The ECPA provides training and tactical tools to help public affairs practitioners develop professionally and demonstrate their value more effectively to business colleagues.
The ECPA has particular expertise in public affairs practice in the European Union and has shared this expertise through introductory and specialist programmes on public affairs practice in the Union’s institutions.
“A seminar of major significance for civil servants of my country.”
Participant from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lithuania
“Good seminar, has exceeded my expectations, I got from the course what I was looking for.”
Participant from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Warsaw
“I wish I could have brought all civil servants in the Swedish Government – and most of the politicians too.”
Swedish civil servant
More specifically, the ECPA has three broad categories of training programmes:
- ECPA Public Programmes consist in generic training sessions organised in Brussels or at national levels that share the basics of EU Public Affairs with a pragmatic approach.
- ECPA Customised Programmes on a wide range of public affairs issues are created by the ECPA for individual companies and organisations. These range from board level seminars and courses for general managers to programmes for public affairs and regulatory specialists.
- ECPA Government Programmes generally consist in a series of seminars for national Presidencies and courses for civil servants from current member States and applicant states.
ECPA Public Programmes
Since 1986 the ECPA has put a lot of efforts on training for Public Affairs excellence. One of it most well known public programmes is undeniably `The ECPA Skillset’, which focuses this experience to help its participants understand and predict the ever-changing patterns of power in the European Union. There is no better way to understand how Europe works than to spend two days in the corridors of European power. `Inside Brussels’ is the only programme that takes you inside Parliament, the Commission and the Council to examine how these institutions work and how they interact. Participants will meet and debate with officials, MEPs and lobbyists. How does the puzzle fit together? How do you influence it? Take a journey through the public affairs process at the heart of Europe.
ECPA Customised Programmes
Programmes commissioned by individual companies and organisations are customised to their particular needs with regular consultation during the development stage.
Seminars are based on a tutorial style methodology of small group teaching, normally 15-20 per programme, enabling maximum interaction between speakers and participants. However this may vary according to requirements.
Specifications
The duration of training is designed according to the organisation’s requirements. Programmes may range from one day to a week or be spread over a number of different modules.
For delivery of programme, a lead time of between 1-4 months is usually required, dependent on availability of accommodation.
Charges are based on a figure per participant day based on the ECPA’s standard modules and case studies. A development fee is dependent on complexity of programme design.
ECPA Government Programmes
Since its foundation ECPA has worked closely with governments across Europe. The European political system requires civil servants to be expert lobbyists on behalf of their countries. Nowadays they are required to move beyond inter-governmental lobbying to understand how to influence parliamentarians, Commission officials and the myriad other players in the system. For similar reasons diplomats from third countries regularly take part in ECPA programmes.
Past participants have included:
- Past EU Presidencies (notably Finland and Sweden)
- Trainings for government preparing for accession to the EU (notably Malta, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Poland)
- Programmes for Diplomats
- The UK Government at different levels (The Cabinet Office, Intervention Board, Department of Culture Media & Sport, HM Customs & Excise, Department of Health, HM Treasury, Department of Trade & Industry, DETR, MAFF DfEE, National Physical Laboratory, Environment Agency, Office of Fair Trading, Environment Agency, Scottish Executive, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, The Patent Office).
