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European Public Policy

Our preeminent European Public Policy Practice develops effective strategies to make sure you are heard at the right time, by the right people. We help you identify, assess and shape, in advance or in real time, government policies that affect your business interests at an EU or national level or within international bodies across Europe.

The European Public Policy Practice draws upon the strength, reputation and resources of a well-connected team of experienced EU policy practitioners to advise clients about the most effective ways to engage with EU institutions, policy makers at the national level and international bodies (e.g., NATO, OECD, FATF) in order to achieve their objectives.

We offer public policy services as a law firm, building upon our strong legal practice groups globally and fully leveraging our 15 European offices with more than 600 colleagues. We enjoy an outstanding reputation for serving clients in a holistic and forward-looking manner, having regard to all legal, regulatory and policy options at hand.

Our team is proud to be an integral part of the most experienced and well-recognized public policy practice internationally, allowing for a seamless offering that operates on any scale – locally or globally – and masters virtually every matter, jurisdiction and market. We excel at providing an effective policy offering linking Brussels and Washington DC.

Knowledge of the decision and rule making process within Europe is critical, as is an understanding of how to approach and engage with key decision makers and stakeholders at all levels. With our expertise and connections we are able to support clients at all stages of this process. Our lawyers are seasoned in the practices of EU law, before both the European Commission and the courts of the EU. We specialize in advising clients on the existence, application of and compliance with the rules governing the EU. Moreover, we defend clients that are alleged to have breached these rules in the areas of competition and trade law, for example.

Our Services

Our team has the ability not only to monitor legislative and administrative developments, but to design realistic and effective advocacy strategies that ensure our clients have a voice and are understood before the key policymakers in any debate and at every level across Europe and the EU institutions.

We excel at managing complex, multifaceted, legal-regulatory-policy issues with a cross-border component involving the EU and any other country or region, in particular the US.

Why Choose Us

Combination of Substantive Expertise With Exceptional Access

Our differentiator is an ability to successfully engage in public policy advocacy, in concert with our legal expertise and access to governments, to protect and advance our clients’ business objectives. We take a holistic approach to government relations by considering all possible stakeholders and all available tools that can be leveraged.

Established Global Public Policy Practice

We are the preeminent law firm to offer integrated government relations and public advocacy services in the EU (including its main European capitals) and in Washington DC. Our EU government relations lawyers and professionals work closely with our firm-wide teams and resources in other major capitals around the world.

“One-Team Approach”

Clients rely on this integrated approach to amplify their advocacy efforts in Brussels and with key EU member states that are particularly influential in the decision-making process.

Substantive Experience Gained From the Combination of Senior Government Service and Leading Private Sector Experience

Many of our seasoned professionals have worked in the EU Parliament or EU Commission, served as ministers and ambassadors, or held leading positions in the private sector.

Industry Expertise

We have deep-seated expertise within our European Public Policy team and can draw upon our substantive global firm resources consisting of more than 1,500 lawyers in 46 offices across the world, with roughly a third of them based in Europe.

Specific focus areas of the European Public Policy Practice include financial services and taxation, data protection and cybersecurity, the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, international trade and the representation of sovereigns and state-owned enterprises – in particular in managing complex, multifaceted, legal-regulatory-policy issues with a cross-border component. The team also has extensive expertise in serving clients in environmental, safety and healthcare matters, including chemicals. 

Data Privacy and Cybersecurity

Our communications and digital markets lawyers are internationally recognized leaders in the fields of communications law, policy and regulation. Our sector expertise covers the most important and fastest growing sectors in converging communications and digital markets. We provide holistic solutions to clients covering all service areas: public policy, data protection and cyber security, market access and licensing, transactions and privatization and regulatory compliance, enforcement proceedings and dispute resolution. 

Financial Services and Taxation

Our Financial Services & Tax Policy Practice combines exceptional public policy experience with industry leading technical proficiency to advise clients on all relevant legislative, regulatory, and policy issues taking place at EU and national level across Europe. We regularly advise clients on interpreting and complying with the many new financial services regulations, in particular in the fast changing and converging field of financial technology (FinTech). Our tax policy expertise, coupled with the strength of our tax planning and structuring practice, allows us to provide our clients with a depth of technical expertise in all aspects of tax policy matters. 

International Trade and Sovereigns

Our International Trade & Foreign Investment Practice advises sovereign governments, public and private multinational corporations, quasi-governmental agencies, and trade associations with respect to international and European trade legislation, trade litigation, free trade agreements, trade barriers, issues related to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and other matters involving international trade and trade policy. Our depth of experience, diverse client base, and strong relationships with European institutions, and the EU member states’ trade ministries, uniquely situate us to assist clients with trade and market access issues involving a policy component. Members of our International Trade & Foreign Investment Practice specializing in trade policy and market access issues have collectively participated in all aspects of the trade legislative process and foreign market development on behalf of a variety of European and international clients. 

Environmental

Our Energy & Environment Public Policy team is widely recognized as one of the preeminent public policy law teams both in Europe and in the US. The team works seamlessly with our Environmental, Safety & Health Practice Group, one of the largest and most well-regarded practices in the world. Clients benefit from our long history working with regulators across the globe, including the European Chemicals Agency, the Environment Agency and Health & Safety Executive in the UK and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The practice also includes a robust counseling component, with deep experience in rulemaking and policy development and compliance counseling.

The team has particularly deep expertise within the chemicals sector, and is honored to call a third of the top worldwide chemical companies our clients. Our expertise sits in the most important areas of the industry including public policy, environmental, international expansion and regulatory. 

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