Making Europe work for development

Campaigning in Europe

The European Union (EU) is an excellent target for your campaigning and advocacy work. The EU:

  • provides, together with its member states, over half of all development aid

  • is the world's largest trade bloc

  • supplies up to 80% of environmental policies of member states

  • has positions in international fora on climate change, human rights, global public accountability, decent work and human security

Thus, from aid to trade to climate change, the EU and its institutions are a campaign target and stakeholder that UK NGOs cannot afford not to consider in their campaigning and advocacy work.

Campaigning targets in the EU

Among your potential campaigning targets are:

  • the European Commission, including its president and Commissioners, for example the Commissioners for Trade, External Relations and the Environment

  • the European Parliament, including the MEPs representing the constituency you work in

  • relevant committees in the European Parliament working on issues that affect the core issues of your NGO, including the Committees on Foreign Affairs Development, International Trade, and the Environment, Public Health and Food Security

Other potential campaigning targets include meetings of the European Council or special one-off meetings and conferences as they occur.