AMI and BIPAR alliance aims to put UK issues on EU agenda

The Association of Mortgage Inter­mediaries (AMI) plans to ramp up its presence in Europe in a bid to lobby the European Parliament more effectively on issues affecting UK intermediaries.

AMI recently travelled to Brussels with the Association of IFAs (AIFA) in order to build a relationship with BIPAR, the European federation of insurance intermediaries.

Richard Farr, recently appointed director at AMI, said the body was now aimed at becoming much more involved with European issues. "It is important we make good contacts in Europe," he said. "At best, it means they can give me a call and let me know when Parliament is debating things that will affect intermediaries, but also it will provide an early warning system for us."

Farr said while a piece of legislation could take several years to come to fruition, there were restricted periods during which trade bodies could lobby the European Parliament. "Being involved with BIPAR is a time-efficient and cost-effective way of keeping our finger on the pulse in Europe," he added.

Catherine Boyle, spokeswoman for the UK office of the European Parliament, said it was an excellent time for AMI to increase its European focus.

However, disputing there were limited opportunities for lobbying, she added: "There is plenty of warning about lobbying from the very beginning, when the Commission is deciding whether it even needs legislation or not. It is only when it is making amendments to legislation that you have to be quick off the mark."