ESA

European Seed Association

Lobbying activities

Jean-Paul JudsonManager Public

Affairs

Outline

• ESA: an example of a lobbying organisation

• Representation• Membership• Structure

• Lobbying: what that actually means

• Lobbying: some examples

• A career in public affairs in Brussels

ESA: example of a lobbying organisationRepresentation

Representing the totality of the European seed industry active in research, breeding, production and marketing of seeds

35

national seed associations

(ESA Association Members)

43

direct company members

(ESA Individual Members)

18

associate company members

(ESA Associate Members)

ESA: example of a lobbying organisationMembership

ABO ABV AIC AMSEM ANSEME APROSE APVD

ASPM ANOVE ASSOSEMENTI BDP BSPB CMSSA CSA

DAPB DHSA DSTA EEPES FSTA PdB P.I.N.

Plantum NL P.V.D.O SAM SAS SASTAB SAU SEEMNLIIT

SEMZABEL SS G.I.Z. SSTA Swiss Seed TURKTED UFS VETOMAG

VDPUSÖ         

ESA: example of a lobbying organisationMembership

ESA: example of a lobbying organisationStructure

ESA: example of a lobbying organisationStructure

Secretary GeneralTechnical DirectorManager IP & Legal AffairsManager Public AffairsManager CommunicationsAssistants & Reception

Lobbying: what that actually means

« Building influence in a political decision-making process »

Lobbying starts at home

Lobbying is knowledge

Lobbying is part of the process: weak lobby, poor policy

Lobbying is diverse: methods, organisations

Lobbying is managing expectations

Lobbying is not an end in-itself

Lobbying: some examples

Profiling activities (e.g. position paper, events, meetings…): prepare the ground, raise awareness, bring an issue of concern into the scope of policy or legislative developments

Technical activities (e.g. meetings and proposals for amendments…): raising a technical issue in a specific piece of legislation, translating technical specifications into political terms

General positioning (networking, shaking hands, drinking cocktails, attending meetings…): building partnerships and alliances to support your message

A career in public affairs in Brussels

Be flexible on the sector

Look out for strong organisations

Be focused on your role: what you can contribute/ what you want to learn

Be creative: a lot of applications, a lot of lobbyists

Be open: show you want to learn and meet new people

It’s not all about institutions or consultancies

THANK YOU

Jean-Paul JudsonManager Public Affairs

ESA European Seed Associationjpjudson@euroseeds.org

+32 2 743 28 60