Corporate Europe Observatory

Exposing the power of corporate lobbying in the EU

Revolving Doors

 

Read about people who've gone through the revolving door

Brussels is home to one of the highest concentrations of political power in the world and the revolving door is one of the most important ways in which lobbyists can influence the political agenda in Brussels. When senior European decision-makers leave office and go straight into lobby jobs, or when lobbyists join the EU institutions, the risk of significant conflicts of interest is great, undermining democratic, public-interest decision-making. CEO is working with the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU) to challenge the revolving door and to demand that it is effectively regulated.

Together we demand the following:

  • A mandatory cooling-off period (or ban) of at least two years for all EU institution staff members entering new posts which involve lobbying or advising on lobbying, or any other role which provoke a conflict of interest with their work as an EU official
  • Tackling the loopholes in the current rules including the exclusion of staff working as 'contract agents'
  • Scrutiny of all staff joining EU institutions for potential conflicts of interest. Where there is a potential conflict of interest between their old job and their new EU role, those persons must recuse themselves from such matters
  • Ensure sufficient resourcing to be able to investigate and monitor revolving door cases
  • Publish a full and updated list of all revolving door cases on EU institutions’ websites

As part of our work, CEO co-ordinates RevolvingDoorWatch which highlights cases where the EU institutions may have failed to adequately regulate the risk of conflicts of interest arising from the revolving door. You can contact us or send information to revolvingdoorwatch@corporateeurope.org

Recently, the European Parliament has been looking at the Commission's proposals to reform the rules which set out EU staff's rights and responsibilities. The Legal Affairs committee has voted to tighten the Revolving Door rules - we hope that the Plenary will maintain this commitment to block the revolving door! 

ALTER-EU in the battle for data privacy

May 6, 2013 - 08:08
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.

EU Ombudsman launches investigation into Commission’s alleged failure to curb conflicts of interest via the revolving door

February 14, 2013 - 11:23
The European Ombudsman has launched an investigation into the European Commission's alleged failure to prevent conflicts of interest among staff as a result of the revolving door - where EU staff take up jobs with lobby firms and vice versa.

Why is the EU lagging in its political recognition of the revolving-door? A Petite problem

January 30, 2013 - 14:03
The longer term effects of the revolving door between public officials and private sector lobbyists have been graphically illustrated in the wake of the Dalligate lobby scandal, in the case of Michel Petite. Five years on, Petite represents the legal interests of corporate clients to the Commission. Aside from the nutty Commission decision to reappoint him as an ethical adviser on the revolving door, the Petite case illustrates that the upper echelons of political power at the European Commission still don't take the problem of the revolving-door seriously. The EU is seriously lagging behind our neighbours across the Atlantic, in the U.S. and Canada.

Banking on the revolving door: Rules full of loopholes for former finance officials

January 23, 2013 - 16:01
Behind a de-regulated financial sector and pro-banking policy decisions, there lies the story of an intimate relationship between the financial sector and the EU institutions. The revolving door phenomenon, which creates a web of interplaying interests between the lobbyists and the lobbied, as one smoothly transitions into the other, is a significant part of this picture.

Revealed: EU's revolving door facilitates tobacco lobby meetings

December 10, 2012 - 16:21
While leaving most issues unclear, the Commission’s response to Parliamentary questions about Dalligate has revealed some disturbing new facts. Behind closed doors meetings with tobacco lobbyists are facilitated by the revolving door – when former public officials become lobbyists, often in the same policy areas.

Commission's Refusal to Block Revolving Door triggers Ombudsman Complaint

October 16, 2012 - 13:51
The Commission's laissez-faire approach to the "revolving door" has allowed former employees to sell their knowledge and influence to industry, while industry lobbyists are recruited to work on the staff. Rules exist, but are not being properly implemented - and when breaches do occur, no real sanctions are imposed. Corporate Europe Observatory joined Greenpeace, Lobbycontrol and Spinwatch to submit a complaint to the European Ombudsman, as we believe this situation undermines the credibility of EU decision making, and contributes to the corporate capture of the EU.

Ombudsman complaint on Commission failure to curb revolving doors

October 16, 2012 - 11:47
Lobby transparency campaigners have filed a complaint with the EU Ombudsman, raising concerns about the European Commission's failure to deal with the problem of Commission staff going through the ’revolving door‘ to jobs in the private sector

Better control of EU revolving door needed

July 25, 2012 - 14:45
The revolving door has been in the headlines again in recent weeks with the speedy departure of a top official from the EU's medicines agency to a prominent law firm. Such moves, known as going through the revolving door, can allow the private sector to 'capture' or unduly influence the work of the public sector and it is vital that all public authorities including the EU agencies and the European Commission take this threat seriously. This example and other recent revolving door cases again raise questions as to how well the EU institutions implement the current rules, and whether the Commission will seize the initiative to tighten up on the loopholes which undermine them.

When business and politics intertwine

July 23, 2012 - 16:30
It seems as if barely a week goes past these days without a high-level summit taking place in Brussels to discuss issues relating to the euro-zone crisis. Much has been said about the roots of the crisis but no one can deny that in the background is the lack of trust that people have in their national politicians and European institutions.

The MEP code of conduct: six months on

July 2, 2012 - 11:38
“The new code of conduct will be a strong shield against unethical behaviour.” That was the verdict of the then European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek who had just shepherded the new MEP code of conduct through both his own European People's Party (EPP) group and the rest of Parliament. The development of the code followed the cash-for-influence scandal which saw three MEPs disgraced for tabling amendments in return for payment or lucrative second jobs and greater transparency via the new code was supposed to stop MEPs from ending up in the pockets of wealthy lobbyists. The code came into force on 1 January 2012, so six months on – how well has it fared so far?

Σελίδες

Rio+20

More on Rio+20

Climate and Energy

More on Climate and Energy, More on Trade

EU in crisis

More on The financial lobby, More on EU in crisis

The financial lobby

More on The financial lobby, More on EU in crisis

Global Europe

More on Trade

Lobbycracy

More on Lobbycracy

Revolving Doors

More on Revolving Doors

Agribusiness

More on Lobbycracy, More on Agribusiness

EFSA

More on Lobbycracy, More on Agribusiness, More on EFSA


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Corporate Europe Observatory

Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) is a research and campaign group working to expose and challenge the privileged access and influence enjoyed by corporations and their lobby groups in EU policy making.

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