The book encompasses three parts:
- The first part looks at lobbying more generally and gives answers in each of its chapters to the questions: Who should you lobby, About what, When, and How, with practical tips and anecdotes;
- The second part specifically looks at the use of social media tools (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) in the area of lobbying and politics, including hands-on recommendations;
- The third part comprises a practical annex, including a description of the European Parliament agenda, a glossary of terms, a comparative table of the various readings under co-decision, several examples of layouts of official documents, etc.
iLobby.eu will help any business person with activities in Europe and wishing to understand what their company should consider before hiring a lobbyist or setting its lobbying strategy. More generally, lobbyists across the globe, activists, think thanks, journalists, students in political science, business administration and/or law, and anyone interested in understanding the way EU decision-making works and how lobbying is changing under the influence of social media should read the book.
Caroline De Cock brings her hands-on experience as a lobbyist and euroblogger/twitterer to this practical guide to lobbying at the EU level, including the use of social media. She is the owner of N-square Consulting, a Brussels-based lobbying firm specialised in the Internet and telecoms sector, and represents such high tech multinationals and trade associations at EU level.