Lobby your MEP

Tagged:
EU, Raw Material Initiative
This term we're partnering with Traidcraft to lobby against the EU's Raw Material Initiative which is endangering poor countries development by restricting their ability to devise their own trade rules.

You can read more about the campaign here and also download our latest Pray & Post Card.

Our Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are accountable to us and we need to make sure they represent our views at the EU Parliament by telling them what we want! Meeting with your MEP is easier than you think, they have times when they have to be in their consituency office just like MPs.

 

Step 1: Find your MEP EU Constituencies are larger regions than for Westminster and have more than one representative. Go to the Write to them website to find the MEPs representing your region.

Step2: Send them the Pray & Post Card Ideally you could send a Post Card to each of them but if not then just choose one to send it to. Let us know who you sent it to by sending us the Response card.

Step3: Email them to arrange a meeting You can find their emails very easily on their page once you've found the list of MEPs for your region on the Write to them Website

Step 4: Go to meet them! Get a few friends from your SPEAK group, from Church or anyone else who cares about Trade Justice together and simply go to meet them! Below are a few tips to help you but the most important thing to remember is that they are human too!

Don’t be intimidated - MEPs are human and don't know everything! Because they need to know a little bit about everything, you may find you know more about the issue than they do!

Keep it focused - make sure you stick to one campaign rather than rant about every injustice in the world! They may try and move the conversation on to their agenda; politely say that you have come to just speak about this issue and you don't want to take up any more time that you have to as you realise that their time is very precious! For example, they may draw you into a debate on wider Trade Justice issues such as agricultural subsidies or debt.

Be polite - it may be very frustrating if they don't give you a straight answer, but just be confident and politely say you don't think they have answered your question.

Keep calm if they ask you a tricky question - we should have everything you need to know here, or on the Traidcraft website but if you don't know the answer, be confident and say that you will look into it and get back to them. This is great as it opens the way for future contact!

Let us know how it went - this is crucial if we are going to build a core of MEPs who will speak out for justice in Europe!

suzannahdixon
27 Jan 2011 - 3:44pm