Lobbying the EU

How vulnerable are the EU institutions to undue corporate influence, and what gaps exist in EU lobbying and ethics rules?

Roundup Cocktail

Lobby transparency

Hidden contracts? Corporate lobby spending in EU member states in the spotlight

Corporate Europe Observatory filed a complaint to the Register regarding the inaccurate, low-ball lobby spending figures declared by both Monsanto and its lobby firm FleishmanHillard. In response the Register’s secretariat has now announced it will present new guidelines to make sure registrants will include their lobbying spending at national level if it concerns EU policy-making. This should generate a far more realistic picture of corporate lobby spending in the EU.

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Research & innovation

In the Name of Innovation

A detailed summary of the findings and conclusions of two extensive reports on research public-private partnerships in the EU: the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) and the Bio-Based Industries (BBI) Joint Undertakings.

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Research & innovation

Research & Destroy

BBI is a public-private partnership between lobby groups representing the agribusiness, forestry, biotechnology, chemical, and fossil fuel industries on the one hand, and the European Commission’s DG Research & Innovation, ostensibly to help build a “sustainable low-carbon economy”.

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More Private than Public

This report asks whether the IMI’s health research truly delivers tangible benefits for citizens, such as better access to health innovations, or whether it is rather focused on enhancing the competitiveness of the largest pharmaceutical corporations?

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EU Watchdog Radio: Episode 5

EU Watchdog Radio is a new podcast hosted jointly by CEO and Counter Balance. In the fifth episode, we talk with two experts from civil society organisations about the role of big financial institutions or companies in the economic recovery and Green Deal. Red line: there is enough money to finance climate proof and socially just change, but we need more scrutiny of how and where that money is being used.

Corona Lobby Watch

Corona Lobby Watch

Lobbyists for many industries are opportunistically repackaging old demands, or developing new ones, and using the Corona Crisis to justify them, even though in many cases there is no clear link to the health emergency. We set up Corona Lobby Watch to monitor the moves of 'Coronawashing' lobbyists .

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Coronawash alert!

The coronavirus pandemic is affecting the lives of billions across the globe; yet corporate lobbyists in Brussels are determined not to let a good crisis go to waste.

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EU Watchdog Radio: Episode 4

EU Watchdog Radio is a new podcast hosted jointly by CEO and Counter Balance. In the fourth episode, we talk with five experts from civil society organisations about the Covid-19 crisis. The virus as an X-ray: it brings various societal problems that already existed to light.

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Fossil free politics

Croatia’s love affair with dirty energy

Council presidency sponsorship, high-profile events, new fossil fuel investments…. Corporate Europe Observatory turns a quizzical eye on the Croatian Government’s love affair with the fossil fuel industry.

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Financial crisis

Banking regulator scores another own goal

After letting its Director leave to head finance lobby group AFME, the European Banking Authority chose to nominate a successor who used to be a lobbyist for the same group. That is just of one of the reasons for the European Parliament to reject Gerry Cross as head of the EBA.

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Corporate Europe Observatory awarded 5 star transparency rating

Corporate Europe Observatory is proud to announce that our funding transparency has been evaluated by Transparify and awarded the highest rating, 5 stars.

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EU institutions

Croatian Council Presidency oiled by fossil fuel interests

At a time when the climate crisis is dominating world headlines, for the Croatian Council presidency to accept sponsorship from a fossil fuel company absolutely beggars belief.

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