Whilst actions by business interests are widely acknowledged to be a central mechanism of European integration, the capacity of formal groups which represent them to contribute meaningfully to the integration process is little understood. Based on original research with 50 EU business associations and 150 of their members, this unique book assesses the effectiveness of EU business associations and their potential to bring value to the EU policy making process and to their members, and lends a methodology by which they can be evaluated.

Key practitioners who work in and with EU business associations come together with leading policy makers from the EU institutions and research academics to analyze change factors for the associations and their role in EU policy making and implementation. Contributors include the Head of the team responsible for the EU White Paper on Governance, the Chair of the UK CBI Trade Association Forum, the Chair of the UK Political Studies Association, and the longest serving Secretary General of UNICE.

This is a unique collection of papers which brings together those who work in and with EU business associations at the very highest level with many of the leading academic authors on associations over the past two decades. It examines the factors that influence the effectiveness of EU business associations, and the prospects for associations and their members to influence these. It is designed to appeal both to analysts of debates about interest groups, collective action and European integration, and to those who work in and with EU business associations.

Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: Since the adoption of the Single European Act (SEA) in 1986 more and more competencies have been transferred by EU Member States to decision makers in Brussels. Beside the objective of the completion of the Single Market the scope of Community policies has widened to political co-operation, technological development, and social policy. In addition, the powers of the European Parliament were strengthened and qualified majority voting was introduced for decisions related to the completion of the internal market. Since the summits of Maastricht and Amsterdam European integration has further gained in momentum. National governments again handed over sovereignty to the European level. Jacques Delors famous quote that 80% of regulations impacting on the economic sphere were decided in Brussels today demonstrates the shift of competency. Within the last 15 years Brussels has become an important centre of power. This transference of power to the European level also has affected the behaviour of interest groups. Before 1986 it usually was sufficient to lobby the own national administration in order to influence regulations. The main function of European peak organisations at the time was on the one hand to monitor events in Brussels and report them back to their member federations on the other hand they formed a transnational network for the exchange of information. The growing power of European institutions and the strengthening of the supranational element within the European Union required interest groups to broaden their participation in the European decision making process. In addition, the technical problems regarding the realisation of the internal market, e.g. harmonisation of services, standardisation of products etc. has triggered off an enormous demand for technical input on the side of the European institutions. Since the adoption of the SEA, thus, interest groups have proliferated. New groups with new interests have emerged. Long established organisations have increased their financial and personnel resources. After Washington D.C., Brussels has become the second biggest boomtown for lobbying activities. In 1992 the Commission has estimated that approximately 3000 special interest groups with a total of 10,000 lobbyists try to influence the institutions of the European Union. The directory of interest groups lists 891 European peak organisations. Beside these Eurogroups a myriad form of actors all trying to get [...]

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.

This book sheds new light on how lobbying works in the European Union. Drawing on the first-hand professional experience of lobbyists, policymakers, and corporate and institutional stakeholders, combined with a sound academic foundation, it offers insights into successful lobbying strategies, such as how alliances are formed by interest groups in Brussels. The authors present key case studies, e.g. on the shelved EU-US trade deal Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), lobbying scandals, and the role of specific interest groups and EU Think-Tanks. Furthermore, they highlight efforts to improve transparency and ethical standards in EU decision-making, while also underscoring the benefits of lobbying in the context of decision-making. Understanding the tools and techniques of effective lobbying, as well as the dynamics and trends in EU lobbying, will allow professionals involved in the lobbying process, such as policymakers and corporate and institutional stakeholders, to improve their performance and achieve better results when pursuing their respective interests.

A book on the path dependent and path creating structures and attitudes of business interest associations in a world of Europeanization and internationalization of markets. It includes empirical data on relational information used for network analytic purposes – drawn from hundreds of interviews with CEOs.

This handbook is a comprehensive guide to the different types of business associations: multi-industry umbrella organizations, single-industry trade associations, professional societies, and chambers of commerce. It is written for senior corporate executives and public affairs officers who want to evaluate the effectiveness of trade and business associations to which their companies belong and to optimize the benefits of participation to achieve corporate objectives, especially in the fields of government relations and economic services. It is also intended for association executives concerned about corporate dues cutbacks who want to help their memberships increase the value of association memberships and to better understand the world of associations. Mack maintains that few firms undertake tost-benefit analyses of their association memberships or take the steps necessary to assure that these organizations meet the company's unique special needs as well as the common interests of the membership at large. He therefore focuses particular attention on techniques designed to help members evaluate and intensify their effectiveness and influence within each of their associations while strengthening the association at the same time. He also examines the environment of association operations: association resources and regulation, the inner workings of association management, and future changes. The book begins with a description of associations as interest groups and their growing importance in the formation of public policy. The author describes non-business interest groups, the types and characteristics of business associations, and the historic development of business organizations in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. In Part II, Mack focuses on techniques to evaluate associations and introduces the Effective Membership Process by which individual members can enhance their influence. The third section explains association resources including membership; finance, planning, and budgeting; governance and policymaking; regulation and taxation of associations; and the roles of the staff. Part IV analyzes the nature of national, international, and state and local associations, comparing their similarities and differences. Illustrative profiles of eight widely varying associations are included in this section. Finally, the book offers an analysis of the attitudes of corporate and individual members towards their associations. Based on the conclusions drawn from this analysis, the author sets down a concrete set of recommendations for strengthening the effectiveness of these organizations to meet the new challenges of the rapidly changing business environment and global economy. A detailed appendix describing how to start a new association completes the handbook.

The European Union is a key player in determining policies and politics in Europe, and yet understanding how it works remains a challenge. The Politics of the European Union introduces students to its functioning by showing the similarities and differences between the EU and national political systems. Fully revised and updated in its third edition, this introductory textbook uses the tools of comparative politics to explore the history, theories, institutions, key actors, politics and policy-making of the EU. This comparative approach enables students to apply their knowledge of domestic politics and broader debates in political science to better understand the EU. Numerous real-world examples guide students through the textbook, and chapter briefings, fact files and controversy boxes highlight the important and controversial issues in EU politics. A companion website features free 'Navigating the EU' exercises to guide students in their analysis of EU policy-making.

Examining the nexus of government and business in some of the world's most prominent industrial nations, the author explores the strategies adopted by business to influence governmental acdtions and analyzes the public policies that bind business to the state.