Lobbying

Negotiating a piece of EU legislation is not like haggling in a Turkish bazaar.  If that’s your tactic your chance of getting what you want are off to a bad start. Too many think that works in getting a road project with a local mayor who is their second cousin will work when dealing with … Read more

In policy-making, there is usually a concern that is driving the agenda.  I’ve spent many years working on air quality. The concern was that ultra-fine particulate matter, PM 2.5, had the greatest health effects. Over time, with new studies and evidence, the idea became mainstream. The idea had been around for a decade or more. … Read more

From time to time, I have been asked how to get an idea taken up and put into an EU law. I got round to putting the practicalities of doing so into a few chapters of a book published in a few days time (link). After having done it a few times, my standard line … Read more

Righteous indignation is not an effective lobbying strategy. It is the prefered strategy of many. I’ve seen it displayed by NGOs and industry. It’s a unifying bond between them. After more than 20 years, I’ve never seen it ever change things for the better. Just saying something should not be, won’t make it so. It’s … Read more