To secure a rapid and sufficient supply of vaccines and medicines, the global south has asked for a waiver of intellectual property rights. But despite the gravity of the situation, that is rejected outright by the EU. That should not come as a surprise. A briefing from CEO outlines the EU's traditional role as a staunch defender of big pharma monopolies, and how the push for provisions on 'data exclusivity' in trade agreements with third countries have seeked to undermine even existing flexibility under international rules.

Chemical giant's lobbyists woo MEPs via online wine tasting, just as the battle over pesticides reduction proposed by the European Green Deal heats up. But does this event comply with existing rules on lobbying gifts and events targeting MEPs?

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.

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

In this new episode we’ll talk to two experts - Dimitri Eynikel, an expert of Doctors without Borders and CEO-researcher Olivier Hoedeman- on how the EU is dealing with the new phase of the pandemic, with a special focus on the still unresolved unequal access of large parts of the world to Covid-19 vaccines, new medicines and therapeutics. Experts have long warned that if the global population does not have access to vaccines, new variants of the virus will emerge and hit us back.

In the run up to the World Trade Organisation summit in December 2021, negotiations over a waiver of patents on COVID-19 medical products are entering a crucial stage. The waiver, so far blocked by the EU, is desperately needed to scale up global production of vaccines to help the world get out of the pandemic. Unfortunately the EU’s policies for getting these medicines on the market – the Therapeutics Strategy – pays no attention to securing global access and affordability.

As the EU rolls out its 'Therapeutics Strategy' for a range of new COVID-19 treatments, it fails to do what's needed to make these life-saving medicines accessible and affordable for the world's poorest. The EU is repeating the same mistakes it made with COVID vaccines, which remain out of reach for the large majority in low-income countries. This is the conclusion of new research by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) 'Bitter pill: How the EU's defence of pharma profits could keep COVID treatments out of reach for millions'.

Rejected by the climate justice movement, the final COP26 text mirrors the agenda of rich developed countries and their oil and gas industries.

At least 503 fossil fuel lobbyists have been granted access to COP26, flooding the Glasgow conference with corporate influence.

The Paris Climate Agreement states that financial flows should be “consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilient development”. While this crucial issue will be addressed for the first time by the international community at the COP26 , the agenda and proposals on financial flows, have been steered and directed from A to Z by the private financial sector. That is the gloomy reality that is revealed by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) and Transnational institute (TNI) in an analysis released today, just before the third day of COP26, when private finance