Ukrainian companies will need to adapt to a new reality, with access to a larger market but also greater competition

Nicolas Acker, a prominent figure in the world of strategic influence and the dynamics of business and legislative relations in the European Unionn Union, reveals the essence of The Acker Group’s work, which involves assisting companies and private individuals in realizing their strategic interests within the context of European policy and legislation.

The Acker Group is not just a consulting company, but a platform for influential players, where a large number of well-known brands and influential personalities are reported. Their efforts are focused on creating strategies that ensure successful lobbying in the capital of the European Union.

But how can Ukrainian companies become part of this game of influence? Nicolas Acker reveals important aspects: from proper strategy formulation to building effective networks in the Brussels environment. He points out key points where Ukrainian companies can actively intervene, defend their interests, and contribute to solving important issues through influence on European legislation and policy.

LDaily: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your experience.

N. Acker: My name is Nicolas Acker. It is a German-sounding name but I am French. I was born in Alsace, near Strasbourg which is, as you may know, one of the official capitals of the European Union.

I studied political sciences and European law and came to Brussels in November 1999 for a six-month internship with the spokesman of the President of the European Parliament. Almost 25 years later, I am still in Brussels.

After my internship, I started working as a EU public affairs and advocacy consultant. I worked for the Brussels office of several large global consultancies.

I started working as an independent consultant in 2013. I humbly named my company “The Acker Group”.

LDaily: Can you introduce The Acker Group and describe its field of activity?

N. Acker: My field of activity has been given various names: “EU lobbying”, “EU advocacy”, “EU public affairs”, “EU public policy” or simply “EU affairs”.

Concretely, I help my clients, which are companies or trade associations, understand, anticipate and ultimately influence the European legislative and political initiatives impacting their activities. The aim is always to create a EU regulatory and political environment favorable to the business objectives and growth strategy of my clients.

I am an intermediary between my clients and the European Commission, the European Parliament, the representatives of the EU Member States and the other relevant stakeholders in the so-called “EU bubble”. I am the ears, eyes, boots and brain of my clients in Brussels.

LDaily: What specific services does The Acker Group provide?

N. Acker: I provide specific and tailored services to each client. Each time, it is a different story. However, the services I provide may be structured as follows:

• Providing information and analysis about the EU political and legislative activities impacting the activities of my clients. This includes information about where we are in the legislative process and thus who is in charge (European Commission officials, Members of the European Parliament, Member States’ representatives).
• Strategic advice: Discussions with the clients on the best course of actions to influence the initiatives of relevance to them.
• Raising the profile and building up the reputation of my clients as trusted expert partners for the EU institutions. This means for instance organizing one-to-one meetings with the relevant policy-makers, organizing target policy events (e.g. lunch-debates), securing participation in Brussels policy events as keynote speakers, drafting position papers, producing relevant social media posts.
• Lobbying on specific EU files and initiatives. This includes again the organization of one-to-one meetings, drafting position papers, amendments, answers to consultations, etc.

These services are deeply intertwined and create a virtuous circle. Building up your reputation helps you effectively lobbying on specific files. Providing expertise on specific files help you build your reputation.

LDaily: What type of clients or industries do you serve? Do you have specific advantages or expertise in particular sectors?

N. Acker: Throughout my career, I have worked on almost all policies for all business sectors. Nowadays, I would say that I have two key areas of expertise: 1) “sustainability” – meaning energy, environment and transport – and 2) “digital affairs” – i.e. online platforms, apps, the EU digital market, AI and cybersecurity.

One of my other specificities is that I most of the time provide services to associations and companies which are not present in Brussels. As mentioned above, I am the ears, eyes, boots and brain of my clients in Brussels. I know the specificities of working with a client which is not an expert in European affairs.

LDaily: Ukraine and the EU have started accession talks. What do you think the impact of Ukraine joining the EU will be on Ukrainian companies and businesses?

N. Acker: The decisions taken in Brussels and Strasbourg by the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council (i.e. the Member States) will shape the legal and commercial environment Ukrainian companies will evolve in. Ukrainian companies will need to adapt to a new reality, with access to a larger market but more competitors. They will need to adapt to new environment regulations, more stringent standards, new social requirements, etc. In a nutshell, Ukrainian companies will need to adopt the “EU acquis” – i.e. the collection of common rights and obligations that constitute the body of EU law, and which is incorporated into the legal systems of the EU Member States.

As regards future EU legislation, Ukrainian companies and associations will need to be in the position to defend their interests and influence EU policy-makers so that the adopted initiatives are as much as possible in line with their strategy objectives. This is where hiring a consultant like me becomes helpful.

By the way, this Summer would be the right time to become active in Brussels as a new European Parliament will be elected and a new European Commission will be appointed for five years. A new five-year cycle will start with the European elections and it would be the right time for Ukrainian companies and associations to educate EU policy-makers about their specificities and to start to find allies in the European institutions.

LDaily: In the context of the accession talks, the European Commission has requested that Ukraine develop a law on lobbying. Could you give us your views on this development?

N. Acker: This request demonstrates the importance of lobbying. This law will reinforce the credibility of the Ukrainian interests in Brussels. At European level, lobbying is a perfectly legitimate activity which is helpful to policy-makers who need information and solutions when designing EU laws.

Framing lobbying activities with laws and code of conducts is a necessity. This sector must not become the Far West where amateurs operate recklessly. However, it is at least as important to ensure that civil servants and elected officials do not seek personal gain but instead genuinely act for the general interest.

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