As a rule of thumb, all ordinary legislative proposals go through the same stages (ideation, preparation, drafting, and legislative consoderation) and steps.
Many lobbyists think the file they are working on is unique. They are focused on the people, politicis and the issue(s) involved on the file.
My unpopular view, is that if you don’t understand the journey a law takes, namely the process, you’ll miss out on most of the opportunities to influence the proposal.
And, as many of the most important parts of the process are not public , it is not uncommon to see many interests being unaware of when to step in.
And, even the granular breakdown below.
- 16.07.2019: Political guidelines of the Commission 2019-2024 (link)
- 01.12.2019: Commission takes up office, Mission letters published (link)
- 11.12.2019: European Green Deal
- 11.12.2019: Commission launch tender for support for Evaluation and Impact Assessment to amendment F Gas Regulation
- …04.22020: Inter Service Group (ISG) established
- 29.06.2020: Commission Publish Road Map for Combined Evaluation Road Map/Inception Impact Assessment
- 14.07.2020: ISG meets
- 07.09.2020: Public Consultation on Road Map ends
- 15.09.2020: Commission Launches Public Consultation on the evaluation and revision of F-Gas Regulation
- Targeted consultation
- 01.12.2020:ISG meets
- 29.12.2020: Public Consultation ends
- 17.03.2021: ISG meets
- 06.05.2021: Stakeholder Workshop
- 15.07.2021: Update meeting
- 28.10.2021: ISG meets
- 17.12.2021: Impact Assessment submitted to RSB
- 19.01.2022: RSB considers Impact Assessment – negative opinion (link) (link)
- 21.01.2022: Request to re-submit IA
- 04.02.2022: ISG meets
- 08.02.2022: IA re-submitted
- 25.02.2022: 2nd RSB Positive Opinion with Reservations (link)
- ,,.,,.2022: Drafting of proposal
- ,,.,,.2022: Inter-Service Consultation
- 05.04.2022: College Agenda, adoption of Proposal
- 08.04.2022: 8 Week Public Consultation launched
- 03.06.2022: 8 Week Public Consultation Ends
- 20.05.2022: Council Working Party on Energy discuss proposal
- 29.05.2022: 8 Week Public Consultation extended to 29 June
- 02.06.2022: ENVI Committee discuss Proposal
- 13.06.2022: Working Party on the Environment discuss proposal
- 15.05.2022: CZ senate contribution to F-gas regulation
- 20.06.2022:Working Party on the Environment discuss proposal
- 21.06.2022 NL committees Economic Affairs and Infrastructure, Environment and Water Management issue written opinion
- 28.06.2022: Environment Committee appoint Rapporteur & Shadows
- 28.06.2022: Environment Council discuss proposal
- 30.06.2022: Public Consultation on proposal closes
- 01.07.2022: Deadline for subsidiarity opinions
- 05.07.2022 Romania senate submits opinion
- 06.07.2022: Working Party on the Environment discuss proposal
- 13.10.2022: Working Party on the Environment discuss proposal
- 10.10.2022 ENVI Draft Report from Rapporteur published
- 08.11.2022 ENVI exchange of view on draft Report
- 17.11.2022: Working Party on the Environment discuss proposal
- 23.11.2022: ENVI Amendments
- 20.12.2022: Environment Council updated on progress
- 20.01.2023: Working Party on the Environment discuss proposal
- 10.02.2023: Compromise text sent to Working Party on the Environment discuss proposal
- 14.02.2023: Final Compromises in ENVI and Publication of Voting list
- 17.02.2023: Working Party on the Environment discuss compromise text
- 21.02.2023: Council compromise text made public
- 01.03.2023: ENVI Committee adopt report
- 13.03.2023: Working Party on the Environment discuss compromise text
- 16.03.2023: ENVI Committee published
- 23.03.2023: Council Compromise text public
- 29.03.2023: Debate in EP Plenary
- 30.03.2023: EP Adopt Report
- 03.04.2023: Council’s Draft Negotiating Mandate public
- 05.04.2023: COREPER Adopts Council negotiating mandate
- 25.04.2023: First Trilogue talks – Commission, Council and EP
- 26.04.2023: Pascal Canfin, Chair of ENVI, debriefs members on first trilogue + WPE examines EP amendments
- 22.05 + 25.05 2023: Full day technical trilogue
- 31.05.2023: Working Party on the Environment prepare for 2nd Trilogue
- 07.06.2023: COREPER prepare for 2nd Trilogue
- 13.06.2023: 2nd Trilogue
- 13.06- 19.07 2023: 7 technical meetings
- 15.06.2023: ENVI Committee Chair, Pascal Canfin, reports back on trilogue of 13.06.2023
- 06.07.2023: Working Party on the Environment prepare for 3rd Triolgue (new 4 column doc)
- 12.07.2023: COREPER prepare for 3rd Trilogue
- 19.07.2023: 3rd Trilogue
- 20.07.2023: Technical de-brief from trilogue
- 26.07.2023: CORPEPER report back on 3rd Trilogue
- 29.08.2023: ENVI Committee Chair debrief Committee on 3rd Triologue
- 12.09.2023: Working Party on the Environment prepare for 4th Triolgue
- 29.09.2023: COREPER prepare for 4th Trilogue
- 05.10.2023: 4th Trilogue and provisional Agreement reached
- 11.10.2023: CORPEPER updated on agreement
- 12.10.2023: ENVI Committee Chair reports back to ENVI Committee
- 18.10.2023: CORPEPER endorse provisional agreement
- 24.10.2023: ENVI Committee approve provisional agreement (For 68, Against 11, Abstentions 6)
- 16.01.2024: EP Plenary adopt first reading
- 22.01.2024: Statements of Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary
- 24.01.2024: CORPEPER confirm agreement
- 29.01.2024: General Affairs Council Adopt as an A Item – Without Debate (For 24, Against 1, Abstensions 2) (link)
- 07.02.2024: Official Signing
- 20.02.2024: Regulation Published in Official Journal
- 11.03.2024: Enters into Force
What is Seen and Unseen
The most important moments in the legislative journey are not public: the meetings of the Inter-Service Steering Group, the meetings of the Inter-Service Consultation Group, and the technical meetings. Nor are other moments know, such as when the Political Groups prepare their voting list (not in this list).
For each of these steps there are certain things you can do – information to be brought to the table, at differing levels of details, and people met. If you miss those opportunities, your chances of influencing the outcome diminish.
The moments when you can influence the process most are hidden in plain sight. You’ll learn about the outcomes after the fact. You likely don’t even known the people making the decisions.
Thanks Aaron, a good detailed listing of all the painful (but necessary steps) to follow. Nick