SWISS BANKING SECRECY UNDER FIRE!!!

A cold war on banking secrecy is turning hot. Tax evasion costs governments $3.1 trillion annually, according to Tax Justice Network, a lobby group. Swiss law entrenched bank secrecy in 1934, making it a criminal offence to reveal a client's identity. This has created the world's biggest tax haven: Switzerland's banks house around $2.1 trillion, or 27%, of offshore wealth.

PERSPECTIVE ON REPRESENTATION AND LOBBYING IN THE U.S.

President Barak Obama has argued that the major problems with Congress stem from interest groups and lobbyists. This was revealed in 2008 when Candidate Obama made this promise to the public: " I intend to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days in setting the agenda in Washington are over, that they had not funded my campaigns, and from my first day as president, I will launch the most sweeping ethics reform in U.S. history.

RENEWING THE PUBLIC'S FAITH IN WASHINGTON

The issue of trust transcends the mere balancing of budgets. There is a growing awareness that the U.S. government is overextended, making promises it can't reasonably expect to keep. Essential services are perceived as being at risk -- now and in the future -- and the public seems skeptical of the competence and integrity of their public leaders.

HELPING CROATIA TO LOBBY EFFECTIVELY AFTER ACCESSION

The European Commission's Directorate General (DG) for enlargement will spend € 20 million euros over 4 years to help smooth over criticism of Croatia's 1st July 2013 Accession and to support the EU's broader enlargement goals. The main challenge is to demonstrate that the accession of new members will be a source of enrichment for the EU.” Selected firms will be required to offer a range of services, including strategic advice; message development; video and online content development; event management; media relations; and, social media marketing.

EUROPEAN COUNTRIES FALLING BACK AMONG LARGEST WORLD'S ECONOMIES BY 2020

According to the U.K- based CEBR's (Center for Economics and Business Research) Global Prospects Report, the ranking of the top 30 world countries by 2020 (according to GDP growth compared to 2010 data base) will be the following

IN 2013 LOOK FOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN ROARING TIGERS !!

According to OECD's latest forecast, Southeast Asia's economic growth will return to a 'robust' pre-crisis average of 5.5% over the next five years. The 10 economies of the Association of Southeast Asian nations will show resilience to the predicted slowdown of China and India. Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will be insulated by a combining shift to domestic demand rather than exports as the main driver of economic growth.

TOP 25 COUNTRIES FOR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IN 2013

Virtually all companies that operate on a global basis face the challenges associated not only with understanding and adapting to the differing needs and expectations of customers in different markets around the world, but also face often widely differing regulatory and government constraints on their market operations.

BRUSSELS PA CONSULTANCIES

Out of 144 PA consultancies in Brussels :

- Only 8 firms (5.5%) generate between € 5 and € 12 mn in revenues

- 23 firms (15.9%) generate between € 1 and € 5 mn in revenues

- 22 firms (15.3%)  generate between € 0.5 mn and € 1 mn in revenues

- 55 firms (38.2%)  generate less than € 0.5 mn in revenues

- For 36 firms (25%)  figures on revenues are not available.

47 firms (32.6%) belong to the European Public Affairs’ Consultancies Association (EPACA)

  

BRUSSELS LAW FIRMS AND CORPORATE EU LOBBYING

The role of law firms in corporate EU lobbying is often underestimated. Indeed a number of the Brussels law firms appear keen to promote their lobbying activities to potential clients. Many law firms advertise their lobbying services via their own websites  and highlight how they offer clients strategic policy advice and help to shape EU legislation and administrative decisions. A large part of their work relates to shaping draft EU legislative measures.

LAWYER-LOBBYISTS VS NON-LAWYER LOBBYISTS

Lobbyists able to marshal detailed information and arguments about difficult text in a proposal offer an invaluable service . They play a very important role in making sure that EU Commission personnel and Members of the EP and their staffs have all the information on any issue of importance.

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