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Do civil society interest organisations or business interest organisations participate more in EU climate and banking policy? To answer this question, the author of this study looks at pre-legislative lobbying, analysing both online consultations and direct meetings with interest organisations in an observation period from 2010–2018. The results in both policy areas reveal a clear structural imbalance in favour of business interest organisations. Therefore, the work not only refutes the prevailing view that the EU is a pluralistic interest organisation system, but also questions the democratic function of interest representation in the EU in general.

Esta monografía estudia el concepto de representación de intereses desde el punto de vista histórico, político y jurídico, así como las diferentes tendencias ideológicas que han promovido su institucionalización. Del mismo modo, el trabajo se centra, dentro del marco de las posibilidades que se han utilizado en el Estado contemporáneo para la representación institucional de intereses, en los Consejos Económicos y Sociales, instituciones de origen europeo, que constituyen los ejemplos más relevantes, en los Estados democráticos y de Dere­cho, de participación de los grupos de interés socioeconómico en los procesos de decisión política mediante el ejercicio de funciones esencialmente consultivas.Asimismo, este estudio tiene por objeto el análisis de los Consejos Económicos y Sociales nacionales de los Estados miembros de la Unión Europea en su naturaleza, composición, organización y funciones, así como en su regulación. Para ello, se estudian sus antecedentes, su evolución histórica y los elementos que, tanto en el pasado como actualmente, fundamentan su existencia. Por último, se examina la naturaleza neocorporativa de estos institutos como cauce de participación política y de perfeccionamiento de las vías representativas al servicio de los intereses sociales y de la acción normativa en el seno del Estado constitucional.Ignacio Hoces Íñiguez (Madrid, 1983), es doctor en Derecho por la Universidad Católica de Murcia y doctor en Ciencias Políticas y de la Administración y Relaciones Internacionales por la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. En esta última Universidad se licenció en Historia y en Derecho. Es Académico Correspondiente de la Real Academia de Jurisprudencia y Legislación de España y ha sido más de una década el responsable jurídico del Consejo Económico y Social de España. Asimismo, ejerce de analista y consultor político y parlamentario, y es autor de numerosos artículos sobre asuntos jurídicos, históricos y políticos.

Qui sont et que font les acteurs de la représentation d'intérêts travaillant à Bruxelles? Avec environ 12 000 organisations inscrites au registre européen de transparence et des budgets croissants, le lobbying constitue une réalité concrète et tangible du fonctionnement de l'Union européenne. On sait pourtant très peu de choses sur celles et ceux qui exercent cette activité. Cet ouvrage collectif entend combler ce manque et éclairer les transformations récentes du paysage européen de la représentation des intérêts. En examinant les pratiques et les trajectoires sociales des lobbyistes évoluant à Bruxelles, les recherches empiriques rassemblées ici lèvent le voile sur un univers souvent fantasmé. Croisant données qualitatives et quantitatives, elles explorent des structures et des secteurs d'activité variés : très grandes entreprises, fédérations européennes, cabinets d'affaires publiques, ONG, syndicats, intervenant sur la régulation financière, les secteur portuaire et pharmaceutique, les politiques sociales, du marché commun ou encore de concurrence. À travers le portrait sociologique des lobbyistes, cet ouvrage met en lumière leurs relations d'interdépendance avec les acteurs politiques et institutionnels et leur rôle dans la fabrique de l'action publique européenne.

At a time when Europe and business stand at crossroads, this study provides a perspective into how business representation in the EU has evolved and valuable insights into how to organize lobbying strategies and influence policy-making. Uniquely, the authors analyze business lobbying in Brussels by drawing on insights from political science, public management, and business studies. At the macro level, we explore over 30 years of increasing business lobbying and explore the emergence of a distinct European business-government relations style. At the meso level, we assess how the role of EU institution, policy types, and the policy cycle shape the density and diversity of business lobbying activity. Finally, at the micro level we seek to explore how firms organize their political affairs functions and mobilized strategic political responses. The study uses a variety of methods to analysis the business government relations drawing on unique business and policy-maker surveys; in-depth case studies and elite interviews; large statistical analysis of lobbying registers to assess density and diversity across policy areas and EU institutions; and managerial career path and organizational analysis to assess corporate political capabilities. In contributing to discussions on corporate political strategy and interest groups activity, this monograph should be of interest to public policy scholars, policy-makers, and businesses managers seeking to understand EU government affair and political representation.

The investigation of the internal workings of interest groups opens the view on the behavioural dynamics within these organisations. By analysing their intraorganisational structures, this book explains how groups prepare to become active in the European Union and why we observe contact, conflict and cooperation of interest groups and other political actors in the European arena.The book presents four causal mechanisms which explain, on the one hand, why interest groups engage with contacts across a diverse set of political actors and, on the other hand, why some interest organisations are more actionable at the European level than others. It furthermore elaborates a typology of interest groups along intraorganisational criteria. The analysis of twelve differing case studies provides a rich empirical ground to explain how and why certain intraorganisational processes unfold within interest groups. It thereby sheds light on the behavioural organisational patterns which drive interest group agency in European multi-level politics.This book will be of key interest to students and scholars of interest groups, lobbying, European Union politics and more broadly to public policy/administration and comparative politics.

With over 30,000 lobbyists in town, Brussels is often called the European capital of lobbying. Despite this, little is known on how this political system works in practice. This book offers an unprecedented window into the everyday relationships between bureaucrats and interest representatives. Where the media only shows lobbyists as they meet MEPs and submit amendments, the book argues that the bulk of their work is done in close contact with EU bureaucrats – a form of ‘quiet politics'developed by the business community, targeting officials with little public exposure. Based on official archives, the book first sets the historical picture for the emergence of a new layer of bureaucrats; fuelled by European and transatlantic capitalism, it altered the political façade of the business community to fulfil its need for legitimacy. Drawing from observations of internal meetings of the main lobbies operating in Brussels and interviews with lobbyists and Commission officials, the book then shows lobbyists at work.This text will be of key interest to scholars, students and practitioners of the European Union, interest groups, and more broadly to political science and sociology.

Having information is key for most political decisions – both for decision-makers and societal actors. This is especially crucial in democratic countries where external stakeholders are invited to participate in decision-making pro- cesses. Assuming that every actor that gets involved in decision-making processes has a particular lobbying goal, there is a heterogeneous set of actors competing against each other to provide information to the decision-makers. This competition leads some stakeholders to be more successful in achieving their goals than others. Frames, and the framing of information, play an important role in such lobbying success.In this book, Daniel Rasch questions whether and, if so, how, information impacts lobbying success and shows how various actors perform in three instances of European decision-making. He does so by combining findings from a qualitative content analysis with the results of a cross-case analysis using the quantified qualitative data. The new dataset contains a representative sample of over 200 position papers from EU level and national consultations, press releases and evidence from national stakeholders in Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom.Lobbying Success in the European Union effectively bridges research on interest mediation and framing studies, and offers a new model for measuring stakeholders'success. This new and pragmatic approach to study lobbying success using a traceable and easy to use instrument can be adapted to any policy analysis and any issue.

Why is the EU so reliant upon exchanges with interest organisations?- What safeguards have been developed to prevent capture by special interests, and how effective are these?- How does the EU system of interest representation compare with those of other systems, and what are its unique features?The fully revised fourth edition of this highly-acclaimed book provides an authoritative and comprehensive assessment of the role of organized interests in the EU. Showing that interest representation is a key aspect of the European project, it examines the significance of interests for everyday policy-making, for European integration, and for the democratic legitimacy of the EU. Accessibly written and thoroughly updated, the new edition contains additional material on the regulation of lobbying and the European Transparency Register.

S'il semble acquis que Bruxelles, comme Washington, est le lieu d'action privilégié du « lobbying européen », consistant pour des acteurs privés à infléchir les décisions publiques perçues comme sous influence, la théorie critique du lobbying entend réfuter ce lieu commun. Mobilisant une sociologie des groupes d'intérêts, cette enquête montre que l'identité promue par une organisation professionnelle résulte de plusieurs logiques : autant de luttes internes évolutives que d'actions qui en font des vecteurs de la Polity européenne oeuvrant aux décisions et projets européens.

This book explains when and how interest groups are influential in the European Parliament, which has become one of the most important lobbying venues in the EU. Yet we know little about the many ways in which interest groups and lobbyists influence parliamentary politics. The author offers insights on four key cases of lobbying, based on the analysis of EU documents, lobbying letters, and 150 interviews. She argues that lobbying success depends on a number of factors, most notably the degree of counter-lobbying, issue salience, and committee receptiveness. These factors are brought together in the framework of “Triple-I” - interests, issues, and institutions – to determine the success or failure of lobbying. This book will be of use to students and scholars interested in EU politics and governance, EU decision-making, and interest group politics, along with policy-makers and practitioners.

This book provides a clear, systematic and up-to-date picture of the vast and dynamic industry of lobbying and Public Affairs in Europe, not only at EU level, but specifically in each of the 28 EU Member States. Using contributions from political scientists and lobbyists from each country, the volume offers a comprehensive review of the European lobbying industry, tackling elements such as the institutional framework and the political culture of each country, the perception of lobbyists by public opinion and politicians, the professionalization and the numbers of the industry in each country, the regulation of the sector (through dedicated laws, self-imposed ethical codes, etc.). This is a benchmark publication for all those studying or working in the field of Lobbying, Public Affairs, Communication and Business and Politics in or with EU countries.

This book examines lobbying in EU foreign policy-making and the activities of non-state actors (NSAs), focusing on EU foreign policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It sheds light on the interactions between the EU and NSAs as well as the ways in which NSAs attempt to shape EU foreign policies. By analysing issues that have not yet received systematic attention in the literature, this book offers new insights into lobbying in EU foreign policy, EU relations surrounding the conflict and the EU's broader role in the peace process. The book will be of key interest to scholars and students of political science, international relations, EU politics, EU foreign policy-making, Middle East studies and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Alexander Classen widmet sich dem Spannungsverhältnis von demokratisch legitimierter Interessenvertretung und unrechtmäßiger Einflussnahme zu Lasten der Allgemeinheit. In der Öffentlichkeit wird die Nähe von Lobbygruppen zur Politik oft als falsch empfunden, gleichzeitig nimmt der politische Einfluss von Lobbyisten auf dem europäischen Parkett zu. Ausgehend von einer Strukturanalyse des politischen Systems der EU prüft der Autor die derzeitige realpolitische Lage auf Rechtmäßigkeitsdefizite und entwickelt Regulierungsvorschläge für eine effizientere Vermeidung illegitimer und korrupter Einflussnahme. Dabei identifiziert der Autor gesellschaftspolitisch relevante Funktionen der Interessenvertretung, die für eine moderne Gesellschaft von eminenter Bedeutung und für die politischen Institutionen mittlerweile unverzichtbar sind.​

The role of civil society organisations in Brussels is debated. Some view them as representatives of their members and thus as legitimising agents for policy-making in the European Union. Others see them as being elitist and out of touch with their membership bases, therefore ill-suited to promote democracy at the EU level. Taking civil society organisations in the EU's external relations as an example, Meike Rodekamp submits these controversial views to a reality check. Interviews with representatives of civil society organisations in Brussels and their member organisations in the EU show that the Brussels offices have not lost contact with their members. However, member organisations differ substantially in their participation in internal decision-making processes, which raises doubts about the legitimacy gains through civil society participation in EU policy-making.

Dem EU-Lobbying eilt ein schlechter Ruf voraus. Die Brüsseler Lobbyingszene gilt als besonders korrupt und intransparent. Die Bürger assoziieren mit ihr üppige Arbeitsessen und geheime Absprachen. Das negative Image wurde durch Skandale wie die „Dalligate“ oder die „Cash-for-Amendments-Affäre“ noch verstärkt. Seither treten Lobbyisten lieber als Interessenvertreter, Consultants oder Public Affairs Manager auf. Dabei ist ihre Expertise ein elementarer Bestandteil europäischer Gesetzgebungsprozesse. Die versuchte Einflussnahme ist nicht per se zu verurteilen, wohl aber die mangelnde Transparenz. Die zunehmende Professionalisierung und Differenzierung europäischer Interessen muss daher mit einer gesetzlichen Regulierung einhergehen.

Why can some interest groups influence policy-making while others cannot? Even though this question is central to the study of politics, we know little about the factors explaining interest group influence. Understanding lobbying success should be of particular concern to scholars of European politics since the European Union constitutes a promising political opportunity structure for organized interests. This book sheds light on the impact of interest groups on European policy-making and makes a major contribution to the study of both European Union politics and interest groups more generally. Klüver develops a comprehensive theoretical model for understanding lobbying success and presents an extensive empirical analysis of interest group influence on policy-making in the EU. The book relies on a large, new, and innovative dataset that combines a wide variety of data sources including a quantitative text analysis of European Commission consultations, an online survey of interest groups, information gathered on interest group websites, and legislative data retrieved from EU databases. This book analyzes interest group influence across 56 policy issues and 2,696 interest groups and shows that lobbying is an exchange relationship in which the European institutions trade influence for information, citizen support and economic power. Importantly, this book demonstrates that it is not sufficient to solely focus on individual interest groups, but that it is crucial how interest groups come together in issue-specific lobbying coalitions. Lobbying is a collective enterprise in which information supply, citizen support, and economic power of entire lobbying coalitions are decisive for lobbying success.

• Why is the EU so reliant upon exchanges with interest organisations?• What safeguards have been developed to prevent capture by special interests, and how effective are these?• How does the EU system of interest representation compare with those of other systems, and what are its unique features?The fully revised third edition of this highly-acclaimed book provides an authoritative and comprehensive assessment of the role of organized interests in the EU. Showing that interest representation is a key aspect of the European project, it examines the significance of interests for everyday policy-making, for European integration, and for the democratic legitimacy of the EU. Accessibly written and thoroughly updated, the new edition contains additional material on the regulation of lobbying and the European Transparency Register.

Brüssel steht für Bürokratie, Ineffizienz und Verschwendung. Wer diese Vorurteile hegt, vergisst, dass es die Nationalstaaten sind, die Politik in Brüssel machen. Die Idee des Gemeinwohls tritt in den Hintergrund, nationale Politiker betrachten die EU zunehmend als Selbstbedienungsladen. Zudem wächst der Einfluss der Lobbyisten, mächtige Unternehmen und Verbände bestimmen immer häufiger die EU-Gesetze. Dieses Buch deckt auf, warum die Ausgaben teilweise falsch verteilt sind und warum das heutige System das Plündern der gemeinsamen Kasse begünstigt und Korruption nicht verhindert, weder in Brüssel noch in den Nationalstaaten. Warum die EU-Zentrale nicht stark genug ist, um wirksame Kontrollen zu installieren. Warum Lobbyisten die Oberhand gewinnen. Und was dagegen unternommen werden muss.

It is universally accepted that there has been a huge growth in EU lobbying over the past few decades. There is now a dense EU interest group system. This entirely new volume, inspired by Mazey & Richardson's 1993 book Lobbying in the European Community, seeks to understand the role of interest groups in the policy process from agenda-setting to implementation. Specifically, the book is interested in observing how interest groups organise to influence the EU institutions and how they select different coalitions along the policy process and in different policy domains. In looking at 20 years of change, the book captures processes of institutional and actor learning, professionalisation of lobbying, and the possible emergence of a distinct EU public policy style. More specifically, from the actors'perspective, the editors are interested in assessing how the rise of direct lobbying and the emergence of fluid issue-based coalitions has changed the logic of collective action, and what is the potential impact of'venue-shopping'on reputation and influence. From an institutional perspective, the contributors explore resource and legitimacy demands, and the practical impact of consultation processes on the emergence of a distinct EU lobbying relationship. It will be essential reading for academics and practitioners alike.

Considering the future of European integration, this clear and compelling study explores the interplay between collective action and democracy in the European Union and its member states. Richard Balme and Didier Chabanet analyze the influence of supranational governance on democratization through a wealth of case studies on a broad range of civil society interests, including regional policy, unemployment and poverty, women's rights, migration policy, and environmental protection. The authors trace the evolving relationship between citizens and European institutions over the past decades, especially as public support for deepening and widening integration has waned. This trend culminated in a deep institutional crisis precipitated by the rejection of the draft constitutional treaty in France and the Netherlands in 2005. At least two truisms were proven wrong during this tumultuous period: that European citizens have little interest in European integration and that citizens have little influence on EU politics. However, this power shift has left citizens with a deep distrust of integration and EU institutions with limited capacities to cope with issues the public considers priorities-primarily unemployment and social inequalities. The book shows how Europe-wide interest groups formed and protesters were able to mobilize around key issues of integration. The authors convincingly argue that the growth of contentious social movements has also been nourished by the EU policy process itself, which leaves more room for interest groups and protest politics than for political parties and representative democracy. An essential primer on European democracy, this study will be invaluable for scholars and students in European politics and public policy, globalization and democracy, and comparative social movements.

This book presents the first large-scale study of lobbying strategies and outcomes in the United States and the European Union, two of the most powerful political systems in the world. Every day, tens of thousands of lobbyists in Washington and Brussels are working to protect and promote their interests in the policymaking process. Policies emanating from these two spheres have global impacts—they set global standards, they influence global markets, and they determine global politics. Armed with extensive new data, Christine Mahoney challenges the conventional stereotypes that attribute any differences between the two systems to cultural ones—the American, a partisan and combative approach, and the European, a consensus-based one.Mahoney draws from 149 interviews involving 47 issues to detail how institutional structures, the nature of specific issues, and characteristics of the interest groups combine to determine decisions about how to approach a political fight, what arguments to use, and how to frame an issue. She looks at how lobbyists choose lobbying tactics, public relations strategies, and networking and coalition activities. Her analysis demonstrates that advocacy can be better understood when we study the lobbying of interest groups in their institutional and issue context. This book offers new insights into how the process of lobbying works on both sides of the Atlantic.

The European Union today stands on the brink of radical institutional and constitutional change. The most recent enlargement and proposed legal reforms reflect a commitment to democracy: stabilizing political life for citizens governed by new regimes, and constructing a European Union more accountable to civil society. Despite the perceived novelty of these reforms, this book explains (through quantitative data and qualitative case analyses) how the European Court of Justice has developed and sustained a vibrant tradition of democratic constitutionalism since the 1960s. The book documents the dramatic consequences of this institutional change for civil society and public policy reform throughout Europe. Cichowski offers detailed empirical and historical studies of gender equality and environmental protection law across fifteen countries and over thirty years, revealing important linkages between civil society, courts and the construction of governance. The findings bring into question dominant understandings of legal integration.

Over the past half-century, Europe has experienced the most radical reallocation of authority that has ever taken place in peace-time, yet the ideological conflicts that will emerge from this are only now becoming apparent. The editors of this 2004 volume, Gary Marks and Marco Steenbergen, have brought together a formidable group of scholars of European and comparative politics to investigate patterns of conflict that are arising in the European Union. Using diverse sources of data, and examining a range of actors, including citizens, political parties, members of the European Parliament, social movements, and interest groups, the authors of this volume conclude that political contestation concerning European integration is indeed rooted in the basic conflicts that have shaped political life in Western Europe for many years. This comprehensive volume provides an analysis of political conflict in the European Union.

Collective Action in the European Union addresses fundamental questions surrounding the European political economy. The impressive array of contributors ask how and why collective action is formed at the European level. They also consider whether collective action at the transnational level is driven by rational, utility maximising behaviour, or whether explanations couched in social terms are more convincing. Many of the chapters introduce fresh empirical studies, in the domains of business, the professions, consumers and environmental interests.