It is a funny misconception that if you want to have two months of holidays during summer you can either become a teacher (and do something useful for humanity) or become someone hovering around the European institutions (and do…well, what lobbyists do, I guess). I can’t comment on the former but when it comes to the latter, it always makes me wonder if people truly believe that if there’s no MEP around to lobby, we just sit at our desk waiting for them to come back….like robots in “off ” mode or very sad Labrador puppies left home alone.

Well, sorry to disappoint all those considering a lobbying career (or governmental affairs, public affairs, “something” affairs) for the nice summer holiday perks: there’s still a lot to do over summertime! And that is because policy-makers and regulators truly make the “jobs and growth” motto a central objective in the way they work. How so, will you ask? By creating a policy environment that stimulates employment and innovation? Well, maybe…kind of…but also by making sure lobbyists like me do not fall in a deep hole of nothingness over summer by issuing a zillion consultations at the end of June / beginning of  July, with a deadline for responses in September…Thou shall not stay idle by the pool, says the regulator!

Oh, and did I mention that slightly over-full folder on my desktop called “TO READ” in which I put every file, document, report, etc of over 60 pages that I am not bound to read but just know I should at some point in my life, if only to feel smarter.

However, I will do all of this whilst humming “in the summertime”!

So hum along!