The Challenge: Competitors often influence EU regulatory frameworks in ways that entrench their market advantages—technical standards favouring incumbent technologies, market access requirements privileging established players, or exemptions benefiting specific business models. By the time these provisions appear in published proposals, competitive damage is embedded and the window for counteraction has narrowed. Organisations discover too late that policy outcomes are shaped by who participates in Brussels conversations, not who has better products. Why It Happens: EU legislative processes include extensive pre-formal consultation where Commission services gather technical input from industry stakeholders. Organisations with Brussels presence participate in expert groups, technical working groups, and informal consultations where policy options are explored before formal drafting begins. Those without such knowledge learn of proposals only at public consultation—after core policy directions are set and institutional stakeholders have formed positions. Competitors shape the problem definition and solution space before others know the file exists. Our Solution: Cultivate Partners positions you strategically in pre-legislative policy discussions and expert stakeholder networks—Commission expert groups, Parliament committee preparatory hearings, and Council working group exploratory phases. We ensure your perspectives inform problem framing and technical option development before legislative drafting begins, preventing competitors from establishing unchallenged narratives about industry practices, technical feasibility, or economic impacts. The Outcome: Policy influence parity with competitors who have established Brussels operations. You can present alternative technical approaches, challenge competitor-promoted assumptions, and ensure your operational realities receive equivalent consideration. Policy becomes a level playing field or strategic opportunity rather than a competitor advantage. How We Deliver: Systematic monitoring of pre-formal consultation opportunities and direct facilitation of your participation in expert stakeholder forums. We identify which Commission consultations, Parliament working groups, and industry roundtables are shaping upcoming legislation, then secure meaningful participation—not token representation. Your voice enters policy formation when it matters most: before positions harden and before competitors establish frameworks favoring their interests.