Throughout 2023, Penta surveyed and interviewed hundreds of European policymakers to gain an understanding of what Brussels holds as the top policy priorities. We then compared the results against media analysis with data from Penta’s Platform. The results show three distinct trends within the European policymaking landscape.
Environmental concerns showed up as a high priority in our research with policymakers in Brussels. A majority (53%) of policymakers selected the environment as a top priority, outpacing other key issues like immigration, the economy and digital transformation. In contrast, Penta’s analysis of new and traditional media in Europe shows that developments in Ukraine and the U.S. are the most prevalent topics of conversation, and are more than twice as visible as conversations about the environment.
Regardless of this divergence, when we asked policymakers what they want to see from the private sector in regards to the environment, the answer was clear: they want to see tangible progress made on environmental goals, beyond hypothetical commitments.
When we asked policymakers to name the most pressing issues for the EU in 2022, they overwhelmingly put the Ukraine invasion at the top of the list. In our 2023 research, the picture is different – the environment now sits at the top of the list, with only 4% of policymakers naming Ukraine within their top 3 priorities.
This doesn’t mean that Brussels policymakers have placed Ukraine on the backburner. Instead, it represents a shift in the public sector’s mindset regarding what a response to Ukraine should look like. In 2022, the focus was on an immediate response. In 2023, the focus is on the future, with reconstruction and infrastructure seen as top priorities and areas for the private sector to get involved.
Penta media analysis suggests that conversations related to Brexit have had a detrimental effect on European perceptions of the UK, especially in regards to its economic and logistical ramifications. This is supported by our policymaker research: when asked which countries they would be most open to working with, EU policymakers ranked UK companies behind the U.S., Australia, and Japan.
At the same time, media analysis also uncovered that sentiment towards the UK most improved during positive trade talks, and 78% of policymakers said they would be either ‘open’ or ‘very open’ to working with companies from the UK. What this means for private stakeholders is that there is opportunity and receptiveness to improve the corporate reputation of the UK in the EU.
These trends reflect the dynamic and multi-faceted nature of both Brussels and Europe as a whole. If you’re interested in seeing more of our research, download our 2023 EU Insights Review below to see what else policymakers have to say about top issues in the EU and best practices for private sector engagement.