Business Routes of Influence in Brussels

There are generally three main routes by which businesses seek to influence European regulations. First (i) a direct route developing their own ‘Brussels Strategy’ is an option for some companies. For example Greenwood etal., Mazey and Richardson and Pedler and van Schendelen ¹ have demonstrated the increasing role of direct lobbying by individual companies in Brussels. In addition, many companies and organizations make use of the facilities of other bodies, such as the CBI Brussels office or Brussels-based British Business Bureau or launch ‘missions’, briefing sessions or other initiatives in Brussels whilst not actually maintaining an office there. Indeed, Mazey and Richardson ² claim that a European strategy is now ‘essential’ to big businesses.