Intrum : ”Maintaining a genuine, long-term commitment”

Kajsa Stenström, EU lobbist in Brussels.

What does a typical weekday look like for a Brussels lobbyist?

"A lot of my time is spent in various meetings at EU institutions, particularly at the Commission, which presents new legislative proposals. But it can also be a matter of participating in a committee debate at the European Parliament. A lot of networking takes place, both at daytime and in the evenings. You have to build contacts, work actively with external monitoring, pick up new information and gain an understanding of an issue from different perspectives."

How open is the EU? Is it easy to get in and to be involved and influence?

"The EU is extremely open, and arranging meetings and talks with decision-makers, does not present any problems. However, it is important to identify the right person. And you also have to join in at the right moment and have something meaningful to contribute. It is also important to be proactive. There are many open consultations in which you can participate, but to participate you must know which meetings are relevant. Again, you need effective external monitoring."

What is the picture of the credit management industry in general?

"The industry is still subject to prejudice, partly because some actors work frivolously, helping give the industry a worse reputation. In addition, knowledge among stakeholders and decision-makers is generally very low. They do not understand how important this function is in society. It may, for example, be a matter of gaining access to data and statistics or to various educational initiatives. At the same time, Intrum, as a company, enjoys a very good reputation here in Brussels. This is precisely because they have worked pro-actively, offering knowledge, information and time."