Mariska Neefjes is one of the EU-advisors to the Dutch parliament. She is responsible for the commission concerning Agriculture, Nature and Food quality. “The informal process in Brussels is just as important as the formal one.”

EU-advisor to the Dutch parliament, what does that entail?   

“It means that I advise all the spokespersons on agriculture from the different political parties, both on process as on substance. That means writing analysis on European legislation, forcefield analysis on a specific proposal and for instance advising the parliament on how they can most effectively influence the process in Brussels.”  

How does a normal workday look for you?  

“One moment I might be on the phone with a legislative assistant or a member of parliament to answer questions about an EU-legislation, the next I will be writing a memo for members to analyze a new proposal. Now and then I spend the day in Brussels. Parliament is a dynamic place to work. After elections, everything can be different, for example. Add the Brussels bubble to that and no day is the same.” 

What was a special or busy moment in the past year?  

“The decision-making-process around the Nature Restoration Law in the past few weeks was (and is) quite unusual. Amongst others, the Netherlands changed positions in the final stage of the decision making. Normally this is considered a formality, but because of this, the whole proposal is staggering. This means that all of a sudden, more than usual, I am actively advising members of parliament and am in contact with other parliaments to find out the positions in other countries. This way, I can accurately show which majorities and minorities are coming together. Very interesting, but very hands on as well.”  

What is the most important thing to understand about the European Union and how it works?  

“On a professional level: the earlier in the legislative process you try to influence it, the more chance of success. You should be at the table when proposals are announced, to share your ideas. When European law is implemented on the national level, you are way too late. And: the informal process in Brussels is just as important as the formal one.”  

Why should people care about the upcoming European elections?  

“We just had national elections in the Netherlands which changed the composition of the parliament a lot. This could also happen at the EU level. A new political reality also means new political priorities. Will there be an ambitious climate policy, or will the Green Deal be delayed? Are we moving towards more cooperation on the military in Europe? Big questions like this are on the line this election. And the influence of European policy on the Netherlands is big. We saw it on the news. Think of the sanctions because of Ukraine, more willingness to cooperate on foreign policy and security, a European Nature Restauration Law, the loss of derogation on manure policy. The results of the election will have a big impact on Dutch citizens and on Dutch companies.”  

What do you expect of the results and what will they mean for your job?  

“Polling is still volatile, so it is difficult to predict. A lot could happen in the coming months. As EU advisors, we are compiling an overview of all the election manifestos for the members of Parliament. That way we can easily draw conclusions on possible effects of the results of the elections. Our role will be the same in the coming years.”