EU lobbying & advocacy training in Brussels
Conversations that get heard.
Public affairs training for the Brussels bubble: go from “have your say” to being heard — by understanding counterparts and landing your message in the time you get.
“I learned to speak less of my demands and listen more to the other party's interests. Surprisingly, my demands landed much better.”
In the Brussels policy bubble you may have 30 minutes with an MEP or an assistant, or two minutes at a round table. This training is for that clock. You learn to be heard: what to say, how to say it, and how to find the motive under the position so there is room for your ask.
We start with the person across the table — mandate, fear, diary — then zoom into EU lobbying craft. Theory is short. Role-play does the work: first a case close to your field, then your real meetings. A messaging module can be added when the strategy is not set yet.
Have your say.
Be heard.
Why this training
Why this works
The motive under the position
People practise listening for what the counterpart needs to leave with, including the part that is not in the brief.
The time you actually get
Exercises use 30-minute meetings and two-minute round tables, not an open-ended conversation.
Your file, after a close case
Role-plays start on a fictitious file near your field, then move to the meetings already in the diary.
Message, if you need it
The course assumes a lobby strategy. We add a module to craft the message when that work is still open.
This training is not about setting up your lobby or advocacy strategy, or about writing the file. Most of the time you already know what you want to achieve. The work is conveying it so the other person can actually hear it.
We open with a module called Unreasonable People Don’t Exist. It looks for the motive in the person, not in the institution or the dossier. Getting your interest across starts with listening to what the other party really says, and what they really want.
You get your message across by saying what you want in the way the other party understands. That is also how you show you understand them, and that you have something to offer. In the end, policies are made by people, not by policy papers.
Outcomes
What you will learn
Knowledge
- Who decides, who influences, and who can block
- When the EU window is still open
Skills
- Craft a message that connects your ask to their priorities
- Open, steer and close a short meeting
Attitude
- Start from the counterpart’s desk
- Be heard, not only right
Who it's for
Best for
- EU association and NGO lobby teams
- Corporate public affairs in Brussels
- Policy experts who need the conversation, as well as the position paper
A poor fit when the brief is a written strategy only, and nobody will practise a meeting.
Tell us the meeting you need to land.
Enquire about EU advocacy training- PracticalNot a long lecture, but bite-size theory and then practice
- CompleteKnowledge, skills and attitude, ready to use from the start
- PersonalSmall groups, your goals, your situations and feedback from peers
This training can also be done one-to-one, as private coaching.
Private coachingWe answer with dates, language and who would take the day.
Practical information
Practicalities
- Duration
- One-day, two-day or multi-day
- Group size
- Best in groups of 4–10; above that we add a second trainer
- Location
- Brussels onsite, at your venue in Europe, or online / hybrid
- Indicative price
- Indicative from €1,500 / €2,500 (half / full day, one trainer, ex VAT)
One-day, two-day or multi-day. Role-plays on a tailored fictitious file close to your field, then your real cases. Best in groups of 4–10; above that we add a second trainer.
FAQ
Training FAQs
Practical answers for organisers comparing training in Brussels.
Who trains this?
Rogier Elshout and Merle Becker train it. Either can take the day, and a larger group can have both.
Is this EU advocacy training or general lobby skills?
Both. We train the interpersonal craft of lobbying conversations and the EU-specific context — MEPs, Commission, short meetings and bubble etiquette.
Do you include public affairs training?
Yes. Messaging, reading motives and landing an ask under time pressure are core public affairs skills in this programme.
Can you tailor role-plays to our policy file?
Yes. We start with a tailored fictitious case close to your field, then move to your real meetings.
Is this available in-house in Brussels?
Yes — Brussels onsite, your European office, or online.
How many people should join?
4–10 works best for role-play intensity. Larger groups get a second trainer.
What does it cost?
Indicative from €1,500 half-day / €2,500 full day (one trainer, ex VAT). Multi-day packages on request.