The Merseyside Brussels Office

Terms of Reference

Legislation and lobbying

> Tracking all upcoming and current legislation on relevant areas to ensure partners are well prepared for future implementation
> Helping partners to produce responses on any legislation of particular concern
> Feeding partners’ lobbying positions into all relevant contacts in the EU institutions (North West MEPs, European Parliament rapporteurs, Commission units) and at UK government level (UKREP, government departments)
> On request, arranging lobbying visits to Brussels or other lobbying meetings with relevant contacts
> Engagement with relevant European networks for peer review and maximising the impact of any positions produced
> When requested, providing the EU legislative context for partner responses to UK-level consultations and work

Funding

> Capacity-building with the partners on the new trans-national funding opportunities under the new EU budget, 2007-13
> Advance information and intelligence on all upcoming calls for proposals
> Help with certain aspects of bid preparation
> Liaison with the European Commission or other funding authority on any technical questions relating to a bid
> MBO attendance on partners’ behalf of any Brussels conferences or seminars relating to funding; facilitating partner attendance at such events
> If appropriate, help with lobbying around a bid, using UKREP and MEP contacts
> Identifying trans-national partners for bids through partner searches to other regional and sectoral offices or via relevant networks the MBO is involved in

Partnership and promotion

> Identifying trans-national partners for best-practice exchange, peer review or other purposes
> Partner space on the MBO web site, an opportunity for partners to promote themselves to European counterparts
> On request, MBO-organised Brussels events to promote partners

Reporting structures and contact

> Regular bulletins (at least monthly) on relevant themes, to go to MBO partners and their Merseyside networks
> Annual forecast of relevant upcoming EU legislation
> On request, an annual work programme to be drawn up between the MBO and each partner based on: the latest annual European Commission legislative work programme and other relevant legislative developments; the latest annual work programme for the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Development; recurring calls for proposals; other opportunities as identified by the MBO and partners
> Ad hoc reports on important EU developments; briefings from conferences and meetings
> The regularly updated (at least annually) North West House Forward Funding Guide, with advance intelligence on all EU trans-national funding
> On request, bilateral meetings with partners during regular MBO officer visits to Merseyside
> Partner seat on MBO Strategic Board
> Regular MBO officer attendance at Merseyside partners’ networks. Other seminars/presentations in Merseyside as requested
> MBO-organised visits to Brussels for partners; MBO-facilitated best-practice visits elsewhere in Europe
> Brussels-based meeting facilities available free-of-charge to partners
> Possible short-term hot-desking option for partners at MBO premises