International lobbying bodies: EU/US
- European Round Table (ERT) (www.ert.be)
ERT is an association of around 45 chief executives of European multinationals with interests in the industrial and technological sectors. Member firms, representing 21 out of the EU's 27 states, produce more than €1 trillion in revenues per annum and claim to sustain around 6.6 million jobs. In short, this is very important grouping of businesses seeking to ensure that policies adopted in Brussels increase flexibility, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Once ERT develops a stance on legislative matters of interest to its members, it makes its opinions known to political decision-makers at the European and national levels through reports, position papers and face-to-face discussions. This brings it into contact with all levels of government, including the very highest. To achieve its ends, it also cooperates with similarly-minded bodies (e.g. www.businesseurope.eu ) representing the opinions of different European national employers' federations.
- EU Committee of the American Chambers of Commerce (Amcham) (www.eucommittee.be)
Amcham represents many of the largest US multinationals with industrial interests in Europe - including about 40 firms listed in the Fortune 100. The organization has deep links to lawmakers in Brussels and elsewhere in Europe (and the US) and portrays itself as networking arrangement that enables members to voice their opinions. The kinds of issues raised through Amcham's advocacy work include regulatory convergence between the US and the EU and interestingly greater dialogue with the WTO, seen as a stronghold of multilateral trade liberalization. It also seeks 'fiscal incentives' on behalf of firms investing in the EU, particularly in Research and Development. Interestingly, this is portrayed as a major step towards greater European competitiveness.
- Organization for International Investment (OFII) (www.ofii.org/)
This group works out of Washington DC to represent the American subsidiaries of large and small companies headquartered outside of the US. Its goals are to 'educate the public and policy makers about the positive role U.S. subsidiaries play in the American economy', 'ensure U.S. subsidiaries are not discriminated against in state or federal law' and 'provide peer-to-peer forums on issues unique to U.S. subsidiaries'. OFII claims that it has a 'constituent relationship with nearly every politician in America' and is therefore well-placed to carry out the monitoring, reporting and lobbying activities that it deems necessary to prevent non-discriminatory treatment of its members in areas like state and federal tax, cross-border acquisition and government procurement.
- Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD) (www.tabd.com)
This body convenes regularly to discuss ways of ensuring closer business relations between the EU and the US. Portraying itself as a 'dialogue system', TABD's explicit aim is a 'barrier-free transatlantic market'. Unlike purely private sector lobbying groups, TABD gets its mandate from the US Department of Commerce and the European Commission (and EU Presidency office). At the same time, it receives funds solely from its participant companies. Thus, it is more an example of the deepening ties between state and private interests than an instance of one-way lobbying of governments by corporations. It remains that once TABD decides which policies it wants to see implemented ('convergence of accounting standards', 'joint action in third countries to protect intellectual property rights', 'establishment of transatlantic regulatory cooperation forum'), it ensures that legislators on both sides of the Atlantic are kept informed of its wishes. It advocacy function was particularly apparent in winter 2009 when it issued press releases opposing calls for greater protectionism in the wake of the credit crunch.
