Target group
The seminar will be directly relevant for all national and EU officials who have to approach or negotiate with the European Parliament. In particular, future chairpersons and team members of forthcoming EU Presidencies, case handlers based in national capitals, representatives of Council Preparatory bodies, attaché(e)s and counsellors from Permanent Representations and officials from other EU institutions and agencies. Prior participation in the European Negotiations I or II programmes is not a prerequisite to this seminar.
General objective
The programme is part of a series of seminars dedicated to European negotiations, within EIPA’s Programme on European Negotiations (PEN). It focuses specifically on negotiations with the European Parliament, since the institution is often portrayed by national negotiators and case handlers as a counterpart that is difficult to approach, unpredictable and complex to ‘read’ within the EU decision-making processes. The seminar aims to provide participants with the necessary strategic, logistic, procedural and technical tools, as well as the knowledge, to thrive in both relations and negotiations with the European Parliament. The paramount objective is to help participants to plan and successfully run both formal and informal processes in order to reach out to the European Parliament, on matters and dossiers subject to the Ordinary Legislative Procedure.
Learning methodology
The programme uses an interactive approach and a variety of pedagogical tools such as a strategic workshop, a simulation exercise, debriefing sessions and a forum to exchange practices. A genuine example will be used throughout the sessions in order to use real life experience to illustrate the approaches and processes that have proved successful in reality. This method will ensure that participants capture the reality of the negotiating environment with the European Parliament. The seminar is also multidisciplinary by convening practitioners, governance experts and negotiation specialists to give multifaceted advice to participants on how to best manage the life of their dossier while in the European Parliament.
Teaching objectives
Each participant should leave the training with a thorough understanding of how the European Parliament works and negotiates, as well as a multifunctional toolkit of techniques and negotiation skills to manage a dossier under ordinary legislative procedure. Participants should notably:
• acquire detailed knowledge of the procedures and modus operandi of the EP;
• understand the role, prerogative and rationale of the main negotiating counterparts in the EP;
• manage the timing and momentum of negotiations under OLP for appropriate planning;
• operate strategic calculations for an early deal;
• identify and use efficiently the appropriate sources and targets of information around the dossier;
• better figure out the role of the European Commission as an involved third party;
• grasp the political nature of the game and the motivation of the players.
Day One
Preparation and strategic calculations
The first day aims at preparing the negotiator to ‘meet with the European Parliament’; it transmits the necessary procedural knowledge and moves then into planning and strategic considerations.
Knowing the European Parliament: managing information and counterparts
This session will help the participant to understand the ordinary legislative procedure and the functioning of the European Parliament (EP). The session will identify how the EP works and who the negotiating counterparts are, as well as the relevant procedures and channels to both share information and influence processes within EP. This analysis will distinguish the opportunities and interests that underlie a desire to reach agreements. The presentation will also highlight the ordinary legislative procedure in detail from a negotiator’s perspective so that participants can understand how and when to engage with the EP.
Negotiating under the ordinary legislative procedure: introduction to a dossier
This session will present the real life example to be used as a case study during the programme. The first use, in the afternoon session, will be a group reflection on the strategy to develop towards the European Parliament with the objective of striking a deal at the first stage of the negotiation, namely the first reading.
Lunch
Situation room: going out early with a dossier
Participants will be divided into teams with the task of elaborating a negotiation strategy. This reflection should encompass the planning of resources, logistical aspects, the management of the procedures and their rules. Assistance and stimulus will be provided to participants with a view to help efficiently plan the formal and informal negotiations with the EP for the earliest possible results.
Meeting with MEP in European Parliament (to be confirmed)
Interactive discussion with a MEP on negotiating with the European Parliament.
Day Two
Negotiating and bridging gaps in ordinary legislative procedure
The second day centres around a simulation exercise on a dossier subject to OLP. This laboratory helps participants to materialise the knowledge of day one, to practice negotiation processes and to concretely exchange advice as well as good practices with expert negotiators.
Simulation exercise
In this role play using the same dossier, participants will picture the informal bilateral negotiations between Council and EP representatives. At this stage of the decision-making process, national representatives essentially need to be aware of the differences in methods, stakes and interests between the two negotiating counterparts. The objective of this session is to convey to participants the necessary tools to build such awareness by using references to negotiation theory and practice, politics as well as the biting reality.
Lunch
The practice of ordinary legislative procedure negotiations: advice to case handlers and negotiators
This session offers to share experiences of people in charge of and witness to the real life strategic calculations and problem solving processes inherent to the life of dossiers under ordinary legislative procedure. This exchange should lead to a valuable set of dos and don’ts as well as advice on how to prepare, plan, negotiate and behave for satisfactory outcomes. By analysing success stories and failure from the practitioners’ angle, this session aims to complete the set of indispensable tools required to efficiently witness, trace or deliver a dossier under negotiation with the European Parliament.
Managing and influencing relations with the European Parliament: guidelines and final recommendations
The concluding session will offer a synthesis of the general principles, tools, lines of action and channels of influence to assist participants in any future negotiations with the European Parliament.
Evaluation
End of the seminar
Programme
The programme will commence on the first day at 09.00 and will finish on the second day at 16.15.
Seminar Venue
The seminar will take place at the CEN-CENELEC Meeting Centre, 4th floor, Room Da Vinci, Avenue Marnix 17, 1000 Brussels, tel.: +32 2 5196871.
Working language
The course will be conducted in English with simultaneous interpretation in French (please note that interpretation will be subject to a minimum number of participants requiring translation). Please indicate your language of preference on the registration form.
Fee
The participation fee is € 975 and includes documentation, 2 lunches and refreshments. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration. EIPA offers its members a reduction of 10% of the registration fee. For details, please click here.
Hotel reservations
Please note that EIPA has not made any special arrangements for a hotel in Brussels. However, together with the confirmation you will receive a list of hotels which are in the vicinity of CEN-CENELEC.
Meals
The lunches will be served at CEN-CENELEC. Should you require a special menu (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic), please inform the Programme Organiser so that this can be arranged.
Registration
Kindly complete the online registration form before the closing date.
Your name and address will be part of EIPA's database for our mailing purpose only. If you do not want to be included in our mailing database, please tick the box in the registration form.
Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed registration form.
Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation. Please indicate the method of payment on the registration form. For cancellations received within 15 days before the activity begins, we will have to charge an administration fee of € 150 unless a replacement participant is found.
Cancellation policy
EIPA reserves the right to cancel the seminar up to 2 weeks before the starting date. EIPA accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred (travel, hotel, etc.). For EIPA's cancellation policy, please visit our website.
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