Lobbying the EU

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

Looking for real transparency – an open letter to the European Commission’s Chief Scientist

17.10.2013

In this open letter CEO warns against a corporate attack on the precautionary principle. It asks Mrs Anne Glover to stick to her transparency commitments and request the industry to publish in full some toxicologic studies which are of crucial importance for public health.

ALTER-EU seeks intern to work on new campaign

17.10.2013

ALTER-EU is looking for an intern to provide support to the ALTER-EU coordinator and steering committee (consisting of seven civil society groups) on this project. Day to day tasks will vary but you could find yourself: sourcing MEP candidate lists; liaising with activists and campaigners across Europe; working with website designers; spearheading social media actions; and drafting campaign materials. Meanwhile ALTER-EU offers you an opportunity to strengthen your campaign skills and to participate in an exciting pan-European initiative!

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. The Commission's (non-)response to Dalligate

14.10.2013

When the Dalligate scandal hit the headlines, it rocked the Commission but one year on, Barroso has done his best to brush it under the carpet, ignoring the huge loopholes in the lobbying transparency rules and the Code of Conduct for Commissioners which enabled the scandal to take hold in the first place.

EU lobby register review: Parliament vice-president for transparency opposed to improved transparency?

10.10.2013

At Corporate Europe Observatory, we've been receiving a lot of questions recently about the current review of the EU's lobby transparency register, from NGOs, students and journalists: do we know how it is going, what are our expectations? It's hardly surprising that there are questions: the review process so far has happened with virtually no transparency. The ALTER-EU coalition and Transparency International have repeatedly argued that a process which is aimed at boosting transparency should be transparent itself, but so far with no result.

European Commission preparing for EU-US trade talks: 119 meetings with industry lobbyists

04.09.2013

In response to an access to documents request from CEO, the European Commission has released a list of 130 ‘meetings with stakeholders’ on the EU-US free trade talks. It shows that more than 93% of the Commission’s meetings with stakeholders during the preparations of the negotiations were with big business.

Complaint filed against Philip Morris for under-reporting EU lobby expenses

08.10.2013

As MEPs vote on controversial tobacco legislation in Strasbourg, Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) has today filed a complaint about Philip Morris International’s lobbying transparency – or lack of.

Investor privileges (ISDS)

Updated: A transatlantic corporate bill of rights - investor privileges in EU-US trade deal threaten public interest

04.10.2013

The EU negotiating mandate for a far-reaching free trade agreement with the US reveals the European Commission’s plans to enshrine more powers for corporations in the deal. The proposal follows a persistent campaign by industry lobby groups and law firms to empower large companies to challenge regulations both at home and abroad if they affect their profits.

Open Letter about Philip Morris lobbying activities

01.10.2013

Eleven public health and transparency NGOs, including CEO, have written to the President of the European Parliament to express their concern about the large number of undisclosed meetings between MEPs and tobacco lobbyists. Leaked documents show 233 MEPs met Philip Morris International lobbyists. The NGOs ask Schulz to take action to ensure proper implementation of World Health Organisation's rules to protect the Parliament from tobacco industry lobby influence.

Letting the London lobbyists off the hook

03.09.2013

The proposed Bill to regulate lobbying will be discussed in the House of Commons this week and it has managed to unite MPs on both sides of the House in derision. One Labour MP has called it a "dog's breakfast", while a Conservative MP said that was inaccurate because "far more thought has gone into pet nutrition". So what is wrong with the Bill?

From cigarettes to coconuts: Dalli’s Bahamas trips and the Commissioners’ Code of Conduct

19.07.2013

Recent revelations about dubious dealings by former Commissioner John Dalli in the Bahamas, involving millions of euros and international con artists, have opened the door to a new chapter of Dalligate. However this new chapter may end, there are some clear implications for the ethics rules intended to govern Commissioners.

Tobacco lobbyists all fired up ahead of key vote

08.07.2013

With a crucial European Parliament ENVI committee vote on new tobacco legislation taking place later this week, this new report sheds some light on the extent and scope of tobacco lobbying in the Parliament.

Complaint forces European Privacy Association to confirm Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are corporate backers

18.06.2013

The register secretariat has now informed CEO that the changes introduced by EPA "meet the requirements" and that they have therefore decided to close the case. But while the EPA's updated register entry now discloses its corporate backers, it remains silent about its links with lobby consultancy firms Competere and DCI Group.