Transparency Interests Democracy
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Transparency Interests Democracy
Join UsOn the 10th of June, 2021 the Public Affairs Community of Europe (PACE) gathered via electronic means in order to carry out the 11th Annual General Assembly. In this way, the PACE Board members decided to maintain what has been a core component of the network for over a decade: the annual exchange with members and friends of the network to benefit from the different professional perspectives in Europe even in times of crisis.
Important agenda topics such as the Board’s Report, the Treasurer’s Report, and plans for the future were convoked by the members during the meeting. Notwithstanding, the members covered other important agenda topics as well:
Appointment of the members of the Board Members 2021-2014
Following the discharge of the Board Members of 2018-2021, an election was carried out wherein MarÃa Rosa Rotondo was unanimously re-elected as President. MarÃa Rosa has been the President of PACE, a position which she combines with the presidency of the Spanish lobbyist association APRI, for the last four years of which various members expressed praise for. Acording tot the President of PACE, MarÃa Rosa Rotondo“The renewal of the Board will allow us to continue with PACE’S goal of strengthening a community of institutional relations, public affairs and lobbying at the European level to share experiences about the profession and the consolidation of the sector. We will also continue to support the creation of national lobbyist associations, as we believe that they play a fundamental role for the normalisation of the sector in Europe.â€Â The President will be accompanied by a Board Members committed to defending the profession of lobbyists at the European level comprised of Dominik Meier (de’ge’pol, Germany); Micol Bertoni (Il Chiostro, Italy); Laura Florea (RLRA, Romania), Vaclav Nekvapil (APPA, Czech Republic) and Stefaan Fiers (Bepact, Belgium).
Approval of entrance of new members
During the PACE General Assembly, the integration of a new member association was approved. The entry of the French lobbying association, Association Française des Conseils et Affairs Publiques (AFCL) raises the number of the member associations of PACE to twelve.
Reinforcement of values
The 2021 General Assembly once again highlighted the need to work together to contribute to the development of the regulation, normalisation and professionalisation of lobbying across Europe in order to promote transparent procedures that promote the presence and recognition of the profession. Even with different national contexts via a digital format, Public Affairs Professionals from across Europe and beyond share a very similar perception of globalized situations and can promote by regular exchange common approaches for a strong and unified voice of the European Public Affairs industry.