EU public consultations: You have your say, but are you heard?

The EU policy space is a noisy place. Everyone, from companies to NGOs and trade associations, fights for the attention of policymakers. On top of that, the European Commission regularly launches public consultations, making the environment even noisier.

Consult everyone, exhaust everyone?

According to the European Commission's Better Regulation Guidelines, "stakeholder consultation is an essential element of policy preparation and review. Good policy development is built on openness and participation. (...)?For maximum usefulness and inclusivity, it is important to consult as widely as possible (while avoiding ‘consultation fatigue’), giving all interested parties the opportunity to contribute to the timely evaluation or development of effective policies."

But isn’t that contradictory? The wider the consultation, the more overwhelming it becomes for both the contributors and the Commission staff.

The Commission claims consultations help gather insights, experiences, and data to better understand issues and create stronger policies. The process starts with a "call for evidence" published on the Have Your Say portal. These calls invite individuals and organizations to submit feedback in text or attachments, which are made public instantly. The process typically lasts between four to twelve weeks.

In addition to this open process, the Commission may also run more targeted consultations with detailed questionnaires and background papers. These are tailored to the specific topic.

Noise without impact?

In theory, public consultations sound great. They encourage openness and aim to gather useful insights. But after seeing how they work from both sides—previously as a Commission officer and now as a lobbyist—I believe the system is inefficient and often ineffective.

Despite good intentions, these calls for evidence often create pointless noise. Take the recent consultation on the Single Market Strategy (here), which gathered 643 contributions from anonymous citizens, NGOs, companies, and trade associations. All opinions were treated equally. But let’s be honest: should the perspective of a large trade association representing a multi-billion euro sector sustaining thousands of jobs really be on the same level as your neighbour's opinion?

After the consultation closes, the Commission publishes a summary highlighting general trends and respondent types. This rarely goes beyond basic statistics.

Both sides feel fatigued by this process. Stakeholders spend too much time crafting responses, while Commission staff lack the resources to properly analyze them. In the end, it often becomes a box-ticking exercise filled with hot air.

When everyone is talking, is anyone listening?

The Commission knows that public consultations are largely a public relations exercise to show openness and transparency. That’s why they keep other channels open for meaningful discussions, such as expert group meetings, workshops, and ad hoc meetings with stakeholders. These are listed in the Transparency Register, the Register of Commission Expert Groups, and the pages showing the meetings held by Commissioners and their cabinets.

For lobbyists, responding to consultations is necessary to show good faith. But just because you speak does not mean you are heard. Real influence comes from providing well-researched insights with concrete recommendations. These insights open doors to deeper conversations with the Commission—and that's where real impact happens.

?? Next week on #DoYouSpeakEU: the European Green Deal.