The launch of the Pact for Innovation took place on 7 December 2015 during the Opening Ceremony of the 7th European Innovation Summit. The objective of the Pact for Innovation (INPACT) is to create a space for close collaboration between key stakeholders and the European Institutions. The collaboration is meant to result in concrete solutions addressing the pressing issue of multiple barriers preventing a strong and globally competitive innovation performance in Europe.

The temperature goal

The final draft of the Paris deal includes a temperature limit of “well below 2C”, and says there should be “efforts” to limit it to 1.5C. This is stronger than many countries had hoped just months previously, but falls short of the desires of many island and vulnerable nations, which had pushed for 1.5C as an absolute limit

Long-term goal

The value of relationships, and how to maintain them, can be taught, but some of what is needed for knowing how to build relationships perhaps cannot be because it is too much a part of an individual's personality. Perhaps more than anything, a lobbyist's/public policy advocate's market value, especially if they work for a private lobbying firm is their portfolio of relationships. They are retained by individuals, corporations and interest groups, often for significant amounts of money, because they have built relationships with powerful, influential individuals.

Lobbying/ublic Policy Advocacy is not only about being a trusted provider of information; it is also about formulating and delivering effective messages. Those who win political conflicts are the ones who do the best job at framing issues, presenting them to lawmakers and the public in ways that appear sensible and consistent with broadly held social values. As communities become ever more crowded with advocates, effective framing and messaging is an increasingly crucial skill to have.

There are three basic areas of the lobbying/public policy advocacy profession that we believe can be taught. There are three different sets of skills or abilities essential to the business of lobbying/public policy advocacy that can be taught: Knowledge, Communication and Messaging and Relationship Building.

Knowledge

While many entities are offering lobbying courses the certificates and/or degrees they deliver are not a licence to practice nor do the entities that issues them have the ability to de-certify a lobbyist for either malpractice or illegal conduct.

Our profession needs to get its house in order and education and certification should be our first order of business. The challenge for the leaders of our profession is to develop a training requirement that is affordable and effective. Equally, it is a challenge to the European institutions to work with us to accomplish this goal.

Article written by Reinier Musters, a principal in McKinsey’s Amsterdam office, Surya Ramkumar, consultant; Ellora-Julie Parekh , consultant in the London office. The article has been edited.

In a letter to President Putin that was written during the G20 summit in Antalya on Nov. 16, President Juncker stated he had recently emphasized the importance of "good relations between the European Union and Russia," which "have not been able to develop over the past year." The promises made by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to Russian President Vladimir Putin  is to “be a helpful partner” in the efforts to resume trade with Russia.

Written by Daniela Schwarzer, Senior Director for Research and Director of the European Programme and Ivan Vejvoda, Senior Vice President Programmes German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF).

"European policymakers have three prime tasks now. The first is to continue to show unequivocal solidarity with Paris and stand united. But European states must now work much more determinately toward a unified, robust response to the threat posed by the self-declared Islamic State group (ISIS). And they need to decide how to confront the multiple challenges posed to our societies.

European Commission

The European Commission should be the main player in coordinating action at a European level. Many topics have implications for a range of Commission functions. Therefore, there is a need for stronger coordination between these functions in addressing sustainable tourism. The Commission should report periodically to the Parliament and the Council on policies and actions to make tourism more sustainable.

Primary responsibilities include: