EU Public Affairs 2016

6th Conference

EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS 17/18 March 2016 The Hotel, Brussels

HOW BRUSSELS WORKS LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE EU POLITICAL PROCESS & THE FUTURE OF LOBBYING

Discounted registration available until February 19

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conferences.quadriga.eu/en/publicaffairs

PROGRAMME 2016

THURSDAY MARCH 17 2016

FRIDAY MARCH 18 2016

12:00 pm–1:30 pm

PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN BRUSSELS 101

(optional)

8:45 am

DOORS OPEN

1:30 pm–2:00 pm

DOORS OPEN AND WELCOME

9:15 am–9:30 am

WELCOME/INTRODUCTION

Professor Christian Thorun Quadriga University Berlin

COFFEE 2:00 pm–2:15 pm

WELCOME/INTRODUCTION

Professor Christian Thorun Quadriga University

2:15 pm–3:00 pm

9:30 am–10:00 am

KEYNOTE:

THE JUNCKER COMMISSION ONE

YEAR LATER – BETTER REGULATION?

Daniel Guéguen Founder and Chairman, PACT European Affairs / Professor, The College of Europe MODULE I: STRATEGIES AND CAMPAIGNING

3:00 pm–3:30 pm

INSIGHT: CHALLENGES AND

OPPORTUNITIES OF A COMPANY

REPRESENTATION IN BRUSSELS

Cynthia Sanfilippo Director Public Affairs Brussels European Office, L'Orèal

3:30 pm–4:00 pm

COFFEE BREAK

OUTLOOK: REPOSITIONING OF A

GLOBAL PLAYER – A KEY ROLE FOR

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Dr. Jacques Ragot Vice President Public & Government Affairs, Covestro

MODULE II: TOOLS, METHODS & WORKING WITH THE EU 10:00 am–10:30 am

INSIGHT: AN EU ASSOCIATION'S

PERSPECTIVE: THE QUEST FOR THE

MAGIC MIX

Patrice Chazerand Director Digital Economy and Trade Groups, DIGITALEUROPE

10:30 am–11:00 am

COFFEE BREAK

11:00 am–11:30 am

BEST CASE: RESPONSIBLE

PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN BRUSSELS –

REGULATION VS.

SPECIAL JOINT SESSION:

CORPORATE INTERESTS

PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN CORPORATE

ECONOMIC STRATEGY AND

NATIONAL ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY Guilherme Athhia Vice President Government and Public Affairs EMEA, Nike Inc. Jakob Skaarup Nielsen Head of Corporate Public Affairs, The Permanent Representation of Denmark to the EU

Christof-Sebastian Klitz Head of EU Representation, Volkswagen Group

11:30 am–11:45 am

Workshop introduction

4:00 pm–5:00 pm

5:00 pm–5:30 pm

INFO SESSION:

FULCRUMS AND LEVERS IN THE

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Glyn Ford Executive Director, PolInt / Former MEP

5:30 pm–6:00 pm

INSIGHT: THE GROUNDWORK OF A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC AFFAIRS

WORKSHOP SESSIONS 11:45 am–1:00 pm

WORKSHOP 1: COMITOLOGY AND DELEGATED ACTS – LATEST

DEVELOPMENTS

11:45 am–1:00 pm

Vicky Marissen Partner and Managing Director, PACT European Affairs WORKSHOP 2: INTEGRATING

VIDEO COMMUNICATION INTO

PUBLIC AFFAIRS – HOW TO DO IT Grègoire Poisson Managing Partner, Interel Group

11:45 am–1:00 pm

WORKSHOP 3: TELLING YOUR

PRACTICE

David O'Leary

Director Brussels Office, Burson-Marsteller

8:00 PM

Mikael Svensson Senior Business Leader Government Affairs and Public Policy, MasterCard Europe, tbc DINNER & KEYNOTE SPEECH

Richard Corbett

Member of the European Parliament, tbc

11:45 am–1:00 pm

STORY IN BRUSSELS

WORKSHOP 4: EU MONITOR –

PUBLIC AFFAIRS MADE EASY

Daan Smolders Senior Project Manager, PDC

1:00 pm–2:00 pm

LUNCH

2:00 pm–3:15 pm

Workshops repeat

3:15 pm–3:30 pm

Conference Summary

EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

HOW BRUSSELS WORKS

Conference

EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS For most public affairs professionals, the fact that the idea ­behind the EU's recent transparency initiative has been to restore faith in the Union has not eluded them.

But restoring faith is quite difficult to achieve just through the occasional “miracle”.

Even more so against the backdrop not just of profound inter-institutional change, but also of dramatic political turmoil both on the national and international stage. One thing is certain: the co-dependencies of legislation and interest groups will continue their adaptation process under these new circumstances for the foreseeable future with undiminished intensity.

The first day of our conference will focus both on public affairs strategies and campaigning, but also on the structural value of a Brussels representation in corporate and n ­ ational strategies. On the second day we will take a closer look at specific tools and methods, ­empowering you to improve the efficiency of your public affairs work.

Professor Christian T­ horun Quadriga University

During this two-day event we facilitate interactions between l­obbyists, political ­analysts and EU representatives who are ready to ­answer all your questions.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

CONFERENCE FORMATS KEYNOTE The keynotes will get the conference started with an insight into how lobbying has transformed in the past few years and provide you with insights into the culture of advocacy in the EU.

BEST CASES Listen to best cases from some of Europe’s biggest companies and how they manage to support their cause in front of the European institutions.

Understanding the EU’s new rules

Exploring new public ­affairs strategies

Finding solutions for a more transparent lobbying process

Getting to know over 100 public affairs professionals

Insights into ­working with officials from the ­Council, Parliament and Commission

Learning how to build an ­effective public affairs plan aligned with ­company strategy

Finding the right approach to networking with the right people

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HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS Experience the practical aspects of working in Brussels and collaborating with the European institutions in our workshops, which are offered twice on the second day of the conference.

INFO SESSION The info sessions will take you behind the scenes of what might be the most important aspects in the institution’s life: finding new contacts and working together with officials from the EU.

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EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

THURSDAY MARCH 17 2016 OPTIONAL

12:00 PM–1:30 PM

PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN BRUSSELS 101 In order for all participants to start at the same level, we invite you to our optional Public Affairs Basics session. Hosted by Christian Thorun, our moderator and professor of political science, international politics and public affairs at Quadriga University Berlin, you will get the chance to brush up on your knowledge and get up to speed on the 101 of Public Affairs. Once you have done so, you will be ready for the two insight-packed days we have prepared for you.

1:30 PM DOORS OPEN/WELCOME COFFEE 2:00 PM–2:15 PM WELCOME/INTRODUCTION

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION Christian Thorun of Quadriga University Berlin will open the conference with a few ­welcoming words and a short introduction to the event's programme.

Professor Dr. Christian Thorun is professor of political science, international politics and public ­affairs at Quadriga University in Berlin. He is also founder and managing director of Con­ Policy, a ­research and consultancy institute in the field of consumer politics. He is member of the board of directors of the FLO-Cert and of the think tank Club of Rome.

Christian Thorun Quadriga University

M O D U L E I : S T R AT E G I E S A N D C A M PA I G N I N G 2:15 PM–3:00 PM OPENING KEYNOTE

THE JUNCKER COMMISSION ONE YEAR LATER. BETTER REGULATION? Have the Commission and Parliament performed to expectations? Has the European Council become the Commission’s tutor? Are we moving towards ‘better regulation’, or more opacity and complexity? Complexity offers more margins for influence, but it is completely transforming the lobbyist’s profession. How do we adapt to this generally unfavourable environment and win files? Daniel Guéguen will provide an analysis that goes straight to the point and is based on concrete topical cases.

With 40 years' experience in EU public affairs, Daniel Guéguen is founder of PACT European Affairs, a consultancy specialised in the EU decision-making process, in particular delegated and implementing acts. In 1996, he founded CLAN Public Affairs and the European Training Institute. Before this, Daniel was director general for the European Sugar Industry and secretary general of COPA-COGECA, the EU farmers’union lobby. Daniel is a visiting professor at the College of Europe in both Bruges and Natolin. He is author of 15 books which have been translated into 20 languages. Recent publications include The New Practical Guide to the EU Labyrinth (2015) and Reshaping European Lobbying (2014).

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Daniel Guéguen Founder and Chairman, PACT European Affairs and Professor at the College of Europe

CONFERENCES.QUADRIGA.EU / EN / PUBLICAFFAIRS

EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

HOW BRUSSELS WORKS

3:00 PM–3:30 PM INSIGHT

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF A COMPANY REPRESENTATION IN BRUSSELS Ever wondered about the value proposition of a Brussels representation, its role and positioning in a company and the return on investment of the function? Cynthia Sanfilippo will illuminate how to best represent the company’s interests to EU decision makers and stakeholders, thus underlining the critical importance of the EU office in the company strategy.

Cynthia Sanfilippo’s work in public affairs include her engagement at Clan Public Affairs, where she acted as account executive of international clients. Cynthia also worked at the European headquarters of 3M, sustaining and developing their public affairs function. She was also responsible for creating and developing the public affairs practice of the European representation of Dow Corning. She now joins L’Oréal to lead their public affairs for Europe.

Cynthia Sanfilippo Director Public Affairs Brussels European Office L'ORÈAL

3:30 PM–4:00 PM COFFEE BREAK

4:00 PM–5:00 PM SPECIAL-JOINT-SESSION

PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN CORPORATE ECONOMIC STRATEGY AND NATIONAL ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY Governments and regulators are second only to customers in their ability to impact companies’ economic value. Guilherme Athia will ask why government relations should be an active participant in the decision-making process, and how to get there? His answer: by mastering the forecasting, planning strategically and measuring the business value.

Learn how the Permanent Representation of Denmark has integrated corporate public affairs in its economic diplomacy efforts in Brussels. Jakob Skaarup Nielsen will focus on the opportunity for alliance building between industry and government to achieve shared goals – and how to build them up.

Guilherme Athia is a public affairs professional with close to 30 years' experience in corporate and public affairs on three continents. A selection of his current activities include his titles as vice president and treasurer of FESI-Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry, as well as president of IRelGov -Instituto de Relações Governamentais.

Jakob Skaarup Nielsen is responsible for the corporate public affairs section with the Permanent Representation of Denmark to the EU. Prior to joining the Permanent Representation in 2012, he worked with security and development policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Copenhagen and served from 2000-2010 missions in Asia within economic diplomacy issues.

Guilherme Athia Vice President Government and Public Affairs EMEA, NIKE INC.

Jakob Skaarup Nielsen Head of Corporate Public Affairs, Permanent Representation of Denmark to the EU

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EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

5:00 PM–5:30 PM INFO SESSION

FULCRUMS AND LEVERS IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Why, when and how to lobby in the European Parliament? Since the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty the Parliament is increasingly the single most important institution in shaping EU legislation and trade policy. We present what to do – and what not to do.

Glyn Ford is executive director of Polint and was a member of the European Parliament for over 25 years leaving it in June 2009. Before entering the European Parliament, Glyn was a senior research fellow in Manchester University's Department of Science and Technology Policy and was at various times a visiting fellow/ professor at Sussex University, the University of Tokyo and the East-West Centre in Hawaii.

Glyn Ford Executive Director, Polint/ Former Member of the European Parliament

5:30 PM–6:00 PM INSIGHT

THE GROUNDWORK OF A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC AFFAIRS PRACTICE Finances, financial- and payment services are at the core of the dynamics of modern society. Keeping things running efficiently is the basis of social stability and progress. This goes both for the micro-cosmos of day-to-day life and for large scale governmental strategy. MasterCard is a global forerunner in helping individuals and governments reduce costs and gain efficiencies in many aspects of their life and work. What is more, the interplay of corporate and public interest is at the core of sustaining this process and one of the key elements of the MasterCard success story. Learn how the company will continue to uphold this tradition directly from their EU public affairs practice.

Mikael Svensson is a public policy and government relations professional who has been working in Brussels for nearly two decades in sectors including environment, trade and food. He joined MasterCard eight years ago, where he built up a public affairs function from scratch and today is responsible for MasterCard’s public policy in Europe.

Mikael Svensson Senior Business Leader Government Affairs and Public Policy, Mastercard Europe, tbc

8:00 PM KEYNOTE

DINNER AND KEYNOTE SPEECH Join us on Thursday evening for dinner with your fellow participants and our conference speakers. Richard Corbett will share his experience of working in and with the EU and will discuss the latest developments. Take the chance to get to know everyone in an informal setting and to get a sense of what Brussels networking is really like.

Richard Corbett is a member of the European Parliament and was also advisor to Herman Van Rompuy from 2010-2014. He has been active in European politics since 1996 and is a vigourous commentator on European affairs. No wonder that, in 2012, he was voted by a panel of retired diplomats, journalists, academics and think-tankers as the fourth most influential Briton on EU policy, ahead of the prime minister, the chancellor and Commission vice president.

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Richard Corbett Member of the European Parliament, tbc

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EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

HOW BRUSSELS WORKS

FRIDAY MARCH 18 2016 8:45 AM DOORS OPEN/WELCOME COFFEE 9:15 AM–9:30 AM WELCOME/INTRODUCTION

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION The second day of the conference will open with a short introduction by Professor Thorun and a summary of the first day of the event.

9:30 AM–10:00 AM OUTLOOK

REPOSITIONING OF A GLOBAL PLAYER – A KEY ROLE FOR PUBLIC ­AFFAIRS Covestro – formerly known as Bayer MaterialScience – has been an independent company since September 2015. Independence means a new identity, new values and new business objectives. Which challenges does the public affairs department face in helping to keep this independence and which strategy is at the heart of all activities?

After five years of pharma research in Germany, Dr. Jacques Ragot worked for Bayer MaterialScience in product stewardship and public affairs functions. In parallel he obtained an executive MBA. He is now in charge of the global public and government affairs at Covestro AG.

Dr. Jacques Ragot Vice President Public and Government Affairs, Covestro

M O DU L E I I : TO O L S, M E T H O D S A N D WO R K I N G W I T H T H E EU 10:00 AM–10:30 AM INSIGHT

AN EU ASSOCIATION'S PERSPECTIVE: THE QUEST FOR THE MAGIC MIX Hammering the exact same single issue over and over makes for sharper focus, stronger impact maybe and… battle fatigue too. This is not an option for a big, multi-issue association operating in fast-moving technology. No dull moment at DIGITALEUROPE, and a constant stimulation to make the most of ICT heavyweights’ amazing agility. Look forward to an insight into sucesfull advocacy in a big association.

Patrice has a track record in Public Affairs streatching back over 30 years. He was Secretary General of the Intereactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE) between 2002-2009, built up the Brussels office of Viacom which he ran as Vice President European Affairs from 19992002 and was Director Public Affairs at AT & T France from 1989-1995.

Patrice Chazerand Director Digital Economy and Trade Groups, DIGITALEUROPE

10:30 AM–11:00 AM COFFEE BREAK 11:00 AM–11:30 AM BEST CASE

RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN BRUSSELS: REGULATION VS. CORPORATE INTERESTS Managing EU public affairs is an essential tool for shaping your reputation in the market place. This Volkswagen best case identifies challenges and objectives to foster transparency in the EU decision-making process and outlines how to engage in an open and ­constructive dialogue with all stakeholders in the EU’s multi-level environment.

Christof-Sebastian Klitz has a vast amount of public affairs experience, having served in various positions at BDI in Cologne, as deputy director of the Office of German Industy and Trade in Washington DC and as Burson Marsteller's head of government relations in Bonn and Berlin. He joined Volkswagen in 1999 and has been head of government affairs of their Brussels office since 2008.

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Christof-Sebastian Klitz Head of EU Representation, Volkswagen Group

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11:30 AM–11:45 AM WORKSHOP INTRODUCTION 11:45 AM–1:00 PM WORKSHOP #1

COMITOLOGY AND DELEGATED ACTS: THE IMPACT OF BETTER ­REGULATION AND THE INTER-INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT Expert groups and a possible register for delegated acts: a new inter-institutional agreement? Comitology and delegated acts are topics in full development and high on the EU agenda. What do these evolutions mean in terms of public affairs and what is tomorrow made of for secondary legislation.

Vicky Marissen is co-founder and managing director of PACT European Affairs/PACT Training.

She is a recognised expert in the EU decision-making process, in particular post-Lisbon comitology procedures. Previously, Vicky was managing director at the European Training Institute and senior consultant at CLAN Public Affairs specialising in secondary legislation. Since 2015 Vicky is a visiting professor at the College of Europe in Bruges and in Natolin.

Vicky Marissen Partner and Managing Director, PACT European Affairs

11:45 AM–1:00 PM WORKSHOP #2

INTEGRATING VIDEO COMMUNICATION INTO PUBLIC AFFAIRS: HOW TO DO IT (WELL) Online video is the new email but what should public affairs professionals do about it?

Winning campaigns increasingly include a video component that makes all the difference. This workshop will help you to methodologically create and tell a compelling visual story using online video communication, from script design to dissemination strategy.

Grégoire Poisson is managing partner EU of Interel. He is a public affairs and communication strategist with more than 18 years’ experience in Brussels. Under his watch, Interel was voted Best Consultancy 2014 at the European Public Affairs Awards. Before joining Interel, he held director positions at Weber Shandwick, Havas Worldwide, UEPG and Hitachi,Ltd.

Grégoire Poisson Managing Partner EU, Interel Gorup

11:45 AM–1:00 PM WORKSHOP #3

TELLING YOUR STORY IN BRUSSELS Good arguments are not enough to win in Brussels: you need a good story too. This workshop looks at how to use public affairs and communications (including digital) to present an organisation, its purpose and its objectives. We will consider how to build a clear message and share it with the right audience, via the right medium, at the right time.

David O’Leary leads political communications projects for institutional and corporate clients.

His recent work includes an award-winning project for the Campaign for a Single Seat for the European Parliament and Burson-Marsteller’s highly-regarded thought leadership initiative, Europe Decides.

David O'Leary Director Brussels Office, Burson-Marsteller

11:45 AM–1:00 PM WORKSHOP #4

EU MONITOR: PUBLIC AFFAIRS MADE EASY This interactive workshop gives you valuable insights into how the right tooling allows you to take well-documented decisions and optimally assess the impact of EU legislative proposals for your organisation. The EU Monitor makes sure that you stay up to date with European legislation in a smart and time-efficient way.

Daan Smolders is a senior project manager in the field of information management. He is involved in the development and implementation of knowledge management tools such as the EU Monitor. Daan is an expert in helping organisations optimise their information infrastructure.

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Daan Smolders Senior Project Manager, PDC

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EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

HOW BRUSSELS WORKS

1:00 PM–2:00 PM LUNCH

2:00 PM–3:15 PM WORKSHOP SESSION II

3:15 PM–3:30 PM CONFERENCE SUMMARY

SUMMING UP After two intense days of networking and practical tips we close the conference with a wrap-up of the event and by highlighting the most important learnings.

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EEUU PPUUBBLLI ICC A F F A I R S

BUILD YOUR EUROPEAN NETWORK The Public Affairs Conference in Brussels is a great opportunity to interact with Europe’s leading political analysts and representatives of the European Union while being updated on the latest developments in terms of lobbying, campaigning and legislative processes.

+ 0 50

ants ticip l par thered a n io nat s ga inter speaker for our and russels vents in B five e past

Who to meet and what to learn 5 years of Quadriga How Brussels Works: A look back and look forward Every year we welcome participants from across Europe who are interested in learning more about the European Union institutions or who are excited to share their knowledge with their peers.

Participants in the 2015 event came from various industries and backgrounds.

EU Government Official

31%

Governmental Relations/ Public Affairs Director

8%

Public Relations Director

17%

Communications Manager

EU Affairs Manager

25%

Head of Communications

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6 e 201 atur The e fe mm gra

pro

15

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tion nta e s e re e p ctiv ativ intera ps m o r h info and orks w

10

2015 EU Public Affairs Conference offered a good opportunity to learn and refresh knowledge acquired on the ground from big lobby global players. Highly recommended.�

Susana Tello - Institutional Affairs Manager - GESTAMP

9% 10%

COMPANIES THAT PARTICIPATED

EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

HOW BRUSSELS WORKS

(Selection)

Danone+++ Coca Cola +++ BASF +++ Dow Chemical Company +++ Roche +++ Sanofi-Aventis +++ Volkswagen Group +++ Enel S.p.A. +++ European Industrial Minerals Association +++ Philip Morris +++ Jaguar Land Rover Limited +++ European Commission +++ Unilever +++ Telefónica S.A. +++ Johnson & Johnson +++ LFB S.A. +++ European Banking Federation +++ SNS Bank +++ Adamed +++ AeroSpace and Defense Industries Association of Europe +++ +++ American Chamber of Commerce +++ Tetra Pak International

INTERACT WITH PEERS

96%

of all p articipa nts wo recomm uld end the event to a collea gue

The Public Affairs Conference brings together EU representatives as well as public affairs and communication professionals. Brussels is the best place to interact with EU experts and address most urgent issues in terms of public affairs.

LEAVE BRUSSELS WITH VALUABLE INSIDER TIPS

A very stimulating ­conference. The speakers provided highly relevant perspectives on recent ­developments in the EU institutions and presented practical PA tools to navigate and succeed in an arena, characterised by increasing complexity and importance.”

Poul Noer, Director, Holm ­Kommunikation A/S

A timely and effective way to understand the new ­commission and to anticipate ­upcoming changes” Sidney Dung, Dagong Europe Credit Rating

The goal of the conference is to provide participants with a learning platform that will allow them to better understand the EU processes and help their companies be more efficient in the lobbying process.

LEARN FROM THE BEST

In recent years we have been able to gather speakers from Vodafone, McDonald’s, Jaguar Land Rover, the ­European Parliament and many more. We are happy to ­continue this tradition in 2015 and invite you to learn from their ­experience.

I like the event since it gave me enough outside and insight view on Brussels (EU) functioning ­within a realtively short, but well organized ­conference.”

Dr. Drasko Veselinovic, President, Slovenian Business and Research Association, Brussels

28 Over

countries were rep resented at the Ho w Brusse ls Works Conferen ce in 201 4

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EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Establishing a ­corporate embassy When you start working in public affairs, you quickly realise that there is a huge perception gap between what you really do and what people believe you do. Even inside your own company, among the top executives, there is a deeply-rooted idea that public affairs is about small talk and wining and dining. In some ways, networking cocktails are indeed part of the job, but it is clearly only the tip of the iceberg. We public affairs managers have some work to do to explain to our company’s top management that we can be an efficient tool, with their help and trust.

By Marie-France van der Valk The right people

Public affairs work is like working in an embassy: it requires interacting with institutions embedded in a complex environment.

Our role is to defend the interests of our company in front of the institutions but we also often have to work with other actors: other companies’ public affairs offices, non-governmental organisations, sectorial associations, regions or academics.

Developing a constructive dialogue with actors outside our industry can be very useful in building a stronger position. For example, in the automotive sector, with the technology innovation bringing us towards connected and autonomous cars, we cannot limit ourselves to watch what the other automotive actors are doing: we need to go further and also look at actors from the digital world.

To bring credible and constructive data, we need to have the support of internal clients: the group’s internal departments, experts and everybody in the company who might be interested in developments on the European Union level. It is therefore essential to weave a solid internal network, to be able to deliver good-quality service to the internal departments and to gather the right information in order to build a position on a specific file.

The right way

Once we have identified the type of file and determined the most relevant type of lobbying strategy, our role is to manage the expectations both from our internal colleagues and from our outside partners. The public affairs office has information on our company’s strategy as well as about the political agenda. We are therefore in the best position to match agendas. To do so, anticipation is essential. In the automotive sector, the case of electric vehicles is a good example: car companies have the technology to develop zero-emission vehicles while institutions are in a process of reducing emissions in the European Union. The two can go in the same direction.

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Exclusively from Communication Director We have three main missions: reputation building, strategic monitoring and ensuring favourable policy environment to support business development. To perform each of them we first need to have a clear knowledge of the file and to perform a technical analysis. Then, we have to choose the right way to formulate our position, the right recipient and the right moment to deliver the message. This requires surgical precision as the lobbying strategy will be different for each case.

Identifying opportunities For a core business issue – like CO2 in the automotive industry – the institutions expect us to come forward with a clear position. So we need to be active within our sectorial association and make sure that the position of the industry is in line with our company’s interests. On more transversal issues, which impact most companies (such as employment or intellectual property legislation), employers’ organisations are often the most relevant channel. Some specific issues may require the creation of ad-hoc coalitions, when they are not covered by the sectorial association or transversal associations. For instance, we built an ad-hoc coalition with other car companies to work on financial topics that might impact our subsidiary banks. This unexpected issue for the automotive sector could bring us to also work with some other sectors.

It is also our mission to accompany business development and identify future business opportunities. For instance, it is crucial for a car company to push for the development of future infrastructure for electric or connected vehicles. We can also choose to use European Union initiatives as communication opportunities, chances to showcase our best practices and profile our group as forward thinking. These are good prospects for the development of our network and can be decisive for other files – however there is no sealed separation between the files. An issue can start as a communication opportunity before turning into a core business issue. For examCONFERENCES.QUADRIGA.EU / EN / PUBLICAFFAIRS

EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

ple, Renault is a pioneer in circular economy solutions. Naturally, we have been using it as a communication opportunity.

Today, the European Union is working on a legislative proposal, turning the file into a core business issue with significant business impact for us.

In addition, you need to organise your office by bringing tools and processes into your working life. Policy radars, overviews and factsheets can be extremely useful. To be credible to both internal and external stakeholders, you also need to introduce processes such as a systematic cost assessment of the files and regular reporting. On top of this, working in multinational companies requires a lot of coordination between the various national public affairs offices.

Being visible

Public affairs work is performed in a complex environment, with a high added value for the company, requiring real expertise as well as strict organisational abilities. It is essential to pay attention to four elements: being visible, being available, being credible and rationalising internal work relations.

Being visible is of course about having a good network and being part of the right events, so people know who you are and what you want or can do for them. But it is also about being in the right circles of influence. To identify the circles in which your national counterparts work and where official representatives in the European institutions from your country meet is crucial. Usually, these kinds of organisations already exist. For example, the Circle of French Permanent Delegates can play that role for French companies in Brussels.

Conclusion

It might seem obvious, but building a good network and being in the right circles is useless if you are not available to answer the questions and meet the demands of your contacts.

The key to having more impact is to build long-term relationships. The pre-requisite to build these long-term relationships is to be credible. It is important to be identified as a reliable CONFERENCES.QUADRIGA.EU / EN / PUBLICAFFAIRS

HOW BRUSSELS WORKS

partner by your peers in the institutions and other companies.

You have to bring constructive data to the debate.

Besides, it is vital to always defend your companies’ interests in an ethical and transparent way. Often, within the company public affairs is not seen as core-business and so it is important to highlight your added value. To achieve this, you need to inform your relevant internal experts about future strategic issues. You can also take the opportunity to showcase your added value by systematically assessing the economic value of a file and how it contributes to the group’s business performance. Highlighting your contribution in terms of savings or funding obtained can also be a way to show the importance of public affairs.

Once you have managed to create a good network of experts and people at key positions within the company, you need to make sure you become someone they will automatically call on, so that they can inform you about anything that can be related to public affairs (information, questions, requests and so on). For this, rationalising and creating processes for your work relations can help boost your credibility. You have to weave a net of processes, with your public affairs office in the middle.

Hopefully, this has shown you that working in public affairs means a lot more than shaking hands all day long: it requires a deep knowledge of the files, strict organisation and the ability to tread very carefully, with, once again, surgical precision. A significant part of our work is concentrated on our own company and our mission is to help it in its relations with European institutions, including by continually reminding them of what public affairs can bring them with their support.

Marie-France van der Valk European Affairs Director RENAULT

of Subscribers n Director tio Communica entry to ted get discoun this event!

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EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

SERVICE LOCATION For a conference which deals with public affairs there couldn’t have been a better location than Brussels. This year’s conference will be held at The Hotel, which is situated in the heart of the city and provides a stunning view over the Brussels.

Tel: +32/ 2 504 33 35 E-mail: book@thehotel.be

GETTING AROUND

TAXIS IN BRUSSELS

Brussels is accessible by metro, bus, tram and train. Plan your journey online using Brussels‘ public transportation site: www.stib.be

Autolux: +32 (0)2 5123123 Taxis Bleus: +32 (0)2 268 0000 Taxis Verts: +32 (0)2 3494949

PARTNER

CONTACT

Communication Director is the international magazine for public relations and communications. Covering communications, PR and public affairs, Communication Director is also the host of the European Excellence Awards. www.communication-director.com

How Brussels Works Square de Meeûs 37 B-1000 Brussels Phone: +32 (0) 2 219 2290 Fax: +32 (0) 2 219 2292 conferences.quadriga.eu/ en/publicaffairs Filip Piskacev International Events, Quadriga University filip.piskacev@quadriga.eu

PARTNER

HOST Quadriga Hochschule Berlin GmbH Werderscher Markt 13 D-10117 Berlin • Germany Phone: +49 (0) 30/44 72 94 00 Fax +49 (0) 30/44 72 93 00

ANP (Netherlands National News Agency) and PDC teamed up 8 years ago to provide PA and Communications Professionals with the latest insights in the EU policy-making process. Today a growing number of companies rely on our EU Monitor to optimally assess the impact of EU directives on their organisation. www.anp.nl/producten/eu-monitor 14

Quadriga University of Applied Sciences Berlin is committed to modern, integrated management training and educates managers in communication and human resources management, as well as public affairs. Through its cross-subject structure, Quadriga offers an education that meets the requirements of management, communications and public affairs. www.en.quadriga.eu/quadriga CONFERENCES.QUADRIGA.EU / EN / PUBLICAFFAIRS

EU PUBLIC AFFAIRS

TERMS AND CONDITIONS 1. Discounted Prices Quadriga Akademie Berlin GmbH (hereafter Quadriga) grants discounts on the listed prices of respective conferences for members of the European Association of Communication Directors (EACD) and other partner associations.

Subscribers to our media partner Communication Director magazine also receive a discount on attendance fees for seminars and symposia. The participant’s personal membership and/or subscription must be presented and verified at the time (s)he makes a booking. All discounted prices are valid only if the amount invoiced is received by Quadriga within the time stated on the invoice.

2. Cancellation Please note that all cancellations should be in written form.

If a previous booking is cancelled and no replacement participant can be found, the following cancellation charges will be incurred: • Cancellation 31 days or more before the event takes place: no charge • Cancellation between 14 days and 31 days before the event takes place: 50% of total price • Cancellation less than 14 days before the event takes place: 100% of total price

3. Cancellation and changes Quadriga reserves the right to cancel or to reschedule seminar locations or times, or to arrange a substitute instructor if this is absolutely necessary due to there being less than six participants, an unforeseen problem with the instructor, or other unforeseen reasons which are out of the control of Quadriga. In these cases, Quadriga is not required to compensate travel or accommodation costs, loss of working time, or other damages, and in other cases, only when there is gross negligence. If relocation is not reasonably possible for the participant, then (s)he is entitled to cancel the booking immediately and free of charge.

REGISTRATION

EU Public Affairs Conference, March 17/18 2016

Fax:

I would like to attend the How Brussels Works conference. I agree with Quadriga Akademie Berlin GmbH Terms and Conditions available on http://conferences.quadriga.eu/en/terms General Admission: Conference Fee 1190 Euro* arly bird discount: Early bird registration deadline is February E 19. Conference Fee 990 Euro* I am an inhouse communications professional and a full member of the European Association of Communication Directors OR I would like to become a full member of the European Association of Communication Directors (annual membership fee, including Communication Director subscription: 140 Euro) and hereby officially apply for membership: Conference Fee 990 Euro*/**

4. Place of Jurisdiction Berlin.

Registration The registration fee includes participation in the programme, all conference documents, and dinner and lunch buffets, as well as coffee breaks. Travel expenses and accommodation are not included. A booking confirmation and an invoice will be sent to you after registration.

Please remember to include your name in the reference of the transaction when making a payment. As the number of participants is limited, please be aware that your registration is only valid after receiving a booking confirmation.

Please feel free to contact us should you not receive a booking confirmation within 24 hours.

+32 (0) 2/2192292

pecial fee for lobbyists registered with the European InstiS tutions, professionals working for European organisations and subscribers to partner publications: Conference Fee 990 Euro*

Company Name/surname*** Position Address*** City*** Telephone/fax E-mail***

date/signature*** Alternative billing address

Yes

Company

No

Name/surname

VAT number (if applicable****)

Register online at: conferences.quadriga.eu/en/ publicaffairs/register CONFERENCES.QUADRIGA.EU / EN / PUBLICAFFAIRS

* Prices do not include VAT; included in the participants fee is access to all parts of the conference programme, as well as to the dinner reception. ** Prices do not include VAT; please see EACD conditions of membership on www. eacd-online.eu. *** Mandatory fields **** For this invoice to be exempt from VAT within the EU, under the principle of EU Directive 2008/8/EC (services to clients within the European Community), a VAT number must be specified. Should no VAT number be sub- mitted, VAT will be charged at the German VAT rate of 19 percent.

Square de Mee没s 37 B-1000 Brussels Phone: +32 (0)2 219 2290 Fax: +32 (0)2 219 2292 conferences.quadriga.eu/en/publicaffairs

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conferences.quadriga.eu/en/publicaffairs