Corporate Europe Observatory

Exposing the power of corporate lobbying in the EU

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Stepping Stones

May 8, 2012 - 16:03

During the crisis in Greece, there has been a tendency to look inwards within national boundaries, despite the need to move beyond them. This tendency has ebbed and flowed. Often it has felt like the “6 pack” governance rules or the fiscal compact that have brought permanent disastrous changes to the EU’s institutional landscape, are one step removed from the immediate concerns of rapid social and economic disintegration.

Mr. Walden Bello, Member of Philippine Parliament, denied entry to Belgium.

May 5, 2012 - 16:04

 

Das Brüssel Business – Wer leitet eigentlich die EU?

April 6, 2012 - 10:59
In Österreich ist am 16. März ein neuer Film präsentiert worden, der die Macht der Industrielobby in Brüssel beleuchtet. Die Regisseure haben sich schon am Anfang ihres Projektes mit Corporate Europe Observatory in Verbidung gesetzt. Der Film zeigt die Geschichte des Einflusses der Industrielobby in der EU seit den 1980er Jahren. Unserer ersten Arbeit wird darin viel Raum und Aufmerksamkeit gegeben.

The Brussels Business – Who Runs the European Union?

March 16, 2012 - 10:29
The Brus$els Business - Who Runs the European Union? - which puts the spotlight on the power of the lobbying industry in Brussels - is to have its Belgian Premiere at the Millenium Documentary Film Festival in Brussels on Thursday 19 April 2012. Corporate Europe Observatory was approached by the filmmakers at the start of their project and our early work features prominently in the film, which tells the story of how industry lobby groups heavily influenced the EU's development from the 1980s onwards.

Inspired by big business: the EU Austerity Treaty

March 8, 2012 - 15:28
The Treaty signed by 25 EU member states on 2nd of March 2012 includes several policy demands made by BusinessEurope. It is the big business lobby's dream come true, but it will put enormous pressure on ordinary people's welfare and living standards.

Breaking with fear in Greece

February 17, 2012 - 10:44

“The streets of Athens erupted with some of the worst rioting and political violence seen in the country in years.” “Rioting Greeks torched buildings and looted dozens of shops as they battled police in central Athens to protest harsh austerity measures.” These were some of the headlines of the global corporate media about last Sunday’s demonstrations in Greece, often accompanied by photos of burned down buildings.

CEO supports today's strike in Belgium

January 30, 2012 - 09:03
The strike organised by Belgian trade unions today is a very important statement against the austerity policies that are currently introduced in Belgium and across Europe, causing social injustice and deepening the economic crisis. The unions very clearly emphasise the problematic role of the EU which, as the ABVV-FGTB union states, "forces the member states into a blind austerity policy". The strike happens on the day where EU leaders meet for a two-day summit in Brussels to agree on a new EU treaty that will take further sweeping steps in imposing rigid budget discipline and austerity policies across the continent. Strikes like the one today and other forms of citizens' protests are exactly what is needed to save European welfare states and prevent the crisis from spiralling out of control.

What are bankers doing inside EU summits?

January 23, 2012 - 14:40
Crucial decisions “to save the Euro” and “to save Greece” were made at the Euro Summits in July and October 2011. While the decision making process was taking place, the press reported several informal negotiations between EU leaders and the banks, mostly represented by the Institute of International Finance (IIF). What was exactly the role of this lobby group in the final decisions? And what did it get from the deal?

Rio+20 and the greenwashing of the global economy

January 13, 2012 - 00:00

 

The goal of the summit is to assess progress made since the Earth Summit as well as address new challenges. On the agenda will be institutional reform of governance on global environment issues, which could lead to strengthening of UNEP (the French government’s proposal for a World Environment Organisation is not going to happen). The most intense discussion in the preparatory process is around the ‘Green Economy’ agenda promoted by UNEP, a concept that could replace ‘sustainable development’ as the dominant discourse.

 

Banks profit on hunger

January 12, 2012 - 12:39
European banks, pension funds and insurance companies are increasing global hunger and poverty by speculating on food prices and financing land grabs in poorer countries, according to Farming Money, a new report just released.

Pages

Rio+20

More on Rio+20

Climate and Energy

More on Climate and Energy, More on Agribusiness

EU in crisis

More on EU in crisis

The financial lobby

More on The financial lobby, More on EU in crisis, More on Lobbycracy

Trade

More on Trade

Lobbycracy

More on Lobbycracy

Revolving Doors

More on Revolving Doors

Agribusiness

More on Climate and Energy, More on Agribusiness

EFSA

More on Lobbycracy, More on Revolving Doors, More on Agribusiness, More on EFSA

The Brussels Business: Who runs the EU?

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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