Corporate Europe Observatory

Exposing the power of corporate lobbying in the EU

An open door for GMOs? – take action on the EU-US Free Trade Agreement

May 22nd 2013Trade, Agribusiness

At the end of June, the European Union and the US will officially launch negotiations for a new free trade agreement known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The plan is to create the world's largest free trade area, 'protect' investment and harmonize regulation. While appealing to big business, the trade treaty poses a serious threat for citizens on both sides of the Atlantic, as it could weaken labour, social, environmental and consumer protection standards. One of the greatest risks includes US negotiators using the trade deal to push for the EU to open its plates and fields up to GM crops.

Europe cannot drill its way to a low-carbon economy, say climate justice groups

May 21st 2013Climate and Energy

The European Union (EU) and their national governments are set to discuss increased shale gas extraction in Europe which will increase environmental and social harm as well as dangerous climate change. Under the rhetoric of boosting growth, productivity and employment, lays the intention of furthering fossil fuel extraction including shale gas.

Economic governance in Europe - the case of the ECB and the Banking Union

May 16th 2013

Public debate about the series of EU laws which are fundamentally restructuring economic and political governance in the EU.The debate will address the current developments, in particular the development of a Banking Union. Thursday 23rd of May, 9.30-11.30 AM, Brussels.

Court ruling over privileged access for business in EU-India free trade talks

May 15th 2013Trade

The EU's General Court has announced a date for the judgement in Corporate Europe Observatory's legal action, suing the European Commission for withholding information related to the EU’s free trade talks with India. The Commission is accused of discriminating in favour of corporate lobby groups and of violating the EU’s transparency rules. The judgement will be delivered on 7 June 2013.

OLAF's leaked Dalligate report underlines need to end tobacco lobbyist's role as EU ethics adviser

May 8th 2013Lobbycracy

The report shows that Petite had a central role in the events that led to Dalli's forced resignation (under yet to be clarified circumstances, following bribery accusations) in mid-October 2012. Petite assisted tobacco company Swedish Match in submitting the complaint that triggered the OLAF investigation into the Dalli case, using his access to the Commission's Secretary-General Catherine Day, a former colleague at the European Commission.

Older entries

Lobbyists register failing to improve transparency, new report shows

Brussels, 25 June - The EU Transparency Register, jointly launched by the European Commission and the Parliament a year ago today (Monday), fails to give a full and accurate picture of lobbying activities in Brussels, according to a new report by the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (Alter-EU) [1].

The world’s biggest trade fair

The BMW cars are a classic example of greenwash. Electric cars are of course greener than conventional cars, but the BMW exhibition gives a misleading positive image of the company, whose main business continues to be selling petrol-guzzling luxury cars. It is only a few years ago that BMW took the lead in the massive car industry lobby campaign that seriously weakened EU proposals for stricter CO2 standards for cars1.

Despite outcry against corporate capture of Rio+20, business lobbies want a bigger formal role in UN talks

Big business is out in full force at the Rio+20 summit. At Business Day during Rio+20, Louise Kantrow of the International Chamber of Commerce received thunderous applause when she highlighted that they were part of “the largest business delegation ever to attend a UN conference”. “Business needs to take the lead and we are taking the lead,” she added.

Big business to save the world?

The contrast could not have been greater. I had spent the whole day attending the Rio+20 Business Day, held in a luxury hotel on the beach side, listening to one business speaker after the other argue that voluntary initiatives by industry, if scaled up, are the solution to the world’s social and environmental crisis. When I took the bus back to the other side of Rio de Janeiro, I didn’t get off in time and found myself in an unknown street, where my attention was caught by drumming and a loud amplified voice. In the square nextdoor there was a demonstration, a thousand or more people demonstrating against corporate exploitation of people and the environment.

Rio+20 summit under siege from corporate lobbyists

The UN's Rio+20 summit this week will be the target of unprecedented levels of industry activity, including lobbying and greenwash. At the same time, there is growing critique of the corporate capture of the UN - with UN agencies appearing to endorse greenwashing without any criticism.This article is also available in French.

Recent blogs

An open door for GMOs? – take action on the EU-US Free Trade Agreement

Court ruling over privileged access for business in EU-India free trade talks

Tackling tax evasion: will the Commission listen to anyone but industry?

As the European Commission closes the application process for its new Tax Good Governance Platform in the midst of more scandalous news of offshore tax avoidance and evasion, it needs to learn from past mistakes and not allow the Platform to become a lobby tool of the financial industry.

ALTER-EU en de strijd om data privacy

The battle for data privacy sets digital rights activists against what Commission Vice-President Reding describes as some of the most aggressive industry lobbying she has ever witnessed. Areas of ALTER-EU's work that are important in the fight for data privacy are the demand for a mandatory lobbying register to end lobbying secrecyand shutting the revolving door for employees between EU institutions and private lobbying firms.

ALTER-EU e la battaglia per la privacy

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