Lobbying the EU

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

Farkas, Cross and the revolving door

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.

Transparify- 5 stars

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.

oil rig in coast

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.

EBA Director Farkas (right) and EBA Chair Campa (left) are in the spotlight over revolving doors problems. (Edited image. Photos: EBA)

European Banking Authority disregards conflicts of interest

Internal documents reveal a real disregard for ethics rules at the European Banking Authority. Revolving door scandals include the Director’s move to a powerful finance lobby group, and a former big bank lobbyist as Chair.

EU institutions

Will Croatian EU Presidency boost transparency in the Council of the EU?

Civil society from Croatia and across the EU have demanded that the upcoming Croatian Presidency of the EU puts transparency front and centre of its agenda.

Charles Michel letter teaser

EU institutions

Time to stop business-as-usual at the European Council

As Charles Michel takes office as European Council President, ALTER-EU sets him a series of challenges.

Commissioner-designate Thierry Breton

Conflicts of interest

Thierry Breton, the corporate commissioner?

After seeing his first pick for Commissioner rejected by the European Parliament due to concerns of conflict of interests, French President Macron seems to have doubled down with a potentially even more controversial nomination: Thierry Breton, CEO of Atos.

Revolving doors case at the EBA

Stop top EU banking supervisor from moving to the finance lobby

The European Banking Authority must reverse its decision to allow its Director Adam Farkas to take up a position with a powerful finance lobbygroup, AFME. A statement from 58 civil society organisations.

Finalnd transparency

EU institutions

Reform of Council transparency in stalemate

Opening up Council decision-making is essential to counter corporate influence on EU decision-making. But the reform process is currently in stalemate.

Edited version. Photo: EBA

Revolving doors

Laughing all the way to the banks: top finance regulator moves to top lobbyist role

The Director of the European Banking Authority is set to become the new Chief Executive of one of the most powerful finance lobby groups in Europe. The move has been approved by the Authority with a decision that flies in the face of common sense and triggers all sorts of alarm bells over conflicts of interest .

New European Commission 2019

Conflicts of interest

New Commission: Shadows of corruption and conflicts of interest

Some of the candidates put forward to become the new European Commissioners are of concern due to potential conflicts of interest – from share ownership in fossil fuels and finance to overly close relationships with business – and corruption probes, while MEPs complain of a lack of a robust transparency process to properly scrutinise the interests of the Commissioners-designate.

roundup cocktails

FleishmanHillard’s secret lobby campaign for Monsanto

Recent evidence supports widely held suspicions that much larger sums of money are spent by corporations on lobbying than what they declare in their entries to the EU Joint Transparency Register. A report by law firm Sidley Austin, published by Bayer, revealed details of a lobbying contract between lobby firm FleishmanHillard and Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, worth €14.5 million. This is multiple times the lobby spending declared by both companies in the register.

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