Richard Sherman Leiden University Lobbying in the EU What we know, What we want to know, And what we might never know (with some observations from my own research) EUROPOS SĄJUNGA Europos socialinis fondas MYKOLO ROMERIO UNIVERSITETAS

Richard Sherman Leiden University Plan of talk General discussion What we know What we want to know What we might never know My own research Trade barriers regulation Transatlantic business dialogue

Richard Sherman Leiden University A first question What is lobbying?

Richard Sherman Leiden University Traditional views Political auctions Smith, Ricardo Political markets Schattschneider, Truman Political contests Tullock, Grossman & Helpman

Richard Sherman Leiden University An emerging consensus EU lobbying is a mixture But not a mixture of auctions, markets, and contests Instead, a mixture of: Policy networks Demand by EU actors Supply by lobbyists/advocates

Richard Sherman Leiden University Policy network analysis Beyers and Kerremann Mapping connections between interest groups and EU officials

Richard Sherman Leiden University

The ”demand for influence” Christine Mahoney Analysis of European interest groups Who gets funded; who gets access?

Richard Sherman Leiden University

The exchange of information and access Pieter Bouwen What kind of ”access goods” can different groups provide? Which groups are most valued by EU institutions?

Richard Sherman Leiden University

What we want to know What does this mean for politics? Is policy-making improved by lobbying? Do competing lobbies simply cancel each other’s effects? Is consultation real, or symbolic?

Richard Sherman Leiden University What we might never know Who has influence? "...no empirical studies could be found which tried to measure directly the efficacy of any real world lobbying project.” (DG-Research Working paper, 2003) Influence is very problematic to measure