Central European Countries &

African RegionCourse on Association

Development

Dublin, Ireland, 24-25 September 2007

EFFECTIVE LOBBYING CAMPAIGNS

Andrea BukovskáMartin, Slovakia

ETHYMOLOGY

the term „lobbying“ appeared in print as early as 1820 (April 1, 1820, New Hampshire Sentinel)

„Book on Lobbying“ will be publish by The Capitol Net in 2008

ETHYMOLOGY - 2

„The term „lobbying“ more likely originates from the British

Parliament, where the term was in use in the 1840s. Members of the British Public can go to the Parliament´s Central Lobby and

request to meet with their representative Member of

Parliament.“

ETHYMOLOGY - 3

„The supposed origins of the term „lobbyist“ vary. One story states that the term originated at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC,

where it was used by Ulysses Simpson Grant to describe the political wheelers and dealers

frequenting the hotel´s lobby in order to access Grant who was

often found there, enjoying a cigar and brandy.“

LOBBYING

activity of either individuals or interest groups that try to influence the legislative or regulatory process and its content

special situations completely legal even necessary part of democratic decision

specific type of protecting public interest, which improves guality of laws

direct effect on elected person or government officer

LOBBYING - 2

means of conveying information between those whom the law applies and between those who have possibility to decide over its change

installing such a change which is the best for the client

using force of argumentsnot considering conflict of interest

and corruption

LOBBYING - 3

result of all personal and professional quality of lobist

„lobbying is much more than only persuading legislators“

commercial = financial achievements non commercial = suitable for public

interest = better and humaniterian life

CHARACTERS OF LOBBYING

public activitycontrolled activitytransparency

LOBBYIST - MYTH

portly, cigar-smoking men who wine and dine law-makers while slipping money into their pockets and persuading them of the relevance of their interest

(lobbying = corruption)

LOBBYIST - FACT

professional who does not talk about himself but on behalf of interest his/her client

on dealing should openly represent the person or the group which he/she presents

LOBBYIST CONTACT

visible result of the work of lobbyist communication which has the aim to

affect decision of member of public authority

process which precedes decision and try to attain the final work, approval, change or complement of a bid, decree, document

WHY LOBBYING IS NEEDED?

Because ...in a complex society people who

make the decisions, often have no direct access to information about effect of the concrete suggested legislation on interest of each group

helps to persuade interest of the client in the direction to authorities

BASIC ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LOBBYING

20% communication with law makers 80% preparation, information for the

client, communication with interested people

„each person lobs who tries to achieve so that the accepted law

or adjustments will be fine to him“

BASIC ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LOBBYING -

2gathering information about suggested

laws or adjustmentsfollowing preparation of effect analysis monitoring of legislative processcooperation with partner who defend

the similar interestsuggesting lobbying strategy on

enforcing specific case

BASIC ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE LOBBYING -

3preparation of aspectsrealization of group of activity which

helps in enforcing specific casecommunication with qualitative

characters - change of law - approval of law - a refusal of law

PROPERTIES OF A PROSPEROUS LOBBYIST

at first meet with opponent so that knows his argument

very good communication abilitiesability to begin contactability to begin first contact and

maintaining it (30 seconds)act such a way that people remember

him and know that he can afford necessary and reliable information

PROPERTIES OF A PROSPEROUS LOBBYIST - 2

act such a way that can affect his ideas on law makers and representatives of institutions

clever psychologist (can estimate people and according to that communicate with them)

„special problematics can be studied but

human characters can not be given“

PROPERTIES OF A PROSPEROUS LOBBYIST - 3

analytic abilitiesability to think strategically and act

„today opponent can be your colleague

tomorrow“

PROPERTIES OF A PROSPEROUS LOBBYIST - 4

ability of sensing the opposite interests as they are

„it is not possible to achieve yours always,

but it is possible and often necessary

to achieve compromise with opponent“

PROPERTIES OF A PROSPEROUS LOBBYIST - 5

good luck and ability to meet with right people, present right arguments in right time and right way

„ability to have luck is expression of total integrity of personality

of the lobbyist“

LAW OF LOBBYING

lobbying away from corruptiontransparency of lobbyinglobbying is a legitimate affairallocating of rules of lobbying

„lobbying is legitimate work which state does respect and

gives rules to it“

LAW OF LOBBYING - 2

compulsory registration of lobbyisthandling of news about lobbystic

activity (list of meetings)information about earnings and

expenditures of lobbyistprohibition of giving gifts or other

advantages

lobbying in EU is under regulated

LOBBYING CAMPAIGN

General Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

Saint Vincent Declaration (1989)Acropolis Affirmation Diabetes Care -

Saint Vincent in Progress (1995)Lisbon Statement (1997)Istanbul Commitment (1999)

LOBBYING CAMPAIGN - 2

Patients´Rights Charter (2001)Europaen Charter of Patients´Rights

(2002)Otočec Declaration (2004)Vienna Declaration on Diabetes (2006)European Parliament Written

Declaration on Diabetes nr 0001/2006 (2006)

Unite for Diabetes - Unite Nations Resolution on Diabetes (2006)

LOBBYING BY COUNTRY

USA ...federal Lobbying Disclosure Act

required most person who are paid to make direct „lobbying contacts“ with member of Congress and officials of the federal executive branch to be registered and file reports twice a year

LOBBYING BY COUNTRY - 2

EU ...lobbying was born in the late 1970sthere are currently 15,000 lobbyists in

Brussel (consultants, lawyers, associations, corporations, NGOs, international organizations, etc.) seeking to influence the EU´s legislative process

some 2,600 special interest groups have a permanent office in Brusel

LOBBYING BY COUNTRY - 3

UK ...lobbying traditionally referred to the

attempt to influence an Member of Parliament´s vote by either their fellow parliamentary colleagues, by one of their constituents or by any outside organisation

LOBBYING BY COUNTRY - 4

Europe ...lobbying is regulated in parliament

bills only in Georgia (1998), Lithuania (2001), Poland (2005)

all require registration of professional lobbyists

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Andrea BukovskáHospital Pharmacy

Diabetological Educational CenterMartin Faculty Hospital

Association of Diabetic Patients of Slovakia

bukovska@mfn.sk