Influences et Lobbying (EN)

The course aims to provide students with knowledge and insights into the role, power and influence of “lobbyists” in the European legislative process. In particular, it focuses on how these actors interact with European decision-makers to present their views and defend the interests of various stakeholders (including, but not limited to industry and corporate actors, NGOs, trade unions, territorial actors (such as regions or municipalities), and even Member States).  
 
The primary objective of these actors is often to shape the policy-agenda.  While proactive lobbying and/or advocacy involves anticipating issues, and actively working to influence outcomes before they become law, reactive advocacy refers to the need for these actors to respond to the EU agenda and follow the “legislative train”.
 
This course will provide a comprehensive understanding of the institutional context of European lobbying and the critical issues surrounding the various strategies of communication and influence used by these actors within the "Brussels Bubble". Students will learn to analyse these strategies and the broader impact of lobbying on EU policymaking.

Students will be able to: 
1.     Identify the diversity of interests and influential actors in the “Brussels’ bubble”. 
2.     Explain the main stages of the European Union's decision-making process and the key moments of intervention for interest group representatives (lobbying organisations). 
3.     Analyse the constitutive role of lobbyists (interest groups) in the functioning of the European Union (culminating in the interdependence between interest groups and MEPs). 
4.     Demonstrate a critical eye (towards the communication strategies of lobbyists targeting European decision-makers). 
5.     Take on the role of an actor involved in the EU decision-making process - lobbyist or MEP - in a simulation exercise.

This teaching unit requires the regular and pro-active attendance of students.

The first LA goes back to the basics of the European decision-making process; the interdependent relationship between EU decision-makers and lobbyists; ethical issues as well as new tactics and opportunities of interest groups. During this LA, the group will also be presented with a proposal for a case study: a European directive (to be voted on by the European Parliament), which will serve as the basis for the RPG and final assessment.

The second – immersive – LA ends with a double role-playing session (2x 2 hours of guided exercises) i.e., students endorsing different roles (MEPs, lobbyists, NGO activists) with antagonistic interests, thereby trying to influence each other at various stages of the policy-making process. This interactive role-playing game (RPG) divided in two sessions will be based on prior knowledge gained in the first section of the course and on students’ individual research/field work.

Références, bibliographie et lectures recommandées

voir sur l'UV, actualisée chaque année.

Contacts

Professeur : Nicolas BAYGERT (suppléant).
Assistant: Geoffroy DEWANDELER (Geoffroy.Dewandeler@ulb.be)

Campus

Solbosch

Méthode(s) d'évaluation

• Autre

Autre

The final assessment procedures are communicated at the first session of the course.

• The first LA is subject to a mid-term EU knowledge test (25% of the overall assessment), to ensure that the course objectives (see above) are achieved.
• The evaluation of the second LA (75% of the global mark) combines a peer assessment (50%) with the teacher's evaluation (50%). The evaluation focuses on the student’s performance during the RPG (role-playing game) sessions.

Construction de la note (en ce compris, la pondération des notes partielles)

See above details.

Langue(s) d'évaluation

• anglais