Poland Most Influential of New Members in EU Policy-Making, APCO Survey Finds

Brussels (September 16, 2008) – Policy-makers and opinion-leaders in Brussels and Warsaw consider Poland to be the most effective at influencing EU policy among the 12 new member countries of the European Union, according to an opinion survey published today by APCO Insight, announced Brad Staples, chief executive officer of APCO Worldwide’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

“EU policy-makers have clearly indicated that Poland is the member state with the most influential voice behind the big five countries (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain and Italy) and The Netherlands,” said Staples. The survey results were presented by Staples at the Economic Forum in Krynica.

APCO surveyed 50 opinion-leaders in Brussels and Warsaw to understand how effective Poland has been in communicating and shaping European policy compared to other EU member states. Thirty-seven percent of respondents believe Poland is the most influential contributor among new member states.

Opinion-leaders in Brussels believe Poland will achieve additional influence with increasingly cooperative and constructive engagement, according to the survey. Polish think tanks and NGOs should also play a larger role in policy-making, respondents said.

The survey contributed to a panel discussion at the Economic Forum that included presentations from Polish European Commissioner Danuta Hübner and Minister for Europe Mikolaj Dowgielewicz. Panelists stressed the need to move from ‘a culture of blocking minorities’ to one of forging new alliances.

At the forum, the strengths and capabilities of Polish elected and non-elected officials in Brussels were identified as a significant factor in contributing to Poland’s good performance. Panelists highlighted, however, the need for greater investment in training and equipping Polish representatives in government, business and civil society, particularly given Poland’s preparations for its EU presidency in 2011.

About the Study

APCO Insight conducted a telephone survey of 50 key opinion leaders (including politicians, officials and media representatives) in Brussels (n=25) and Warsaw (n=25) about Poland’s engagement in the EU. The survey was conducted 4 June - 28 July 2008. For more information on the study and to review the full results, please visit our Web site.

About APCO Worldwide

Founded in 1984, APCO Worldwide is an independently owned global communication consultancy with offices in major cities throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. APCO was named 2007 PR Agency of the Year by PRNews; 2006 Agency of the Year by PRWeek; 2007, 2006 and 2005 European Consultancy of the Year by Public Affairs News; and 2004 Public Affairs Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report. Clients include corporations, governments, industry associations and nonprofit organizations. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APCO includes among its clients seven of the top 10 companies on Fortune’s Global 500. Core services include corporate, investor and internal communication; crisis management; issue management; government relations; litigation communication; media relations; coalition building; opinion research; market entry; corporate responsibility; and online communication. APCO is a majority women-owned business. For more information, please visit www.apcoworldwide.com.

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Contact:
Elizabeth Wolf
+202.778.1470
ewolf@apcoworldwide.com