Challenge

The United Arab Emirates sought to advance a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union at a time when both political resistance in the European Parliament was growing and the Iran war in the Strait of Hormuz changed the geopolitical situation. Concerns over the UAE’s alleged involvement in the Sudan conflict risked overshadowing the economic and strategic case for deeper EU-UAE trade relations. While the Middle East crisis created a need for a stable trade relationship in the region with port access.

Strategy

Alber & Geiger developed a political engagement strategy with the EU institutions, including the European Parliament and the EEAS, to keep the trade agenda moving. We mapped the relevant parliamentary concerns, identified the committees and political groups most likely to influence the debate, and helped frame the FTA as a strategic opportunity for Europe in trade, energy, investment, logistics, and regional stability.

Results

The UAE navigated a sensitive political environment in Brussels and responded to resistance in the European Parliament with a targeted institutional strategy. This led to a political pathway for keeping the EU-UAE FTA agenda alive despite concerns linked to Sudan.

Challenge

Alber & Geiger assisted West Pharmaceutical, a US corporation and world market leader in medical devices, paving the way for PFAS ban exemptions for their products. The intention was to prevent disruptions in the supply of certain medical devices, where the medicinal products are inseparably connected with the devices, like it is the case with the diabetes pen or with vaccines prefilled in containers and syringes.

Strategy

Our team engaged in a multifaceted approach to safeguard the interests of the medicinal and medical devices. We provided strategic input during the consultation period with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), highlighting the unique needs and safety considerations of specific medical devices. This was followed by an extensive outreach to stakeholders within the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the EU member states. Our efforts focused on educating decision-makers about the indispensable role of PFAS in medicinal products and medical devices and the potential supply chain risks posed by a PFAS ban.

Results

Our advocacy efforts led to a pivotal development in the regulatory landscape on medical devices. Our targeted approach opened the door to potential derogations of several years for specific medical applications where there is substantial evidence that viable alternatives to PFAS do not exist. This ensures that essential medical devices remain available and effective, safeguarding patient care and industry stability.

Challenge

Alber & Geiger was retained by Terna, one of the leading construction companies in Greece, who was awarded the contract to construct and operate the Greek part of the 4,400km Central Motorway (E65) connecting Malmö in Sweden to Chania in Greece.

With only one section of the Greek part completed since the award of the tender, Terna relied on our support to get the approval for both the northern and southern sections of the motorway that had been pending for years under the European Commission’s State aid rules.

Strategy

Alber & Geiger targeted key officials in different Directorates of the European Commission to overcome the impasse on the State aid clearance. Alber & Geiger worked in tandem with Members of the European Parliament to gain support for the completion of the two remaining parts of the E65 motorway. We attached language that emphasised the strategic European dimension of that North-South axis through the EU, an EU project that actually had been planned for decades.

We also pointed out the contribution of the E65 motorway to competition and regional development. Moreover, we focused on the E65’s strategic importance for Greece, the South-East Europe region and the European transport road network, as well as its positive impact on jobs, tourism and investment.

Results

Our ability to combine legal, economic, social and political arguments ensured the approval of the entire project under the EU State aid rules. The European Commission cleared the funding for the construction of the southern part of the motorway. Later, the European Commission cleared the path for the construction of the northern section of the E65.