Lobbying the EU

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

Conflicts of interest

Thierry Breton, the corporate commissioner?

10.11.2019

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.

Stop top EU banking supervisor from moving to the finance lobby

23.10.2019

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.

EU institutions

Reform of Council transparency in stalemate

10.10.2019

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

Revolving doors

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

27.09.2019

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 .

Conflicts of interest

New Commission: Shadows of corruption and conflicts of interest

25.09.2019

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.

FleishmanHillard’s secret lobby campaign for Monsanto

19.09.2019

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.

Single market

Über influential?

05.09.2019

Platforms like Uber and Airbnb are waging a multifaceted lobbying campaign in Brussels to undermine social and workers' rights - and the Commission in particular, is working to help the platforms evade rules meant, for example, to ensure decent working conditions and access to housing. This report shows how the platforms operate.

EU institutions

Who should the EU hire?

19.07.2019

In preparation for the complicated process of hiring 27 new EU Commissioners, Corporate Europe Observatory presents an outline of the ideal profile of Commissioner candidates.

Fossil free politics

EU Parliamentarians buckle under ExxonMobil lobby pressure

16.04.2019

Despite strong calls from MEPs and the public, ExxonMobil and its lobby groups mobilise enough behind-the-scenes pressure to stop the European Parliament taking away its lobby badges

EU institutions

Captured states

06.02.2019

Member states play a hugely important role in EU decision-making, but too often they act as middlemen for corporate interests. This report combines case studies, original research, and analysis to illustrate the depth of the problem – and what you can do about it.

EU institutions

Lobbying at Permanent Representations of Member States

06.02.2019

Check out who lobbies the Permanent Representations of Romania, the Netherlands, and Ireland by viewing the datasets provided to CEO.

Covert lobbying

Promoting the indefensible: Saudi Arabia’s Brussels lobby shop

28.01.2019

There can be few more controversial clients for a lobbying consultancy than the regime of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. No surprises, then, that a Brussels-based lobbying firm has been less than forthcoming about its role. Corporate Europe Observatory lifts the lid on the company lobbying on behalf of this repressive regime.

Lobbying the EU

Thierry Breton, the corporate commissioner?

Stop top EU banking supervisor from moving to the finance lobby

Reform of Council transparency in stalemate

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

New Commission: Shadows of corruption and conflicts of interest

FleishmanHillard’s secret lobby campaign for Monsanto

Über influential?

Who should the EU hire?

EU Parliamentarians buckle under ExxonMobil lobby pressure

Captured states

Lobbying at Permanent Representations of Member States

Promoting the indefensible: Saudi Arabia’s Brussels lobby shop

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