Step 1: Get your house in order
Before setting off, make sure your municipality is organised internally. Is there an EU team that translates European developments into the local context? Are signals from Brussels consistently picked up and shared with colleagues who can use them in their work? A strong EU team ensures that everyone, from policy advisers to directors, understands why developments from Brussels matter.
Keep in mind: it's up to you to build the bridge. The EU often works with technical language and complex jargon, which rarely captures the imagination of your colleagues. They also have little time to follow European affairs themselves. It is your role to turn these developments into tangible implications and opportunities for your municipality.
Step 2: Build mandate and support
Before booking that Eurostar ticket, make sure you have the necessary backing and mandate. Your European lobbying will only be effective if it aligns with both local and national priorities. That takes not just coordination, but also clear backing from local leaders and management.
It helps if local leaders in your municipality understand the importance of European cooperation. But you'll need more than that: directors, the municipal management team, and especially the municipal secretary. They can ensure there is time and capacity to truly engage with Europe.
With a clear mandate, it becomes much easier to demonstrate why your European work matters, both inside and outside your municipality.
Step 3: Collaborate, depending on size
How you organise your European presence will depend on the size of your municipality.
Larger municipalities usually have more staff, time, and resources. In that case, it is worth having a dedicated representative in Brussels: someone with an ear to the ground who can spot signals and identify opportunities early.
Working for a smaller municipality? You probably have fewer resources. In that case, collaboration is key: join a national association, a regional network, or a provincial partnership. This way, you can pool strengths without everyone having to reinvent the wheel.
Now you are ready to book that Eurostar
A strong European strategy takes more than a good lobby in Brussels. It starts with internal organisation, local mandate, and smart collaboration. Because once your house is in order, you'll know exactly what to look for in Brussels, and what story to bring back home.
