I digress … thoughts on fish & the environment
I’ve been remiss in not tracking every challenge by the EP. This update brings things up to date. There are some common themes. A successful challenge is enhanced with cross-party support. If it gets past the Environment Committee, the Plenary will support it. As in previous Parliaments, objections centre on GMOs. The recent (October 2025) … Read more
A while ago, I reviewed a position paper that bombed. When I ran the paper through all 4 of the tests that follow, it was clear why it failed to persuade. If you want to see if your policy communication is going to land or bomb, you can put it through one of these tests: … Read more
I’m doing some teaching in Maastricht about how to prepare a lobby plan. I believe a written lobby plan is a key product for successful lobbying. I agree with Karl Rove : “You then need to sit down and write out a plan … If you have no plan, you will lose.” I’m then asked … Read more
Legislators don’t have perfect knowledge. From time to time, events will transpire that deserve adjusting the application of a well-intentioned implementation measure. The original legislative intent would not be served by adopting the measure. Or, adopting the measure would harm the reputation of the EU or the law. This will preserve the integrity of the … Read more