EU Parliament – Liaison Office

European Parliament – Liaison Office in Belgium

EPLOs engage with the local population and increase awareness about what the European Parliament is, what it does and what it stands for.

They do this by:

Building, growing and animating a network of interested citizens;
Running communication campaigns, including events and exhibitions;
Raising awareness and promoting debate about European parliamentary democracy;
Communicating about the role of the European Parliament and replying to requests for information.
Engaging with media
EPLOs proactively bring EU news, debates and decisions to national, regional, local and specialised media.

They do this by:

Assisting journalists in their work and making them aware of the impact of European issues;
Organising seminars for journalists, and inviting them to cover plenary activities;
Creating media opportunities for MEPs in national, regional, local and specialised media;
Monitoring inaccuracies and misleading news about the European Parliament, and rebutting them.

Engaging with stakeholders and multipliers
Stakeholders include national, regional and local authorities, civil society groups, networks, associations, teachers, schools, universities, think tanks, and sectorial organisations, EU bodies, etc. EPLOs develop and nurture relationships with strategic stakeholders. The goals are to engage in dialogue with them and ensure they are aware of the European Parliament’s decisions that affect them.

They do this by:

promoting debates on European legislation and on the legislative work of Members;
ensuring stakeholders receive targeted information about areas of specific concern to them;
working with teachers and academic organisations and providing educational resources;
engaging with national, regional and local authorities in the Member States.

Other tasks
providing support to visits by MEPs having an institutional role and to official parliamentary delegations and missions;
cooperating with the Commission Representations and the Europe Direct Information Centres.