Articles

An open letter to the European Parliament

CEO has today published a leaked version of the European Commission's communication strategy for overcoming public skepticism about the controversial EU-US trade negotiations, the so-called Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The document was discussed at a meeting with EU member states on Friday 22 November. In order to "reduce fears and avoid a mushrooming of doubts", the Commission proposes to "further localise our communication effort at Member State level in a radically different way to what has been done for past trade initiatives".

What lessons can we learn from the US experience of a mandatory lobby register? As MEPs consider whether to opt for a mandatory EU lobby register, CEO analyses the myths and facts surrounding the US system.

ICT companies, led by US digital giants such as Facebook, Google and Amazon, have been waging a ‘lobbying war’ to weaken the EU’s proposal for a new data protection directive, according to a documentary recently broadcast on Flemish public TV. The documentary exposed how Belgian MEP Louis Michel (who was the EU’s Commissioner for development from 2004 to 2009) submitted 229 amendments, of which over 100 were heavily inspired by corporate lobbyists. In the spotlight of the cameras, Michel felt obliged to withdraw over 80 of ‘his’ amendments before the vote.

140 organisations from all over the world released this statement to say ‘No to biodiversity offsetting’ at the opening of the World Forum on Natural Capital in Edinburgh. The statement was launched in a counter forum on Natural Commons taking place in Edinburgh at the same time. CEO is one of the signatories.

Over 75 organisations from across global civil society released a letter this morning calling on the United Nations and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to implement new rules to safeguard the global climate talks from the undue influence of the fossil fuel industry.

Black-listed from the coal summit, inside the business day and at loggerheads with the US Chamber of Commerce. The first few days of the second week of the international climate talks in Warsaw have been a busy time for a fly on the wall reporter of the corporate capture of COP19.

COP19, which followed the horror of typhoon Yolanda devastating the Philippines, is ignoring the crucial questions – how are we going to leave fossils fuel in the ground? How do we ensure a just transition? How do we make sure the North pays its climate debt to the South? The UNFCCC was meant to be the forum to discuss all this and find way forwards. However, lack of political will and the capitulation to corporate pressure is preventing this from happening.