EU Policy Areas

Policy priorities for the Merseyside Brussels Office and its partners

The MBO helps its partners to follow and influence EU policy development by preparing them for the eventual implementation of new legislation; by helping them to develop responses to EU policy; and by feeding these responses into the EU institutions and any networks which are formulating responses of their own. In addition, the MBO helps partners to arrange and prepare for meetings with MEPs and Commission officials. When covering EU policy, the MBO focuses on those policy themes which are of particular importance to partners. The table below details MBO activity within these specific themes.

 

Policy Area	Key Activities/ Horizontal Focus	Merseyside partners served	Reporting Structure	Relevant Brussels Network
Cohesion Policy (including enterprise policy, state aid and urban policy)	Tracking the development of legislation. At certain points in the cycle, lobbying with other similar EU regions around shared interests.	Local authorities, The Merseyside Partnership (TMP)	Regular thematic bulletin. Reporting to MBO Strategic Board and Merseyside European Issues Group.	Cities for Cohesions, UKBO, Transition Regions network
Transport	Tracking and lobbying on legislation (all transport legislation covered). Some support on funding bids.	Merseytravel, Passenger Transport Executive Group (pteg)	Regular thematic bulletin. Bilateral contact with partners. Reporting to pre-existing Merseyside thematic officer-level groups.	LGA/CEMR, UITP, UKBO
Environment (including waste and climate change)	Tracking and lobbying on legislation especially in the area of waste.	Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA), local authorities	Regular thematic bulletin. Bilateral contact with partners. Reporting to pre-existing Merseyside thematic officer-level groups.	LGA/CEMR, EPRO (Environment Platform of Regional Offices), UKBO
Social Inclusion (including education and training, asylum and immigration)	Tracking and lobbying on legislation; peer review with other EU regions.	Merseyside Network for Europe (voluntary sector), local authorities, Merseytravel	Regular thematic bulletin. Bilateral contact with partners. Reporting to a special MBO officer-level group.	ERLAI (European Regions and Local Authorities on Immigration), ENSA (European Network of Social Authorities), UKBO
Culture and Tourism	Supporting funding bids; promotion of Merseyside activities.	Liverpool City Council (via Culture Liverpool), TMP	Regular thematic bulletin. Bilateral contact with partners.	European Capitals of Culture Brussels Network
Justice and Home Affairs (including fire safety)	Supporting funding bids, tracking the development of legislation and EU standards.	Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service	Regular thematic bulletin. Bilateral contact with partners.	None