"Advocacy" is a word that is widely used in public discourse, research and policy. Journalists, activists, academics, lawyers, government officials, non-profit managers, and others use the word differently in their profession. "Advocacy" describes a wide range of individual and collective expression or action on a cause, idea, or policy. It may also refer to specific activities or organizations. Sometimes a distinction is made between advocacy on behalf of others and grassroots advocacy or civic or political participation.

In its ‘Convention Europe April 2013’, the French Socialist Party advocates a European Regulatory Framework for all lobbies and the organisation of private interest groups, which they argue are based on money and influence, leaving consumer groups, communities and citizens often defenceless. “European institutions must be politically exemplary regarding transparency and independence. It is necessary to mobilize the institutions and citizens’ energies to create efficient counter powers and to take into consideration counter-expertise (second opinions).”

AALEP has launched a Speakers Bureau to meet the demand for speakers at conventions, national and international conferences, seminars, special events, local authorities, community groups, private sector businesses, embassies and representatives from foreign countries and governments, trade and professional associations, chambers of commerce, students at school, colleges and universities as well as for in-house training requirements.

The meaning of Advocacy varies greatly across Europe. These diverse interpretations can be explained in part by the various cultural, political, social, economic and legal contexts that make up Europe. Yet, there is some common meaning and vocabulary to define the scope of activities which are undertaken and supported in the name of Advocacy.

Private Interests

The President of the French National Assembly Mr. Claude Bartolome is calling for a political confrontation with Germany to reject austerity. It should be mentioned that indeed François Hollande may have campaigned on policies to end austerity and return to fiscal stimulus, but once he was elected and the French parliamentary election was over, he actually reverted back and pushed through an austerity budget in France with the consolidation of about € 30 billion. And he also pushed through the fiscal compact, which was, of course, very much Chancellor Merkel's idea.

Advocacy is a process of articulating a position on a particular cause or issue. It involves engaging relevant power centres and influencing the policy-makers to take or abandon a particular position. The role of policy advocacy is to set up a counter dialogue or promote policy dialogue to demonstrate to policy-makers where policy change is required. Policy advocacy can fill institutional and geographical space while bridging language and communication barriers between policy-makers and those unable to articulate their concerns.

There are two very good reasons to do the speaking circuit for high profile personalities from the world of politics and the media: One is money and the other is exposure. Depending on the circumstances, it could be argued that either of those two incentives is more important than the other.

When registering in the Transparency Register of the European Union, Interest Representatives (as they are called) are invited to list their fields of interest. The listing equates more or less to the Directorates General of the European Commission e.g.

Hereafter are the views of Government Officials (State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration; Head of Government Office for Regulatory Reform and Regulatory Impact Analysis); Parliament (Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee Chairman, National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia); Chamber of Commerce (Serbian Chamber of Commerce Vice-President); Serbian Lobbyists Association (President; Vice-President for Internal Relations and Development); Journalists Association (Secretary General);  NGOs (Programme Director at NGO Transparency Serbia).