Unelmalobbari

Finnish EU lobbying is generally good and professional.

Of course, my position is most concerned with parliamentary lobbying. Parliament, despite its growing influence, is only one of the objects of influence.

The Ombudsman is up to the task, as the Commission, which presents the issues, and the Council, which acts as a legislator, are also influenced.

The best lobbyist has been awake long before the Commission has made its proposal. He has formed a preconception of what is to come, for example by following the Commission's various working groups.

The best lobbyist will also have a good understanding of the positions and public debate in different Member States. They communicate effectively in different languages and are familiar with different cultures.

The life cycle of legislation needs to be carefully understood. The earlier you can influence the drafting process, the more likely it is that your views will be reflected in the bill.

The laws of social interaction also apply to lobbying.

You must always understand the other party, even if your goals are not in line. The motives of the other party should not be questioned, at least not out loud.

We also need to be aware that there are opposing lobbying efforts. The arguments for opposing views must be ready.

It is important to stick to the truth and to promote transparency through action.

With regard to the Parliament, it must be remembered that the MEP always has more potential issues and requests for meetings than there is time for in practice.

You need to be able to summarise and condense the message. When you feel that the message has been crystallised, it is a good idea to condense half of it out.

Specific vocabulary should be avoided. Use terms that do not need to be explained. Simplifying without distorting the message is a golden skill.

The target of the influence must be sufficiently well known. In ethical lobbying, it is the issues that matter, not the relationships, although they can be important.

Different people internalise messages in different ways. Some people understand things through diagrams, others want the same thing explained in words.

One loves details and the other perceives the world through the big picture.

Some few people are able to combine the two.

The message must always be tailored to the information level of the target. A skilled lobbyist reads body language and senses when someone doesn't understand, even if they don't say it out loud.

Things must be followed through to the end. In the end, you have to be able to honestly assess what worked and where there is room for improvement.

In every meeting, a good lobbyist will be able to offer something relevant to the issue at hand and get something for himself.

When the meeting ends, the parties are satisfied and want to meet again if necessary.

Anneli Jäätteenmäki

The author is a Member of the European Parliament