:• Have local people on the spot who know the country’s political, eco-

nomic and cultural background. It is obligatory that people dealing with Public Affairs in a country speak the local language in order build a network.

• Show continuous presence towards national parliaments, ministries and regulatory bodies. Do not only show up in emergency cases, but establish a continuous dialogue.

• Don’t rely on top-level contacts only, do also approach the working level. Consider carefully at what stage to contact which level.

• Don’t count on one strong advocate in the Council only, even if you are a ‘national champion’. Build issue-specific, cross-country alliances.

• Take an integrated approach to Public Affairs, built upon thorough monitoring and analysis as a necessary precondition before any active lobbying starts. Lobbying is only one element within Public Affairs.

• Consider adequately public opinion, other stakeholders and media in your approach. It is public opinion that politicians care about.

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A permanent monitoring of po-litical trends in

Member States is a precondition for a successful Eu-ropean lobbying

campaign.

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STRATEGY & PRACTICE


Books of the month

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Paul RichardsBe Your Own Spin Doctor: A Prac-tical Guide to Using the MediaPolitico’s 2005 2nd ed.

This guide to today’s media is set to aid campaigners and communicators in the dark and mysterious world of press cover-age and spin. Spin, Richards argues, is an old profession, one which has simply gained new ground with the fast development of media access and consumption. Arguing that “the truth is a difficult concept”, spin is put forward as the art of making people

believe what you want them to believe. Reputation matters - take care of it. Get to know the inner-workings of the media hounds, learn what is newsworthy and strategise your spin. With a clear structure providing key points to summarise the chapters, this guide to using the media will help even those who do not work in spin to understand the profession better and lead the way to becoming their very own spin doctor.

Jan WertsThe European CouncilJohn Harper 2008 1st ed

If anyone is in the position to write an au-thoritative book on the European Council, it’s Jan Werts, a veteran EU correspond-ent who has reported on the majority of Council meetings since the 1970s. Werts’ book is designed to be the ultimate guide to a political body which isn’t exactly easy to get to grips with, and, thankfully for us, achieves its aims with clarity and finesse. It charts the history of the Council from

its inception, thereby giving us a clear context in which to judge the ac-tions and proceedings of the Council today, in the new era of 27 member states. Werts then uses the Council’s current modus operandi as a jump-ing-off point for considering how its role will change under the Treaty of Lisbon, making intelligent predictions and advisory comments. All in all the book is a thoughtful and well-researched addition to the canon of EU-related literature.

mediaTom CurtinManaging Green IssuesPalgrave Macmillan 2007 2nd ed.

“Managing Green Issues” deals with how companies can manage environmentally controversial projects properly. The book dedicates a few chapters to stakeholders (a word which, along with “sustainabil-ity”, Curtin believes is overused). A wider definition of the word is provided, encom-passing any organisation or individual that might be affected by the operations of another company or organisation.

Curtin proposes a new approach to managing issues, CHARM: Consult, Harmonise, Adjust, Reinforce and Maintain. Advice is also given on how to establish green credentials when almost all the company’s activities damage the environment and the closing chapter concludes that “Green can be irrational”. Overall, the work is a brilliant account of marketing and communications management of green issues.

strategy

analysisGunter Schäfer et al.Europe in Figures—The Eurostat Yearbook 2008Eurostat 2008

Eurostat’s yearly look at the European Un-ion in figures is back to grace our shelves for 2008. The yearbook is a must-read for anyone who wants a picture of how Eu-rope really stands in cold hard fact, and is an essential tool for journalists, academics, Eurocrats and casual observers alike. It also proves to be particularly useful by acting

as a guide to the vast realm of information which can be found on the Eurostat website, picking out key information and presenting it in a rela-tively easy to understand format. Organised into logical subsections, the yearbook is bolstered by its useful inclusion of background information on each area. This year it also spotlights data related to Europe’s ageing soci-ety, and the attendant demographic significance. A more thorough statis-tical guidebook would be hard to find, and this yearbook simply reinforces the usefulness of Eurostat as an organ for understanding the EU.

statistics

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Women in the EU

EUROPEAN WOMEN UNITE!This month has seen the launch of ‘The European Network of Women in Decision-making in Politics and the Economy’. Despite its wordy title, the aims of the network can be summed up in one word: equality. Women have always been in the minority when it comes to holding high-pow-ered positions, both in business and in politics. At present, only a third of MEPs are women and, interestingly enough, only a third of the Bar-roso Commission are women. The launch of this new network would be widely regarded as a step in the right direction along the EU’s Roadmap to Equality, a destination we’re due to arrive at by 2010. The network’s launch was attended by Commissioners Špidla and Wallström, amongst others who have vocalised the importance of Equality on an EU-wide lev-el. Due to present its first results in 2009, the significance of the network will be realised in its ability to find practical means of overcoming the gender imbalance in European professional structures. Will these means find their way into the European Institutions too?

A WOMAN FOR EU PRESIDENT?What of the newly-minted top job of ‘EU President’ that everyone’s talking about? It seems that in the eyes of the media and most of the people on the street, only men have been considered for the race so far. The website www.femalesinfront.eu asks the question “250 million women in the EU: Not a single one good enough?” and hosts a petition demanding at least one female leader of the EU.

LOBBYING FOR EQUALITYMeanwhile, the European Women’s Lobby www.womenlobby.org is re-minding us that there is still some way to go before 2010. This month they are calling on the EU to remember the importance of gender when consider-ing a new anti-discrimination directive, pointing out that it deserves a level footing with other grounds for discrimination such as age and religion.

MARGOT WALLSTRÖMA Swedish high-school graduate who was once

the CEO of a TV company, Wallström brings a colourful variety of experience to her cur-rent role as first Vice-President of the Com-mission. Dubbed by some as ‘The Citizens’

Commissioner’ the cause of gender-equality is clearly close to her heart, as some of her im-

passioned blog entries prove.

ANGELA MERKELTwice named the most powerful woman in the

world by Forbes.com, Merkel’s clout in the EU can hardly be underestimated. Inevitable comparisons with Margaret Thatcher thus abound, and if those who call her ‘king-

maker’ are to be believed, it is she who holds most power when it comes to deciding who

will become the first President.

TARJA HALONENFinland’s first female

President has much to do with the country’s percep-tion as liberal and

fo r w a r d - t h i n k-ing. Tarja Halonen,

seen by many as a mother-figure for

the Finnish people, made her name as a Social Democrat, and maintains it with policies such as the advocation of gay and lesbian rights and humanitarian issues.

ANNA ZÁBORSKÁPerhaps the most con-

troversial female fig-ure in the EU, MEP Záborská currently stands as Chair of

the Committee on Women’s Rights and

Gender Equality—a controversial appoint-

ment, considering her strongly anti-abortion views. She has, however, taken a strong stance on issues such as trafficking, with the Commit-tee’s ‘Red Card on Forced Prostitution’.

MARY MCALEESEThe Presidency of Ire-

land may be largely ceremonial, but is nevertheless inte-gral to Irish polity.

Mary McAleese is the second suc-

cessive female Irish President, and has re-

cently been taking steps to define the country’s role within the EU by urging the Irish people to vote in the country’s referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

A look at the work towards gender equality in Europe, and profiles of some of the key female players in the Union

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Personnel Changes

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Fabio Ciani

InstitutionsNew Italian MEP

European ParliamentMEPNationality: IT Start Date: 16.05.2008

FABIO CIANI has joined the European Parlia-ment as a permanent member of the Commit-tee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly. He will also take part in the Delega-tion for relations with Israel although as a sub-stitute member. Mr Ciani belongs to the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.

InstitutionsIva Zanicchi joins the EP

Iva Zanicchi

European ParliamentMEPNationality: IT Start Date: 16.05.2008

IVA ZANICCHI joined the European Parliament in mid-May although the Committees of which she will be a member, are yet undefined. Ms Zanicchi is rather a celebrity in Italy having been a singer, a TV presenter and a writer during the sixties. She won the Sanremo Festival three times and collaborated with Mikis Theodorakis and Charles Aznavour. She is a member of the European Peo-ple’s Party.

Jan Cremers

InstitutionsNew MEP Jan Cremers

European ParliamentMEPNationality: NL Start Date: 08.05.2008

JAN CREMERS has joined the European Parlia-ment as a permanent member of the Commit-tee on Employment and Social Affairs, and of the Delegation for relations with Israel. He is also a substitute member of the Committee on the In-ternal Market and Consumer Protection. Mr Cre-mers is part of the Socialist Group in the Euro-pean Parliament. He has also been a researcher at the University of Amsterdam since 2007.

InstitutionsBoursier joins the EP

Catherine Boursier

European ParliamentMEPNationality: FR Start Date: 19.05.2008

CATHERINE BOURSIER has joined the EP as a member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, the Delegation for re-lations with the Mashreq countries and the Del-egation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamen-tary Assembly. She is also a substitute member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and of the Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union.

InstitutionsDroutsas at the EP

Konstantinos Droutsas

European ParliamentMEPNationality: GR Start Date: 03.06.2008

KONSTANTINIOS DROUTSAS has joined the Eu-ropean Parliament with the European United Left/Nordic Green Left group. He will be a per-manent member of the Committee on Agricul-ture and Rural Development, the Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation Committees, and of the Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Par-liamentary Assembly.

Institutions

Head of Cabinet

Kurt Vandenberghe

European CommissionHead of CabinetNationality: BE Start Date: 01.05.2008

Kurt Vandenberghe has been named head of the cabinet of Janez Potonik, European Commission-er for Research and Development.

TICKERMichel Delebarre, President, M.O.T +++Peter Droll, Head of Unit, DG Enterprise, European Commission +++ Peter Van Ijsselmuiden, Mem-ber of the Board, Cedefop +++ Aloys Rigaut, President, LYMEC +++

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Companies

From GE to Microsoft

John Vassalo

MicrosoftVice President, EU AffairsNationality: MT Languages: MT, EN, FR, SE, ITStart Date: 30.05.2008

In his new Microsoft position, JOHN VASSALLO will be responsible for leading the company’s EU Corporate Affairs and Regulatory team. The creation of this role reflects the increasing im-portance of Microsoft’s engagement with the European Union across a wide range of policy areas. He will also serve as Associate General Counsel for the company. Mr Vassallo lived for 15 years in Sweden working with the Euroc Corporation of Malmo and during the 1990s became Ambassador of Malta to the European Union, NATO, and Belgium, where he negoti-ated his country’s timing for the EU and NATO. Vassallo resigned his diplomatic assignment and joined GE in 1997. Since February 2007, Mr Vassallo is Chair of AmCham EU, the lobbying organisation in Brussels that represents 140 companies of US parentage at the European Institutions and EU governments.

Tal Hasson

CompaniesHasson at PWC

Pricewaterhouse-CoopersEU Business Develop-ment ManagerNationality: NL Languages: NL, EN, FRStart Date: 01.04.2008

TAL HASSON has recently joined the Pricewater-houseCoopers EU Account Support Team where he is responsible for developing the ongoing business relationship with the European Union Institutions and supporting the implementa-tion of PwC EU strategies to improve the effi-ciency of PwC’s participation in public tenders. Mr Hasson is also in charge of promoting the PwC brand in the European Union institutions. Prior to PwC he spent seven years working for DG Enlargement at the European Commission.

Beatriz Manrique

MediaManrique Aquí Europa

Aquí EuropaEditor in ChiefNationality: ES Languages: SP, EN, FR

BEATRIZ MANRIQUE has taken over from María Ruiz Nievas as Chief Editor for Aquí Europa, a digital newspaper which reports daily on news in the European Union. Ms Manrique has been working in journalism since her studies when she interned at the radio station of the Univer-sidad de Navarra, and when she worked at a newspaper. She graduated from the University of Navarra last year with a degree in Journal-ism.

Vincenti-Mitchener

MediaVincenti as Parlia-mentary Editor

EurActivParliamentary EditorNationality: IT/FR Languages: FR, IT, EN, DE

DANIELA VINCENTI-MITCHENER joins EurActiv as Parliamentary Editor. At EurActiv, Ms Vincenti leads 33 professionals across Europe (national correspondents, three moderators and three pol-icy assistants) to build an online community of national and European parliamentarians ahead of the European elections in 2009. Ms Vincenti developed the communications activities of the Platform of European NGOs (Social Platform). In 2007 she joined Notre Europe to promote the first pan-European deliberative poll.

Riccardo Perissich

ConsultanciesPerissich Joins APCO Worldwide

APCO WorldwideSenior CounsellorNationality: IT Languages: IT, ENStart Date: 15.05.2008

RICCARDO PERISSICH, former Public and Eco-nomic Affairs Director of Pirelli Telecom Italia Group, has joined APCO Worldwide as Senior Counsellor. Perissich began his career with the Instituto Affari Internazionali in Rome, where he quickly came to serve as deputy director of the institute before moving to the European Com-mission in 1970. After holding the office of “chef de cabinet” for four members of the Commis-sion, he became Deputy Director-General of DG Internal Market and Industrial Affairs in 1986.

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Associations

Da Ponte for Brewers

Alberto Da Ponte

The Brewers of EuropePresidentNationality: PO Languages: PO, SP, FR, ENStart Date: 27.05.2008

The Brewers of Europe have elected ALBERTO DA PONTE as the new President. Since 2004, Mr Da Ponte is Chief Executive Officer of the Soc. Central de Cervejas in Portugal and a member of the Board of the Fladgate Partnership / Taylor’s. Before this post, Alberto Da Ponte was Managing Director at Unilever Bestfood (Fima) in Portugal.

AssociationsVerschueren ACE Director General

ACEDirector GeneralNationality: BE Start Date: 02.05.2008

CHRISTIAN VERSCHUEREN comes to ACE with extensive experience in leading business associa-tions involved in environment, agriculture & food policies. Previous roles have enabled him to build contacts with regulators, NGOs, media and other stakeholders at both a European and internation-al level. For the past 7 years, Mr Verschueren was Director General of CropLife International, the Global Federation of the Plant Science Industry.

Gary Wilton

AssociationsRev. Gary Wilton joins CSC

Church and Society Commission BrusselsAssociated StaffNationality: UK Languages: ENStart Date: 28.04.2008

The Church and Society Commission of the Con-ference of European Churches (CEC) is pleased to announce the arrival of REV. DR GARY WILTON, the EU representative of the Church of England as associated staff of the Church and Society Commission in Brussels. In addition to his rep-resentative role, with a current focus on issues related to climate change, Gary Wilton will serve at the Holy Trinity Chaplaincy of the Church of England. As associated staff of CEC, he will be based in the Ecumenical Centre in Brussels and will work as a member of the Church and Society Commission staff.

Christer Segerstéen

AssociationsNew Chairman of CEPF

CEPFChairmanNationality: SW Languages: SW, ENStart Date: 08.05.2008

CHRISTER SEGERSTÉEN, is the new Chairman of CEPF, the EU-organisation for family forestry. Chris-ter Segerstéen, born in 1950, is owner and manager of a forest estate in southern Sweden. He has been the chairman of the Federation of Swedish Forest Owners for almost ten years. He is also Vice Chair-man of the Federation of Swedish Farmers and the Forest Owners Association, Södra.

Patrick Keating

AssociationsKeating follows Norman Dupuy

EIMPublic Affairs ManagerNationality: UK,CA Languages: EN, FRStart Date: 02.06.2008

PATRICK KEATING has joined the European Associ-ation of Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM) as Public Affairs Manager. Prior to joining EIM, he was a Senior Consultant at Prisma consulting, where he was re-sponsible for advising clients on European transport policy, with a particular focus on the aviation sector. In addition from 2006-2008, Patrick served as Ex-ecutive Secretary of the European Rail Circle.

TICKERChristelle Roche, Head of Market Intelligence, CECIMO +++ Ralf Kuhlmann, Chairman, APPE +++ Matthias Fenner, President, ESN +++ Hanneke de Leeuw, Environmental and Regulatory Affairs Manager, ACE +++ Anna Hedrzak, Senior Marketing Manager, European Wind Energy Association

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Lucio Scaratti

Associations Scaratti replaces Burmester

FEDIAFPresidentNationality: IT Languages: IT, EN, PT, FRStart Date: 15.05.2008

At the 2008 Annual General Meeting in Slov-enia, FEDIAF elected LUCIO SCARATTI, President and Director General Nestlé Purina Pet Care Southern Europe based in Milan, as new Presi-dent for 2008-2010, replacing Hardu Burmester. Mr Scaratti has spent almost three decades in pet food, including a four year period in Brazil. Before his election, he was already longstand-ing FEDIAF Executive Committee member.

Associations

New President at EICTA

Erkki Ormala

EICTAPresident and Chairman Nationality: FI Start Date: 23.05.2008

Eicta, the industry body representing the in-formation and communications technology and consumer electronics industries in the Eu-ropean Union announced that ERKKI ORMALA has been elected as President and Chairman of the Executive Board. He has chaired the Eic-ta Digital Economy Policy Group since 2004. He is Vice President, Technology and Trade Policy of Nokia Corporation where his respon-sibilities cover political, regulatory, economic, market access and other business environ-ment related issues. The main Eicta policy is-sues are in his area of responsibility at Nokia. He takes over from Rudy Provoost, who led the organization for the past four years. Mr Or-mala participated extensively in R&D strategy formulation and was one of the key figures in shaping the Nordic R&D cooperation in late 70s and early 80s.

Emmanuel Desplechin

Associations UNICA appoint Desplechin

UNICARepresentative to the EUNationality: FR Languages: FR, EN, SP

UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry asso-ciation, has appointed EMMANUEL DESPLECHIN as their Representative to the European Union. UNICA’s members account for more than 60% of the sugar and ethanol produced in Brazil, and their experience is particularly relevant at a time when European countries look to sus-tainably reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to gasoline, sugarcane ethanol pro-duction and use help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% and is economically and environmentally viable.

Panos Panagopoulos

Associations Panagopoulos President of EFCA

EFCAPresidentNationality: GR Languages: GR, EN, DEStart Date: 29.05.2008

PANOS PANAGOPOULOS will take over as Presi-dent of the European Federation of Engineer-ing Consulting Associations from Yann Leblais (France) during the May 2008 General Assem-bly meeting. Mr Panagopoulos will focus on raising the awareness of EU decision-makers about the importance and impact of the indus-try. He is Managing Director of ECOS Consulting S.A., which he founded in 1989.

Jacques Van Rijckevorse

Associations New President at Plastics Europe

Plastics EuropePresidentNationality: BE Languages: FR, DU, EN, IT

JACQUES VAN RIJCKEVORSEL, member of the Executive Committee of Solvay SA, is the new Plastics/Europe/ President. Mr. van Rijckevorsel replaces John Taylor as the head of the associa-tion. Mr van Rijckevorsel is General Manager of Plastics Sector and Group Innovation Sponsor. He is a veteran of Solvay and has been with them since 1974 when he graduated from UCL in Belgium where he studied Civil Engineering.

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GalaBrussels & EU Event Highlights

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The 60th Anniversary of the Congress of Europe took place in the Hague and brought together the EU Institutions and Civil Society by allowing European citizens to directly address key EU politi-cians with their concerns and recommen-dations about Europe’s future. The Presi-dents of the EU institutions and main European political parties were present.

Congress of Europe

60th AnniversaryMay 24-25, 2008—The Hague, Netherlands

EUROPEAN AGENDA 05/2008— 40 —

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On 5 June, to celebrate its 50th anniversary, EUROCHAMBRES organ-ised a recital entitled “Singing Europe” at the Royal Conservatory in Brussels. Over 300 people attended the event, including Ambassa-dors, EU Commissioners, MEPs, Chambers and media representatives.

EUROCHAMBRES

Piano and Bel Canto for 50th anniversary June 5, 2008—Brussels, Belgium

On 28 May 2008, the EESC celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first plenary session with a series of high-lev-el debates and cultural events.

European Economic and Social Committee

EESC 50th anniversary celebrations May 28, 2008—Brussels, Belgium

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A Special Award presented to Mikhail Gorbachev and his Green Cross Foundation was one of the highlights of the Energy Globe Awards gala held on Monday evening at the European Parlia-ment in Brussels. Awards for the categories Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Youth went to Austria, Mo-zambique, Spain, Peru and South Africa.

Energy Globe Portal

Energy Globe for Gor-bachev “Green Glasnost”May 26, 2008 - Brussels, Belgium

EUROPEAN AGENDA 05/2008— 42 —

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José Manuel Barroso, President of the EC, and Viviane Reding, Member of the EC in charge of Information Society and Media, were both present at the 61st Cannes Film Festival.

On the 27th of May the Brewers of Eu-rope held their 50th Anniversary Re-ception in Brussels. They were joined by friends including European Com-missioners, Ambassadors, Members of the European Parliament and many other special guests from the world of EU policy making. Europe is the cradle of world brewing, and this dynamic sector represents the best of the EU’s Lisbon Agenda – sustainability and innovation. The growth of micro- and small brewers in many European coun-tries is phenomenal.

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European Commission

European Day in CannesMay 18, 2008—Cannes, France

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AmCham EU held its Gala Night 2008 on Thursday May 29th at the glamorous premises of the Concert Noble in Brussels. This year, they pre-sented the fifth AmCham EU Trans-atlantic Business Award to President Barroso, who was key to establishing the Transatlantic Economic Council at the April 2007 US-EU summit. The performers for the evening were two laureates of the Queen Elisabeth In-ternational Music Competition for Singing 2008.

This year, The European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) celebrates its 50th Anniversary since its incep-tion, and organised for this purpose a three-day event with a Scientific Conference and Gala celebration on 18th April 2008. The UEMS was estab-lished in 1958 with the aim of repre-senting medical specialists within the newly created European Economic Community.

European Union of Medical Specialists

UEMS 50th Anniversary April 17-19, 2008—Brussels, Belgium

AmCham EU

AmCham EU Gala nightMay 29, 2008—Concert Noble

For more information, please visit our website: www.alde.eu/climatechange

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SUSTAINABILITY

SUSTAINABILITY

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PRO & CON Biofuels

IN FOCUS Carbon Labelling

OPINION New Report on Electra

AGENDA Sustainability Events 2008/09

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Events 2008/09

Electra

Carbon Labellingeuropean sustainable energy week 2009a global challenge

new report

Biofuelsmeps debate the ten percent target

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SUSTAINABILITY

Europe needs biofuels in order to reach its environmental targets. The Commission is right in setting a target of 10 percent biofuels in the transport sector by 2020. Fuels made out of or-ganic materials such as wheat, rape seeds or sunflower oil are a key com-ponent of Europe’s energy and en-vironmental strategy, reducing both greenhouse gas emissions as well as

Europe’s dependence on foreign oil and gas. Under the Commission’s calculation, sugar beet ethanol saves almost 50 percent of typical greenhouse gas emissions, sugar cane ethanol even 74 percent. Figures for sunflower biodiesel and rape seed biodiesel show savings of 58 per-cent and 44 percent respectively. What’s more, the next generation of biofuels will use new materials – often non-food-based – and will be more efficient in the extraction of their energy content.

In doing so, biofuels add to a number of objectives which are key to Europe’s energy and environmental needs. Increasing the share of bio-fuels strengthens Europe’s security of energy supply and reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. Biofuels reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thus also contributing to a cleaner local environment. Lastly, they bet-ter protect soil and groundwater and reduce health hazards by using non-toxic substances. The potential of biofuels is huge, and should not be discarded easily in the current discussion on food supplies and food prices. There is no correlation between the current increase in the price of foodstuffs and the European Commission’s proposed 10 percent tar-get of biofuels by 2020.

CAREFUL MANAGEMENT REQUIREDTrue, the Commission’s estimates show a rise in agricultural commod-

ity prices by about 70 percent, most notably concerning wheat, maize and rice as well as dairy products. Driving this price increase is higher demand in countries outside the EU, most notably China, India or Bra-zil. Higher fuel and energy prices also make foodstuffs more expensive by adding to the price of diesel or fertilisers.

Biofuels on the other hand currently only account for about 1 per-cent of Europe’s cereal production. Clearly therefore, biofuels cannot be blamed for rising food prices in Europe. What soaring food prices do demonstrate, however, is that reaching the 10 percent target requires

BiofuelsPro: 10% the right target

Biofuels are vitalby werner langen, mep

werner langen, mep Werner Langen has been an MEP since 1994. Since 2006 he is a chairman of the CDU/CSU group in the European parliament.

introducing the debate

Key to plans by the European Commission to lead the world in bat-tling climate change is the promotion of Biofuels as an alternative source of energy. However, the “binding” target of 10% for the use of biofuels in transport by 2020 has come under scrutiny, with the EEA Scientific Committee calling for it to be suspended. Other groups, alarmed at the effect of biofuel production on food prices and the prospect of a food crisis, have called for it to be scrapped altogether. The Commission has been forced into a rethink, with a dramatic U-Turn a real possibility. Here we present two key MEPs at the heart of the discussion and ask: Is the 10% target achievable or desirable?

careful management and planning in order to find the best possible mix between food and energy production. Already today, we notice a change in the biofuels market towards greater sustainability. Second generation biofuel crops are produced from feedstocks other than food crops such as by-products in forestry, solid waste or recycled vegetable oils.

As the biofuel market expands, it is based less and less on cereals used for food production. In addition, the obligation for European farmers to set aside 10 percent of their arable land has already been dropped, while import duties on cereal have been suspended. Sustainability should also apply to biofuels imported from third countries, for exam-ple by introducing a certification procedure identifying those suppliers that do not use cereals for their biofuel production.

Biofuels and Europe’s supply with secure and affordable foodstuffs therefore need not be contrasting aims. If basic criteria for sustainabil-ity are being considered, both pave the way for a new stage in Europe’s agricultural, environmental and energy policies.

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The transport sector’s high depend-ence on fossil fuels must come to an end. While other sectors have been able to reduce their emissions, GHG emis-sions from EU transport have increased by 26 per cent since 1990. Oil continues to dominate and alternatives are few and far between. It is clear that the use of renewables for transport, not least biofuels, must be part of the solution.

But if biofuels are not done in the right way, they could end in a big fail-ure - undermining climate change mitigation and energy security as well as environment and poverty reduction goals. Not to mention discrediting the EU’s 10 % target for renewable energy in the transport sector.

The 10%-objective for renewable energy from transport was based on several conditions. One was the adoption of strict sustainability criteria. Another was the availability of the so called 2nd generation of biofuels, based primarily on cellulosic materials.

Stringent sustainability criteria must be developed. The main objectives for such criteria ought to be that biofuels produced: a) deliver significant GHG savings b) do not compromise biodiversity c) do not have negative effects on poverty reduction and food security SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR EUROPE’S FOOD

The EU Commission proposal has its merits. But many questions emerge: What is a reasonable GHG saving? Here the EU Commission proposal of 35% is no doubt not ambitious enough. How to account for direct and in-direct land use changes? How to avoid the fact that increased demand for biofuels - like biodiesel from rapeseed - lead to indirect effects, like rainfor-ests being cut down? The indirect land use changes are by some experts seen as the real challenge! How to direct efforts for biofuel production to marginal lands and waste and residue materials? How to stimulate in a big way the developments of cellulosic biofuels? While research efforts into the next generation of biofuels look promising, the problem is the time perspective. While some experts are quite optimistic, many others doubt that technologies based on ligno-cellulose will be commercially vi-able in a significant way within the next ten to fifteen years. If the latter prediction is right—and the EU maintains its 10% binding target – biofuels production will expand rapidly, based primarily on agro-fuels. This could Ph

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BiofuelsCon: 10% too optimistic

8 % a better targetby anders wijkman, mep

BiofuelsPro: 10% the right target

have serious implications for food security, for biodiversity as well as for the rate of rainforest destruction. Imports of sugarcane ethanol could make a significant contribution, but developments in Europe would be based pri-marily on agro-fuels. We are presently in the early stages of biofuels devel-opment. In addition to the concerns about food and biodiversity, it is vital that the policy pursued is closely in line with the efforts for enhanced fuel efficiency as well as the development of electric vehicles, fuel-cells, etc..

TEN PER CENT TOO HIGHBecause of all the unknowns – both with regard to technology develop-

ments but also to land use changes – there is a compelling argument for caution and a step-by-step approach. In this light, the 10 % goal seems too optimistic. The objective should not be to reach the target at all costs, rather to implement policies which result in a significant benefit for the climate and that avoid a series of unintended consequences. It would be regrettable if the EU would stick to its 10 % target in spite of the many uncertainties. These uncertainties are becoming all too obvious in the eyes of the rest of the world and were the main reason why reputable scientific institutions, like the EEA Scientific Committee and the JRC, went as far as recommending a suspension of the 10% target. This being said, it must be pointed out that biofuels bashing has gone overboard. It would be tragic if the poorly-designed American ‘corn for ethanol’ programme, the grossly exaggerated appraisals of the link between biofuels and the food crisis, and biased reporting on sugar-cane plantations in Brazil should hamper efforts to develop sustainable biofuels. The responsible way forward seems to be to reverse the decision about the 10% renewable target and, instead, go for a lower target – like 8 % - and undertake regular reviews of the whole policy, including the target. At the same time, stringent sustainability cri-teria must be implemented - with a 50 % GHG saving as a minimum and strict criteria on both direct and indirect effects on land use. A responsible climate policy is the one that sets high goals, but also takes time to adjust the lens and aim with precision. Not the one that blindly shoots for the stars - and eventually ends up shooting itself in the foot.

anders wijkman, mepAnders Wijkman sits on the European Parliament‘s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. He is also a substitute for the Committee on Development.

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SUSTAINABILITYPh

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Carbon Labelling Taking a step towards a greener footprintQuantifying our carbon emissions, labelling initiatives are popping up all over the EUby Daniel F. Le Ray

FRANCE The French retailer Casino has recently begun using an en-vironmental labelling system in cooperation with ADEME (Agence de l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l’Energie) which will display the car-bon impact caused by the packaging, distribution and waste production of their products. This came about after the Grenelle de l’environnement think tank talks on the environment between July and October last year. The goal of “making France the most carbon-effi cient economy in the Eu-ropean Union” by 2020 was fl oated at the Grenelle conference, but there is some debate as to how to fi nance such a large-scale project. Current la-bels use colour-coded images corresponding to the environmental costs caused by transport, packaging and waste, as shown below.

GERMANY A project entitled “Product Carbon Footprint” was initiated last April in Berlin, with an aim to convincing people to reduce their carbon footprint in everyday life. The campaign was launched by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), the Öko-Institut, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and THEMA1, as well as seven leading German manufacturers, packaging companies, telecoms fi rms and food retailers who will allow their products and services to be assessed on the merits of their carbon footprint. The long-term aim is to make the public aware of how carbon offsetting can be achieved. As seen above, German petrol station company Q1 has begun with promoting the use of biodiesel fuel in association with www.CO2Star.eu

UNITED KINGDOM The Carbon Trust has been spearheading the carbon labelling campaign within the EU. Proposed labels will show both greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint of a product, taking into account its whole lifecycle from pro-duction through to disposal. Sponsored by the Carbon Trust and DEFRA (Department for Environ-ment, Food and Rural Affairs), the labels will follow guidelines set out by the British Standards Institu-

tion (BSI) and have already been partially implemented by some produc-ers and retailers, including supermarket chain Tesco. The guidelines will be based on:• A standard method for the assessment of the lifecycle of greenhouse

gas emissions;• The Product-related Emissions Reduction Framework (PERF), which

sets out the requirements for making credible claims regarding reduc-tions on greenhouse gases;

• A Product-related Emissions Communications Guidance (PECG) to communicate the product-related lifecycle greenhouse gas.

CARBON LABELLING IN THE EU An increasing number of organisations and initiatives are appearing throughout the European Un-ion which are taking on the problem of greenhouse gasses and offsetting carbon footprints head-on. The Carbon Labelling Consortium, compris-ing companies in the UK, Poland, the Netherlands, Germany and Malta, is pledged to bring carbon research and labelling issues to the fore in every-day business. CO2 Star leads more initiatives across Germany and the EU, and the Carbon Trust in the UK have launched one of the fi rst labelling systems according to EU guidelines. Here we take a look at the initiatives aiming for a greener Europe.

welcomeurope.com, the number one portal for European funding

All the information you need on European funding with a single click!

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> A Web Site

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— 50 — EUROPEAN AGENDA 05/2008

SUSTAINABILITY

he old adage ‘don’t give me problems, give me solu-tions!’ often rings out in business circles. Well that is exactly what the European electronic and electrical engineering sector is doing, offering solutions, solu-tions and more solutions. In a refreshing report entitled ‘Twenty Solutions for growth and investment to 2020 and beyond’, the European Institutions are gently guid-ed precisely how – with the right framework conditions in place – the European Union can address it’s ‘20% CO2 reductions, 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020’ promises, using technologies that are available now.

The Electra Working Group, co-chaired by Vice President Günter Verheu-gen and former Orgalime President, Edward G Krubasik was launched in 2007 and has concentrated on 3 areas – Energy efficiency, lead customer markets and framework conditions. Representatives from major EU in-dustrial companies such as Siemens, ABB, Alstom, Electrolux, Infineon, Legrand, Pauwels Schneider Electric, Schréder and others have worked together to produce a document that highlights a win-win situation.

Based notably on studies which propose a global mapping of green-house gas abatement opportunities, the notion of marginal abatement cost curves demonstrating how profitable are energy efficiency invest-ments in relation to the cost of ton of CO2 and on the results of the High Level Group on “Competitiveness, Energy and Environment”, Electra fo-cuses on the inefficient use of energy and taking up energy efficient tech-nologies which are already available on the market today. This is techni-cally possible and in many cases economically feasible, with investment in energy efficiency providing positive returns, in particular in the face of the staggering rise in energy prices. Recommendations are therefore made in market segments which cover most of the energy chain, from the supply side to the demand side.

LOOKING BEYOND THE 2020 HORIZONEnergy efficiency will lead to energy savings and, as a consequence, the

projected 2020 CO2 emissions reduction target. Due to the long lead-in time needed to change today’s installed base, the report considers that it will take longer to reach the goal of 20% of renewable energies, which will require considerable changes in our traditionally highly-centralised

power production systems. By making the necessary adjustments there will be improvements to

the security of energy supply, fostering of competitiveness, growth stim-ulation thereby supporting the development of lead customer markets in the field of energy efficient technologies.

The investment trend in Europe in most segments is such that we need to take into account that about 80% of the installed base of 2020 has already been built. Policies and measures must therefore foster early renovation or retrofitting to guarantee the target will be achieved. Time is therefore critical because of the size of the required change and the effort required to work through the installed base. It is a matter of urgency.

Finally, the report looks well beyond the 2020 horizon: it also highlights the framework conditions that the both the industry and its customers need in the EU in the long term, as well as technologies offered and be-ing developed and supported by Electra manufacturers, who are invest-

ing considerable resources in R&D and innovation, often in close collaboration and with the support of public author-ities and the world of research. These technologies will provide answers to the challenges faced by our society in the coming years: growing urbani-sation, an ageing population and of course the rising price of energy in the face or increasing scarcity of non-re-newable supplies.

The solutions are there – is there the will to match?

T

Electra A refreshing modern day al-ternative to a Greek tragedyOpinion on a new report launched on growth and investment to 2020 and beyondby robert mahler

about robert mahlerRobert Mahler is President of the European engineering industries association, Orgalime, and President of ALSTOM, France. He previously worked as Project Manager for the steel industry processes, was Director of the Gas Turbine activity (1985-1993) and President of the Transmission and

Distribution Sector (1993-2000) in ALSTOM.

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SUSTAINABILITY

Conference on Education for Sustainable Devel-opment, Gothenburg (Sweden), November 2008. This Conference is a follow-up to the Confer-ence on Education for Sustainable Development “Learning to change our world” that took place in Gothenburg from 4 to 7 May 2004. United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeGothenburg, Sweden

The second international UITP conference on public transport and sustainable development will take place in the Autumn of 2008. Introduced by the Mayor of Milan, the sessions will be clus-tered around themes and topics and will introduce the contribu-tion that public transport makes towards regional and national objectives for climate change. UITPMilan, Italy

This is the 3rd edition of Europe’s key forum on sustainable energy. Dozens of conferences, work-shops, seminars and media events will be or-ganised in Brussels and other places across the EU. Are you interested in organising an event in your city or region as part of EUSEW 2009? More details should become available on the EUSEW website in July. EUSEW 2009 is being organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-Gen-

eral for Energy and Transport and supported by other European institu-tions and key stakeholders.European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy and TransportBrussels, Belgium

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2008/09

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09.02.09 – 13.02.09 European Sustainable Energy Week 2009

22.10.08-24.10.08 2nd UITP Sustainable Development Conference: Making Tomorrow

November 2008 Education for Sustainable Devel-opment

21.08.08 – 22.08.08 Creating values for Sustainable DevelopmentThe ISC 2008 provides a platform for both interdisciplinary- and transdisci-plinary-oriented social scientists working in the field of sustainable develop-ment. The Conference is committed to promoting dialogue, especially among

economists and other social scientists. Moreover, the Conference aims to act as a meeting-point for committed individuals from the political, corporate and academic worlds as well as for representatives from civil society.University of Applied Sciences, Northwestern Switzerland and the University of Basel, Switzerland

16.09.08-17.09.08 Forum GMES 2008

As a part of its forthcoming Presidency of the EU, France and the European Commission are jointly organising a Forum to mark the launch of the first GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) services in pre-op-erational mode. The Forum is intended to present GMES and its earliest serv-ices to both end-users and to intermediary companies who provide services based on this type of information and wish to build on this public invest-ment to develop new markets.DG Enterprise & Industry, GMES BureauLille, France

Letizia Moratti, Mayor of Milan, Italy

Günter Verheugen

Gothenburg, Sweden

Klaus M. Leisinger

Andris Piebalgs

Electra A refreshing modern day al-ternative to a Greek tragedy

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— 53 —

AGENDA


AGENDA JULY - DECEMBER 08

Mediterranean Union Summit13.07.08

Open Days 200806.10 – 08.10.08

Mobility Week16.09.08 – 22.09.08

European Council11.12.08 – 12.12.08

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— 54 —

AGENDA


France, Italy and Spain united be-hind a planned EU-type Mediter-ranean Union last December, an-nouncing a July 2008 summit in Paris of the countries bordering the sea. French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced the summit at a joint news conference in Rome with the Italian and Spanish prime ministers, Romano Prodi and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. The three leaders are “convinced that the Mediterranean, crucible of culture and civilization, should resume its role as a zone of peace, prosper-ity and tolerance”. The bloc “would

have a mission to reunite Europe and Africa around the countries along the Mediterranean rim and to set up a partnership on an equal footing between the countries.” The Mediterranean Union will focus on “peace, development and respect for the environment”. Sarkozy ad-vocates the grouping partly as an alternative to Turkish member-ship of the EU. The plan also comes against the backdrop of attacks in Algeria, and other north-African states on the Mediterranean, by the group calling itself al-Qaida‘s Branch in the Islamic Maghreb.

locationparis, francehostfrench presi-dency of the eu

JULY

13.07.08 Mediterranean Union Summit

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— 55 —

AGENDA


The European Confer-ence on Cultural and Creative Economy will take place on Tuesday, 1July 2008, at the Repre-sentation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union. Due to the increasing im-portance of the cultural and creative economy in Europe, the conference wishes to contribute to this development by cre-ating an annual platform

for entrepreneurs and rep-resentatives of the creative

industries as well as Members of the European Parliament and representatives of the European Commission. The conference is supported by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Office for Cultural and Creative Economy in Bonn/Berlin.

The French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) will be hosting a conference entitled ‘The French Presidency of the EU and the Dynamics of European Space’, at the Conseil Central de l’Economie in Brussels. The conference will con-sider the space-related goals of the French Presi-dency of the European Union, as well as look-ing at space exploration

across Europe as a whole, and its management. This will include a presentation of current military programmes, and the project of the development of a ‘Code of Conduct’ for space travel. Other topics under consideration will be the notion of ‘Space for Africa’ and the significance of innovation in devel-oping space travel and exploration.

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On 1 July 2008 the Euro-pean Customs Union will celebrate its 40th an-niversary. On this occa-sion, the European Com-mission has launched

a website dedicated to this topic. The launch of the website marks the beginning of a communi-cation campaign to highlight the important role of Customs in protecting citizens and facilitating trade. The campaign brings information to the public about key Customs activities such as pro-tection against counterfeit goods.

+++ 01.07.2008 Which Mobility Between Neighbours?, MEP Marie Anne Isler, Brussels, Belgium +++ 01.07.2008 CoR: EPP preparatory meeting, EPP Group in the CoR, Brussels, Belgium +++ 01.07.2008 ESC Symposium, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium +++ 02.07.2008 ICT Committee Breakfast Briefing with Mr Gregory Paulger, Director, Directorate A, DG INFSO, British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium, Brussels, Belgium +++ 02.07.2008 “Open Day for Sta-giaires“ , Blueprint Partners, Brussels, Belgium +++ 03.07.2008 ‘Christian Europe’ and Islam in Europe, COMECE, Brussels, Belgium +++ 03.07.2008 Savoury Snack Summit 2008, European Snacks Association, Brussels, Belgium +++ 04.07.2008 IP Valorisation, ProTon Europe, Brussels, Belgium +++ 07.07.2008 - 18.07.2008 Summer Course on Assessing Public Health in Emergency Situations (APHES), Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), Brus-sels, Belgium +++ 17.07.2008 - 18.07.2008 European Social Funds (ESF) Support for Public Administrations, Social Partners and SME Development in 2007 -2013, European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA), Brussels, Belgium +++ 19.07.2008 Europa Ball 2008, Pro Europa Committee, Velden, Austria +++

02.07.08

The Dynamics of European Space

locationbrussels, belgiumhosteuropean commission

01.07.08 ‘40 Years of Customs Union’ Web Launch

locationbrussels, belgiumhostifri

further events

01.07.08

Cultural and Creative Economy

locationbrussels, belgiumhost friedrich-naumann-stiftung für die freiheit

Cultural and Creative

birthday of the month

03.07.1939Laszlo Kovács Commissioner for Taxation & Customs UnionNationality: HU

Customs work is integral for citizen protection

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Parliament: Session Committees Groups External Parliamentary Activities Conciliation Committee Flags: National Holidays

Heinz Zourek

— 56 —

AGENDA


SEPTEMBER

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After the organisation of two suc-cessful “In town without my car!” events across the whole of Europe, the year 2002 marked the start of a new initiative: European Mobility Week. The seventh such week is tak-ing place in 2008. Every year since 2002, European Mobility Week is organised from 16 to 22 Septem-ber and is dedicated to sustainable mobility. European Mobility Week provides an opportunity to initiate a wide range of activities and rep-resents a platform for local authori-ties as well as organisations and as-sociations to promote their existing

policies, initiatives and best practic-es related to sustainable urban mo-bility; to contribute to raising citizen awareness on the damages that current urban mobility trends have on the environment and quality of life; establishing productive part-nerships with local stakeholders; be part of a Europe-wide campaign which shares a common goal and a common identity with other towns and cities; emphasise local commit-ment towards sustainable urban transport policies; and launch new longer-term policies and permanent measures.

locationbrussels, belgiumhost european commission

16.09.08 - 22.09.08 European Mobility Week

— 57 —

AGENDA


11.09-12.09.08 SME Banking in Europe

SME banking is a very dynamic and chang-ing field. With grow-ing demand, banks are shifting their focus to this sector, finding new approaches that are different from corpo-rate banking, and cre-ating new products to meet SME’s needs. This conference will discuss market segmenta-tion, which is one of the main concerns for banks, as the tradition-al segmentation based on the turnover of the

company is insufficient. Senior executives from leading financial institutions will share their knowledge and experience on the principles and techniques of successful SME Banking.

Camille Fohl

16.09.08 Debating the Future of European Transport

The European Transport Forum is a platform for open debate on trans-port-related issues. In 2004, Volvo’s EU Group Representation began a series of high-level debates in Brussels on the various aspects of transportation. The so-called “Volvo Week” was a great success and this year, having been re-named the European Transport Forum, and

along with endorse-ments from Volvo and

Forum Europe, the event covers a wide range of topics such as transport policy issues, Integrated Vehicle Safety and CO2 reduction in transport. The European Transport Forum is one of the major events on transport policy issues on the Brussels conference calendar.

Zita Gurmai, MEP

15.09.-17-09.08 Forum for Industrial Biotechnology

This inaugural event will feature workshops, net-working sessions and a two-day forum with approximately 30 lead-ing speakers who will assess the prospects for industrial biotechnol-ogy in Europe, through presentations, question-and-answer sessions and panel discussions. Bringing together a high level Advisory Board and a senior and internation-

al group of biotechnology producers, chemicals and plastics suppliers, biomass and biorefineries, and end users from a wide variety of industries and academia, EFIB2008 will provide a meet-ing place for science, industry, policymakers and investors of industrial biotechnology. With Dr Alfredo Aguilar, Head of Unit Biotechnology Re-search, European Commission.

Biotechnology

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locationbrussels,belgiumhost volvo group representa-tion, eu

locationbrussels, belgiumhost europabio

locationbrussels, belgiumhost jacob flem-ing confer-ences

+++ 08.09.2008 - 11.09.2008 Meeting of the Bureau of the ACP/EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), Brussels +++ 08.09.2008 - 10.09.2008 Joint European Conference, NAID-Europe & PRISM International, Budapest +++ 08.09.2008 - 11.09.2008 Preparatory Meetings for the 13th Session of the ACP Parliamentary Assembly, Brussels +++ 10.09.2008 EU Committee Breakfast Briefing with Mr. Stephen Bill, Chef de Cabinet for László Kovács, British Chamber of Commerce, Brussels +++ 10.09.2008 Meetings of ACP-EU Joint Parliamen-tary Assembly Standing Committees, Brussels +++ 10.09.2008 - 13.09.2008 20th EAIE Annual Conference: “Re-designing the map of European higher education”, European Association for International Education, Antwerp +++ 11.09.2008 External relations of the European Union with Mus-lim countries and international responsibility of religious communities, COMECE & European Parliament +++ 15.09.2008 - 17.09.2008 European Forum For Industrial Biotechnology 2008, EuropaBio, Brussels +++ 23.09.2008 - 27.09.2008 ABA Section of International Law Brussels 2008 Fall Meeting, American Bar Association, Brussels 27.09.2008 Brussels Job Day: “Europe”, Brussels Enterprises Commerce and Industry, Brussels +++

further events


05.09.1948Benita Ferrero-Waldner Commissioner for External RelationsNationality: AU

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— 58 —

AGENDA


OCTOBER

A record 217 regions and cities from 32 countries have signed up as partners for the OPEN DAYS 2008 European Week of Regions and Cities, the biggest annual gather-ing of EU and regional policy-mak-ers, experts and representatives of banking, business and civil society groups operating in the regional policy sector. OPEN DAYS is or-ganised by the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Commission‘s Regional Policy Directorate General. It will take place in Brussels from 6-9 Octo-ber 2008, and involves more than

200 linked events in the Member States throughout the month. Fol-lowing two calls for participation —one for regions and cities and the other for the financial and pri-vate sector– representatives were officially informed of the full list of partners at a meeting in Brus-sels on April 4th. As in previous years, the regions and cities have divided themselves into thematic conglomerates. Partners from 26 Member States are represented, and than 5,000 participants over-all are expected to take part in the event.

locationbrussels, belgiumhost european commission & committee of the regions

06.10 – 08.10.08 Open Days 2008

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— 59 —

AGENDA


13.10.08 European Road Safety Day 2008

In Europe’s ambitious project to save 25,000 lives on our roads, Euro-pean Road Safety Days are intended to raise awareness, give visibility to best local practices and European policies and offer all those in-volved the opportunity to work towards more road safety in a truly European and global community. The first Eu-ropean Road Safety Day on 27 April 2007 was a day for young people sharing experiences. It focussed on the subjects

of alcohol and drugs in traffic, and training and education. The second road safety day, to be held in 2008, will address the subject of “Road Safety in our Cities.” As mentioned in the Commission Green Paper “Towards a new culture for urban mobility”, adopted on September 25, 2007, “one of the next European road safety days could fo-cus on urban areas.”

Invited: Antonio Tajani

locationparis, francehost european commission - transport and energy dg

08.10.08 MEP Awards 2008

This year’s Parliament Magazine MEP awards is set to be the biggest and best yet, as they look to develop the annual cer-emony, now in its fourth year, as the consummate

event celebrating the work and achievements of the European parliament. After last year’s highly successful event they received a number of re-quests from MEPs and EU stakeholders asking if it is possible to widen the scope of the awards. In response, four new award categories were created and developed, and a steering group of Brussels-based professionals to work hand-in hand with the Parliament Magazine to ensure that EU stake-holders are central to the nomination process.

locationbrussels, belgiumhost the parliament magazine

06.10-07.10.08 Euro-Southeast Asia ICT Cooperation

This open event will be the first of its kind ever organised in Europe and is planned to be a key milestone in the devel-opment of EU-Southeast Asia cooperation on ICT

research. 150 to 200 delegates, including 70 to 100 representatives from leading Southeast Asian organisations in the ICT area, are expected to par-ticipate. Held only a few weeks before the launch of an important FP7 call for proposals related to

the ICT theme (Call 4), this fo-rum will par-ticularly aim at thoroughly discussing the opportunities of strategic cooperat ion presented in the Strategic Projects sec-tion of the web site.

locationbrussels, belgiumhost eu-south-east asia itc cooperation

ICT Cooperation with Southeast Asia

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+++ 02.10.2008 - 03.10.2008 European Information and Communication Management - Europe on the Internet - Finding your Way through the European Information Jungle, European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA), Maastricht, Netherlands +++ 07.10.2008 - 08.10.2008 Inside Brussels XI: Public Affairs in the New Europe, European Centre for Public Affairs, Brussels, Belgium +++ 08.10.2008 15th An-niversary: Reflection, Debate and Networking, EuroCommerce, Brussels, Belgium +++ 13.10.2008 CEO & Investors Roundtable Discussions, Fuel Cell Europe, Brussels, Belgium +++ 13.10.2008 European Road Safety Day 2008, European Commission - Transport and Energy DG, Paris, France +++ 13.10.2008 - 15.10.2008 Fourth European Fuel Cell and Hydrogen General Stakeholder Assembly, Exhibition and Drive&Ride +++

further events


02.10.1948Siim KallasCommission Vice-PresidentNationality: EST

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MEP award winners with Parliament Magazine editor Catherine Stihler MEP

— 60 —

AGENDA


NOVEMBER

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With the recently elected Russian premier, Dmitry Medvedev, fi rmly installed in the Kremlin, it will fall on the French Presidency to amend relations between the EU and Rus-sia. This year’s EU-Russia Summit will take place in November, and as ever the aim is to foster politi-cal, social and economic stability in Russia, in the region and world-wide. Main issues include the mod-ernisation of Russia’s economy and its integration into the world econ-omy, security issues, international issues, as well as “soft“ security threats for example in the fi elds of

justice and home affairs, environ-ment and nuclear safety. In light of the development of the EU’s Euro-pean Neighbourhood Policy, there should be increased cooperation in the Southern Caucasus and the western NIS, and on international issues such as the fi ght against ter-rorism and organised crime. Inter-national observers, meanwhile, will look closely for any sign of change in Russia’s attitude under its new leader, with Medvedev having spo-ken in favour of more market econ-omy and the promotion of civil lib-erties since taking over in March.

locationnice, francehost french presidency of the eu

14.11.08

EU Russia Summit

— 61 —

AGENDA


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27.11.08 CIAA Congress 2008

Exploring the “The Food and Drink Industry in the 21st Century”, this congress will tackle is-sues that are ‘top-of-mind’ for the industry as well as day-to-day challenges faced by consumers. In parallel sessions – Generating Growth, Serving Con-sumers and Respecting the Environment - at-tendees will be able to access the latest avail-able information on these important topics and engage in interac-tive debates with high-level speakers from the European Institutions, consumer organisa-tions, science, press and industry.

20.11.08 EMAS Awards

Under the slogan “Reduc-tion of the climate gases, energy use, energy effi -ciency,” the Commission awards the EMEA Award on Novermber 20th this year. The Eco-Manage-ment and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is the EU volun-

tary instrument which acknowledges organisa-tions that improve their environmental perform-ance on a continuous basis. The award, which has been running since 2005, goes to those who have implemented exemplary environmental management and audit systems.

EMAS Awards

locationbrussels, belgiumhost emas &chambers ofindustry and com-merce

04.11.08World of Health IT 08

Viviane Reding

+++ 04.11.2008-05.11.2008 EBN BIC Master classes: Advanced Training on Investment Readiness, The European BIC Network, Brussels, Bel-gium +++ 04.11.2008-05.11.2008 AESGP Conference, Association of the European Self-Medication Industry (AESGP), Paris, France +++ 5.11.2008 -07.11.2008, Essentials of Clinical Study Management, Drug Information Association, Vienna, Austria +++ 13.11.2008 AER launches 2008 Award for Innovative Regions, Assembly of European Regions, Tampere, Finland +++ 13.11.2008-14.11.2008 Workshop “Five Years Of An Enlarged EU A Positive-Sum Game“, European Commission Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, Brussels, Belgium +++ 17.11.2008-18.11.2008 European Regulatory Affairs, Drug Information Association, Paris, France +++ 17.11.2008-18.11.2008 7th Annual World Food Tech-nology and Innovation Forum, 2008, World Trade Group (WTG), Rotterdam, Netherlands +++ 20.11.2008-22.11.2008 The 3rd European Qual-ity Assurance Forum, Corvinus University, Budapest, Hungary +++ 24.11.2008-25.11.2008 Regulatory Affairs Forum, Drug Information Associa-tion, Munich, Germany 25.11.2008-26.11.2008 ESA Council meeting at ministerial level, European Space Agency, The Hague, The Netherlands

further events


27.11.1965 Igor SenčarAmbassadorPermanent RepresentativeNationality: SL

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The World of Health IT Conference & Exhibition has been designed for and by the healthcare ICT community in the European region includ-ing: technology end us-ers, vendors, providers

and policy makers. Addressing the perspectives of clinicians, directors and other healthcare pro-fessionals, The World of Health ICT Conference & Exhibition offers educational sessions, exhibitions and best practice exchange. Opened by Viviane Reding, WoHIT 08 will focus on shaping and de-veloping the use, implementation, and evolution of this pillar of the new European marketplace.

locationbrussels, belgiumhost european commission - dg informa-tion society and media

locationbrussels, belgium host ciaa con-federation of the food and drink industries of the eu

Jean Martin, CIAA

— 62 —

AGENDA


DECEMBER

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The European Council meets two times a year—in June and Decem-ber—at the end of every six-month presidential term. Intermediate Euro-pean Councils in March and October also take place. The European Coun-cil is the supreme political body of the European Union. It is composed of the heads of state or government of the Member States and by the president of the European Commis-sion. The chair of the meetings of the European Council (in general four times a year) is taken by the head of state or government of the coun-try that holds the presidency of the

Council. These meetings are particu-larly important because of the pres-ence of the most influential person-alities in European political affairs as well as the most relevant and often controversial questions which are discussed here. The European Coun-cil has no legislative power, but it does make political decisions which duly reinforce the developmental directon of the Union, define its the political axis and coordinate the EU’s positions regarding international is-sues. This body essentially defines the overarching political principles of the European Union.

locationbrussels, belgiumhost european council

11.12.08 – 12.12.08 European Council

— 63 —

AGENDA


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04.12.-05.12.08 Intellectual Property Summit

This two-day forum is dedicated to providing guidelines on the present use and the future trends of Intellectual Property regulations on a pan-Eu-ropean scale within the global context. Two main pillars will sustain the de-bates in 2008: IP Outside: Owners, Free Riders &

Consumers; and IP Inside: from Intellectual Prop-erty to Global Performance. With more than 50 high level plenary sessions, innovative expert pan-els, and networking events, its offers an opportu-nity to refine strategies to manage IPR portfolios.

locationbrussels, belgiumhost the wall street jour-nal europe, managing intellectual property, premier cercle

11.12–12.12.08 Recent trends in Euro-pean employment

The European Central Bank (ECB) and the Cen-tre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) will hold their fifth joint la-

bour market workshop in December 2008. On this occasion the workshop will focus on “Recent trends in European employment”. In Europe, the past decade has been marked by relatively strong employment growth, while labour productivity and labour shares have experienced a decline in a number of countries, in particular in the euro area. Understanding the patterns, sources and im-plications of employment dynamics is important for the effective conduct of monetary policy, since they play a central role in conjunctural develop-ments, long-term growth prospects and inflation-ary pressures emerging from labour markets.

Frankfurt, Germany

locationfrankfurt am mainhost ecb, cepr

03.12–04.12.08 European Agenda Summit

The European Agenda Summit is a construc-tive platform for political communication, man-agement and lobbying which welcomes deci-

sion-makers from politics and business both in-side and outside the EU. Taking place at a crucial date – right after the challenging US elections and just before the European Parliament elections in 2009 – this year’s Summit aims to explore the question “What can we learn from America?” in terms of public affairs, political communication and campaigning. Keynotes will be given by six renowned American political communication and public affairs professionals. The relevance of their American perspective for Europe will be discussed along with many other topics related to European affairs in around 32 workshops and panels.

locationbrussels, belgiumhost european agenda

+++ 03.12.2008 WG Governance meeting, EUROCITIES, Brussels, Belgium +++ 03.12.2008-04.12.2008 Seminar: EU Environmental priorities during the Slovene Presidency, European Journalism Center, Brussels, Belgium +++ 04.12.2008-05.12.2008 FAEP quarterly meetings in Brussels, European Federa-tion of Magazine Publishers (FAEP), Brussels, Belgium +++ 04.12.2008-05.12.2008 Building EC Projects Seminar: CIP for BICs & Incubators, The European BIC Network, Brussels, Belgium +++ 04.12.2008-05.12.2008 pan-European Intellectual Property Summit 2008, Premier Cercle, Brussels, Belgium +++ 10.12.2008 88th Session of the ACP Council of Ministers, African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), Brussels, Belgium +++ 04.12.2008-05.12.2008 Understanding Decision-Making in the European Union: Principles, Procedures and Practice, European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA), Maas-tricht, Netherlands +++ 12.12.2008 Brussels Job Day: “IT, engineers and technicians” , Brussels Enterprises Commerce and Industry, Brussels, Belgium +++

further events


01.12.1943 Manuel António dos Santos Vice President of the European ParliamentNationality: PT

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Managing Intellectual PropertyUS and EU elections

— 64 —

BRUSSELS INSIDER


Cultural Institutes Sampling Europe in BXL2008 is the Year of Intercultural Dialogue, and where better than Brussels to sample the best that European cultures have to offer and to learn something new from the exchange? And what can you take from Brussels to share back home? Here we introduce just a few of Europe`s leading cultural institutions to be found in Brussels, as well as their their directors.

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Where in Brussels would you recommend to get a flavour of your country?“The Finnish game “Mölkky” will be played at Club Recyclart on July 18th at 7

pm. The game is easy to learn, no previous experience is needed!The film “Mother of Mine” will be shown at the European Parlia-ment on 6.11. as the Finnish contribution to the European Film Festival on Intercultural Dialogue organised by EUNIC Brussels. Also, Finnish documentary films will be shown at “Filmer à tout prix” documentary film festival in Brussels. And something for your diary: On Feb 11th 2009 the KVS theatre will premiere a co-production by the KVS and the Smeds Ensemble from Helsinki, Finland. “Trans-European Comedy of the Holy Hate” is a play of the European Union and the national identities.”Intercultural dialogue is a two-way process. You work to pro-mote the culture and language of your own country in Brussels; what do you take from Brussels that you can promote at home?“By bringing together cultural organizations in Finland and in Belgium we hope to establish permanent relationships that will lead to cultural exchange between the two countries. Some examples: In the fall 2009 the KVS theatre will perform in Helsinki with the Finnish Smeds Ensemble at the major national theatre venue. We are negotiating to organize a tour for a Belgian jazz band in Finland, and photographers Vincent Beeckman & Sarah Michielsen, will hold an exhibition in Fin-land, spring 2009.”

Fins Cultureel Instituut20, rue du Luxembourgstraat, B-1000www.finncult.beEmployees:5Recent Activites: New Finnish courses level 1-2 starting in October. Book and pay in June for a discounted price.

British Council BrusselsLeopold Plaza 108, rue du Trônestraat, B–1050

www.britishcouncil.beEmployees: around 30

Recent activities: In February 2008 we hosted a conference for teachers, learners and education

policy makers from 47 schools across Europe taking part in our project on Inclusion and

Diversity in Education.

Where in Brussels would you recommend to get a flavour of your country ?“Trying to answer this question I find myself thinking of characteristics

common to the whole of the UK. The two which come to mind most readily are the multi-cultural mix which makes the UK so diverse and exciting, and second (and this probably tells you as much about myself as Britain) it’s a country which is football mad. In which case, a good place to get a flavour of the UK would be my sons’ bedrooms which are covered with pictures of players from their favourite English football team (the Wolves in case anyone’s interested) – a mix which comes from all parts of Europe, but also includes Africa and Asia.”What do you take from Brussels that you can promote at home?“The British Council’s focus in Europe is no longer about straightforward promotion of the UK. Instead we build pro-grammes which bring people from the UK together with their counterparts from the rest of Europe, working together to create new links and find shared solutions to some of the chal-lenges Europe faces today. Inclusion and Diversity in Education and Migrant Integration Policy Index are two examples of this new way of working. Through projects like these we are con-necting people from the UK with Europe, creating development opportunities for them and – we hope – helping to build a stronger Europe.”

Kalle Jämsén

Nigel Bellingham

— 65 —

BRUSSELS INSIDER


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Ceské Centrum60, rue de Trônestraat, B-1050

www.czechcentres.cz/brusselsEmployees: 3

Recent activities: exhibitions, concerts, conferences

Where in Brussels would you recom-mend to get a flavour of your country?“There is the Czech restaurant Le Golem in Brussels /Rue du Aqueduc 63/ where

you can taste Czech food and drinks including Pilsner Beer.On June 12th, 2008 the Czech community in Brussels is prepar-ing the Czech Street Party in front of the Czech House, rue Caroly, where some Czech pop and rock music as well as food and drinks, will be served.”Intercultural dialogue is a two-way process. You work to promote the culture and language of your own country in Brussels; what do you take from Brussels that you can promote at home?“Above all just intercultural dialogue. Almost nowhere in the world can such a concentration of nations be found. An irre-placeable experience…….”

Where in Brussels would you recom-mend to get a flavour of your country?“I really recommend Gallery Puls, for dan-ish ceramics: www.pulsceramics.com.”

What do you take from Brussels that you can promote at home?“The Belgian tradition of cultural houses is extremely advanced and well-developed, the rest of Europe can only be jealous. They are very well organized, get a lot of money from the authorities, and they do a fantastic job. What we can learn in Denmark is the intercultural dialogue in Brussels, in the sense of how they deal with people of other cultures, but also how they deal with them-selves and a multi-lingual society. In August, my tourist guide “Turen gar till Brussels” will be published by Politikens Forlag.”

Det Danske KulturinstitutKoningsstraat 35, rue Royale, B-1000www.dkibenelux.orgNumber of Employees: 9Recent activities: They`ve established a pres-ence on both MySpace and Facebook

Goethe-Institut58, rue Belliardstraat, B – 1040

www.goethe.de/bruesselNumber of Employees: about 30

Recent activities: Organizes and hosts cultural programmes featuring Germany and present-

Where in Brussels would you recom-mend to get a flavour of your country?“For flavours: Urbanus – Avenue J. Detrooz 34, 1150 Woluwé-Saint-Pierre

Tel. : 02 770 03 08. Galleries: L’Usine Galerie Photo - Rue du Doy-enné, 40 – 1180 Brussels – Tel. : 02 3445245 - www.l-usine-galerie.org/ Books : Lesezeichen – Rue van der Elst 38 – 1959 Kraainem – Tel. 02 784 23 34 www.buchkatalog.de/lesezeichen“What do you take from Brussels that you can promote at home?“Flavours: Belgian chocolates (my favourites are Galler choco-lates) and Belgian deserts. Contemporary Art: Signed Pan-amarenko posters from the Antwerp Luchtshipbouw. Antique Books from Brussels’ many antique bookshops, and design jew-ellery from Rue Dansaert.”

Where would you recommend to go for an authentic taste of Brussels?“Maybe the Rue Haute in the Marolles tells something about Brussels yes-

terday and Brussels today. The street is a melting pot of new ‘creatives’ and old ‘authentics’. The world is meeting in these areas. There is a lot of hope, there are problems but it is an area of generosity.”What do you take from Brussels that you can promote at home?“We invite people to debate on several cultural, social and politi-cal issues. We do have activities in French and English. Brussels is the only Belgian City with a cosmopolitan character. The Flemish and the Dutch invite people to share their opportunities and their concerns. We always say deBuren is a house in which people listen with the same power as they speak.”

Vlaams-Nederlands Huis deBuren6, rue Leopoldstraat, B-1000

www.deburen.euEmployees: 10Recent activites: Hosts ‘De Acht Hoofdzonden’, The Eight Deadly Sins is a new series of discus-sions/debates under the heading of one of the seven deadly or cardinal sins.

Petr Polívka

Lone Leth Larsen

Margareta Hauschild

Dorian van der Brempt

— 66 —

BRUSSELS INSIDER


Picture perfect?Presidency Logos

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FRANCE 2008 Like two Hermès scarves el-egantly drapped over a hat-stand in some parisien

apartment, the flags of the EU and France dom-inate the logo of the new French Presidency. The text is similarly classic and rather formal. But haven’t we been promised a new, radically-different style of French leadership? This image is more Napoleonic military campaign than Sarkozy euro chic. Couldn’t they have asked Carla Bruni to design the logo?

SLOVENIA 2008 This year’s Slovene logo certainly outdoes itself when it comes to symbol-

ism, managing to cram images of an oak leaf, a shooting star, Mount Triglav and the elements of earth, air, fire, water and ether into one little logo. Apparently these together attest to quali-ties as diverse as solidity, openness and ‘healthy living’. Obviously a great deal of care has been taken in the design—perhaps too much for the average viewer to take it all in?

PORTUGAL 2007 The Portugese favoured an unusual take when it came to choosing its logo, going

for an impressionistic design of a blue flower. Recalling the circle of stars we all know in its form, the logo was reformed in various colours to stand for particular events during the Presi-dency, e.g. by taking on a green hue for the EU Africa Summit. For such a hot-blooded country, it’s a curiously placid design. Did they get a Scandinavian logo in the post by mistake?

SPAIN 2002 By law, any image repre-senting Spain has to fea-ture a flamenco dancer, a bull, or both. This logo opts

for the latter, in an abstract yet immediately recognisable shape drawn in a colour prob-ably described by the designer as ‘vibrant red’. For reasons best known to itself, the bull is leaping towards the sun, another required spanish symbol. All that’s missing is a spot of flamenco and an Olé! or two.

GERMANY 2007 Someone’s four-year old has been busy with the crayons, and the results are a little too simplistic for our tastes, more suitable for a football champi-onship than a EU Presidency. Also, further points are deducted for the unnecessary small star ‘borrowed’ from the ‘05 Luxem-bourg logo (see the box on the right if you don’t believe us).

FINLAND 2006 Just slightly resem-bling the outline of

the Sydney opera house, Finland’s logo for the second half of 2006 is perfectly pleasant, light waves of blues and greens overlapping, meant to evoke the Finnish landscape, north-ern lights and the usual ideas like ‘transpar-ency’, ‘common values’ , ‘growth and devel-opment’ etc. Very calm, Scandinavian, and undramatic - and thus very appropriate for the 2006 Finnish Presidency.

AUSTRIA 2006When it came to choosing a logo for their 2006 Presidency, Austrians went to Rem Koolhaas, a Dutch designer, which is actu-ally kind of cheating when you think about it. Since Hundertwasser was just about as colorful, they may be forgiven, though. The barcode design is very arresting and appro-priately digital, yet somehow also evoking Big Brother associations - if EU Presidencies are barcoded, what about our lives?

LUXEMBOURG 2005 For its 2005 Presidency, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

held an open design competition to find a suitable logo, and in the end opted for this summery and lively design, combining the red, white and blue of the Luxembourg flag and the blue and yellow colours of the EU. Interestingly, this is the only logo who’sn of-ficial website describes as ‘dignified’. Not sure about that one, but a success nevertheless.

UK 2005 The UK ac-tually comes up trumps with the design for their

2005 Presidency: Instead of 12 stars, we have 12 swans flying in a V formation, combing ideas of co-operation and leadership in a classically elegant image. It also ties in nice-ly with representing the EU at that year’s UN Climate Change negotiations. Almost makes up for the fact that they put a moratorium on handing out flashy memorabilia during their Presidency —not even an i-pod.

A not-so scientific study of what the choice of logo says about the EU Presidencies

european agenda 05 2008

Documents

european commissioner

european attention

environmental affairs

european neighbours

key priorities france

public affairs work

todays eu

digital public affairs