1 / 22

Local Government EU priorities 2014

Local Government EU priorities 2014. Dominic Rowles EU Advisor & Deputy Head of Brussels Office Local Government Association (LGA), UK For NHS Delegation. 20 Jan 2014. www.local.gov.uk. Agenda. Who we are. LGA = England & Wales Formed 1997 – ‘better local government’

carol-swanson
Télécharger la présentation

Local Government EU priorities 2014

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Local Government EU priorities 2014 Dominic Rowles EU Advisor & Deputy Head of Brussels Office Local Government Association (LGA), UK For NHS Delegation 20 Jan 2014 www.local.gov.uk

  2. Agenda

  3. Who we are • LGA = England & Wales • Formed 1997 – ‘better local government’ • Funded mainly by subscription • 410 local authorities • representing 50 million people (UK 60 million) • representing €100 billion public spend

  4. Who we are • London & Brussels offices (120 + 3 staff) • Mainstreaming of EU affairs • Work through CEMR: European Association of Local & Regional Government

  5. LGA focus for 2014 - UK Rewiring Local Services • radical agenda for public service reform: more local powers & local financing • better outcomes for communities

  6. LGA focus for 2014 - Health • Support councils’ Public Health role • Relationship building with Public Health England, HealthWatch, NHS etc • 0-5s children’s public health transfer to local government in 2015, & commissioning of health visitors

  7. LGA focus for 2014 - EU 1. EU funds 2. EU legislation – procurement, state aids, environment, employment law + EU elections 3. International trade & development 4. Supporting local politicians - Committee of the Regions (Brussels) - Congress of the Council of Europe (Strasbourg)

  8. Why focus on the EU? • Direct impact of EU on councils’ services & decisions • 75% of EU law implemented at local level • Possibility of fines for councils - Localism Act 2011

  9. Why focus on the EU?

  10. How we work

  11. EU lobbying > success factors • Aware of processes • Aware of planning (timetable) • Actively involved in the policy • Aware of the people and how to contact • Networking • Intelligence • Able to articulate a position • Clearly, Concisely, Continually…

  12. Lobbying earlier is easier Effort Effort political Local Government influence policy Time >> Pre-legislative >> Draft legislation >> Council & EP readings >> Implementation >>

  13. “Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.” Groucho Marx, 1890-1977

  14. LGA find out more LGA web page www.local.gov.uk Dominic Rowles – EU adviser dominic.rowles@local.gov.uk

  15. Successful lobbying case study: Late Payments Directive

  16. The Directive required… • public authorities to pay suppliers within 30 calendar days of receipt of an undisputed invoice. (Exception healthcare) • had to be implemented by 16 March 2013 !

  17. Proposed penalties regime complex It was originally proposed that suppliers could charge: • Daily interest rate: base rate + 7% points • Recovery fee of 1% of invoice value • Flat rate penalty of 5% of invoice value ! • Plus damages via courts

  18. Key lobbying objectives Support prompt payments but push for a simplified & balanced penalty regime • Removal of 5% of invoice value penalty • Removal of 1% of invoice value recovery costs (disproportionate & unrelated to supplier costs) • Application to B2B payments

  19. Is regulation remedy ? • Inaccurate/disputed invoices – amounts/description • Invoice sent to wrong address / department • Invoice sent before goods/services received • Time needed to check construction work & IT projects – hardware/software • Cultural issues - companies do not exercise these rights, they wish to maintain good relationships with public sector.

  20. How we lobbied • Pre-legislative work • Evidence gathering / consultation: up to £600m extra costs for UK public sector • Dialogue with Commission • Influenced Member States • Mobilised European Parliament • Valuable work via CoR, CEMR

  21. Media Work

More Related