Can we really afford to ignore it, or dismiss it as merely the work of "unelected bureaucrats" without trying to understand it a bit better? And can we really afford not to better understand a host of other international policy issues that affect our lives, from the way the World Bank invests its money to the way product standards are set around the world?

Take the EU. Made up of 27 countries, with a population of just under 500 million people and a GDP higher than that of the US, the EU is the largest trading block in the world and a major source of international development aid. Yet, to the average European citizen its workings remain a mystery. Many feel it's impossible to have a say and prefer not to engage, including not just ordinary citizens, but also some very important organisations. In this context, it's hardly surprising that the most recent EU parliament elections had a very low turnout.

EUr Policy aims to do its bit to make Europe, and other crucial global institutions, closer to those who urgently need to engage with them. We are specialised in working with organisations promoting  the public interest - and we are particularly interested in the interaction between social justice, finance and sustainability.

Although we have a strong knowledge of the EU, we also have extensive experience of work on national and global policy issues. Most importantly, whatever your policy or campaign goals,  we'll help you better understand and communicate what these issues really mean for you, your organisation, your stakeholders, your campaigns, and your future. In particular, we believe that issues that initially appear impenetrable, can always be communicated more effectively, without excessive use of jargon - and that this can be done without over-simplifying, or "dumbing down", either.

We don't expect to solve the entire problem of EU democratic legitimacy, or change the way the global financial institutions operate. But we  do want to try to make a difference. We believe more  organisations should be able to engage in seemingly complex issues, as these should be better communicated to wider audiences. We therefore aim to  promote wider understanding of these issues, and help public interest organisations work on them more effectively.