The survey was presented at the 2007 EuroConference in Brussels on 28 February 2007, to more than 100 top executives from European associations, who met to discuss how to "take their association to the next level". The conference drew on the views of association audiences and discussions on factors that influence associations' effectiveness. Its main findings included:
- Federations' media relations rely mainly on co-operation between Brussels and the capitals. Federations also understand that online communication of policy positions is key to increasing media attention;
- only a minority of respondents have changed their membership and other priorities following EU enlargement;
- the success of the organisations is measured mainly in terms of growth of membership and access to decision-makers, and;
- the most important factors to become a global association are relations with the relevant national/European/global institutions and the membership base.
40% of respondents saw relations with relevant institutions at national, European and global levels as the most important factor, with around one in four aspiring to go global.
Toward this aim, relations with specialised media scored highest, with 75% of respondents indicating that they saw them as the most relevant tools for external communication. The results also showed that a large percentage of federations and journalists understand that online communication of policy positions is key to increasing media attention.
In addition, fully one half of respondents had changed their communication or lobbying strategy during the past year.
