The European Union's regulations play a key role in determining the limits within which companies can pursue their business activities. In the run-up to consultations on Europe-wide changes to public procurement and environmental law, a group of companies in the utilities industry commissioned the interim manager to introduce the interests of the company and the industry into the consultations. At the same time, he was tasked with securing funding for R&D projects and financing for major projects.
Lobbying during consultations on public procurement law and environmental protection
Based on 5 years of work at the EU Commission in the areas of environmental protection, water and B2B services, the interim manager was able to identify numerous contacts in the Commission, the Parliament and the Council of Europe who were involved in the revision of public procurement law. He was able to gain personal contacts at the Commission, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for discussions on subsidies and project financing.
In the area of public procurement law, the main challenge was to set the highest possible thresholds for Europe-wide public procurement obligations and to have the negotiation rules implemented in France in the area of water recognized in the negotiation and award of concessions and delegated management.
In the area of environmental protection, the interim manager worked, among other things, to ban the mixing of hazardous waste and municipal waste (so-called "codisposal") in EU landfill sites, which was permitted in the UK in the 1990s.
Numerous discussions with high-ranking interlocutors in the EU institutions
The interim manager did not limit his lobbying work exclusively to discussions with decision-makers in the administration of European institutions. He also won over trade associations and representatives of the relevant French ministries for site visits and hearings, in which he coordinated and orchestrated the strategy for the talks in the EU administration.
The interim manager identified the right contacts in his network to negotiate the interests of his clients. At the EU Commission, these included authors of draft directives, heads of department and even commissioners. He also involved MEPs and their assistants as well as relevant trade associations in the consultations.
Highest intercultural and diplomatic requirements successfully mastered
A particular challenge in this consulting and lobbying task was to understand different (usually quite legitimate) interests. In addition, intercultural misunderstandings and differences of opinion had to be overcome time and again.
In the end, the interim manager succeeded in using diplomacy to ensure that the factual arguments of his client were perceptibly incorporated into the decision-making process. In any case, the client was satisfied with the results of his work.
