Between the lines: corporate interest shapes the narrative over Draghi’s Report

Lobby watchdogs LobbyControl and Corporate Europe Observatory have reviewed the Italian economist's list of meetings and written contributions and raised concerns about corporate interests shaping the report.

In fact, over the 236 contributions received, 157 were made by corporate organisations, the watchdog organisations counted. These submissions, representing 65% of the total, include companies and groups such as Amazon and BusinessEurope, trade and business associations such as the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), and professional consultancies such as The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). 

This figure is particularly worrying when compared to the 12 submissions from NGOs, trade unions, and consumer and patient organisations, which represent only 5% of the submissions received. In preparing his report, Draghi failed to seek adequate input from civil society groups and trade unions. In May, civil society groups criticised the lack of transparency and inclusiveness in an open letter. Draghi, however, did not even bother to respond to the letter.  

Olivier Hoedeman, Corporate Europe Observatory Research and Campaign Coordinator, says: 

“The report's unjustified negative perspective on regulation and its embrace of an aggressive deregulation agenda reflect the influence of corporate lobby groups. Large parts of Draghi’s Report read like a corporate wishlist. 

With such heavily biased input, it’s less surprising that the report fails to adequately address the scale of the ecological crisis and social inequality in Europe. This report does not deserve the high-level endorsement it has been given by the von der Leyen Commission.” 

Max Bank, Researcher and Campaigner at LobbyControl, says:

“Despite our criticism during the process of writing, Draghi has primarily interacted with business lobbyists and sidelined civil society groups. Due to the one-sided process, Commission President Von der Leyen should not make the report a key reference in her mission statements for the next Commission term.”

ENDS

For media inquiries, please contact 

Olivier Hoedeman, Corporate Europe Observatory Research and Campaign Coordinator

olivier@corporateeurope.org

+32 4 74486545

Max Bank, Researcher and Campaigner at LobbyControl 

m.bank@lobbycontrol.de

+49 30 467267211

Marcella Via, Corporate Europe Observatory Press Officer

media@corporateeurope.org

+39 3484201435

Notes to editor

• In September, Corporate Europe Observatory published a new article on competitiveness and lobby pressure to make it the top priority in the political guidelines for the new European Commission released by von der Leyen on 18 July.
• In April, LobbyControl published an article (in German) on how the current debate on “competitiveness” may shape the path to increasing monopoly power in Europe.