The pressure is rising

Earlier this evening, on Radio 4, I heard Lord Rooker interviewed about barometers!
It seems that the EU has decided that mercury is so dangerous, that on health & safety grounds, all manner of restrictions must be introduced. Various people cry foul, and euro-sceptics brandish their indignation......
So the Minister comes on the radio to explain. He thinks the EU is right, but the British Government, he says has ensured that repairing existing barometers etc will still be allowed.
But the British Barometer Makers' Association doesn't agree....!
What caught my ear was when Lord Rooker added - just to be helpful - that there had been a consultation - but that the BBMA hadn't replied !!!

Now I clearly don't know the details (maybe the BBMA might let me know) but the Consultation Institute is aware that this is not an isolated example. How often, I wonder, do small representative bodies fail to organise themselves so that consultations that could be vital for them don't appear on their radar until it's too late.
And how often do consultors fail to engage with all the stakeholders they should?

I am looking for examples, explanations, but better still, ways to avoid this perennial problem.