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

Campaign and film launched to halt expansion of GM crops

The European Commission is currently considering reviving talks to approve 25 new GM-crops for cultivation in Europe – including crops resistant to the pesticide RoundUp and insecticide-producing varieties of GM maize, soybean and sugarbeet. Environment and agriculture organisations have launched a new campaign today to prevent the further spread of genetically modified (GM) crops in Europe.

Lobby Planet: Guía de los lobbies en Bruselas

Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) acaba de publicar la versión en castellano de su Lobby Planet, una guía para entender el oscuro mundo del lobbying empresarial en Bruselas. Subraya cuáles son los principales actores en esta historia, dónde se sitúan sus oficinas y qué tácticas y estrategias usan para influir en las decisiones que se toman en la Unión Europea.

Cuando la injusticia es negocio

Un selecto club de despachos de abogados internacionales, árbitros y especuladores financieros están alimentando un auge del arbitraje de inversiones que cuesta a los ciudadanos miles de millones de dólares y frena legislación que favorecería al interés público. Los casos más conocidos incluyen la demanda de la tabacalera Philip Morris a Uruguay y Australia por las advertencias de salud en los paquetes de cigarrillos; o el proceso abierto por la multinacional energética sueca Vattenfall que pedía 3.700 millones a Alemania por la decisión de este país de renunciar gradualmente a la energía nuclear. "Cuando la injusticia es negocio" desenmascara el secreto pero floreciente negocio legal que se beneficia de estas disputas, a costa de los ciudadanos, el medio ambiente y los derechos humanos.

Reversing the trend: towards public water

Be it out of sheer ignorance or because it is serving narrow corporate interests, or both, the European Commission is pushing for water supply privatisation in Europe precisely when the business model that this policy wants to support is dying.

The dangers of the Two-pack

The Commission is lashing out towards member states, such as Belgium, that haven't followed the desired course sufficiently. With the "two-pack" it will be easier to force them. They usher in stronger EU control of national budgets, a new type of adjustment programmes, and a consolidation of the Troika approach to indebted member states.

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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