Other battles

Online privacy, clean air, affordable housing, whistleblower protection and much more: which other corporate lobby fights are putting EU public interest on the line?

Environment

Fishing for influence

04.05.2017

A new investigation by Corporate Europe Observatory and Seas at Risk reveals that fishing industry lobbyists have used press passes to access the EU Council building during crucial ministerial negotiations on fishing quotas.

Digital

From Marrakesh to Brussels: the long arm of the EU copyright lobby

21.03.2017

Members of the copyright industry and their political allies are fighting proposed copyright exceptions. For the 285 million blind and visually impaired people globally, such exceptions would provide better access to a wider range of print publications.

Transport

‘Dieselgate’ lessons must be heeded to end industry self-regulation

28.02.2017

The final inquiry report of the European Parliament's 'Dieselgate' committee is about to highlight just how widespread emissions cheating has been among manufacturers, and lines up recommendations for curbing excessive car industry influence over emissions regulations.

Transport

Driving Into Disaster

24.02.2017

‘Dieselgate’ was the result of corporate-driven deregulation. Our new report takes a look at the complicity of the Commission's 'Better Regulation' agenda and at the way member states and European institutions have turned a blind eye to industry-wide abuse.

Health

Will MEPs resist lobby pressure to derail better workplace cancer law?

22.02.2017

Next Tuesday, the European Parliament's employment committee will vote on a directive that, quite literally, is a life-and-death issue. On the table: the revision of EU laws to protect workers from cancer-causing substances at work.

Adapting the EU Directive on Trade Secrets ‘Protection’ into National Law

01.02.2017

Last year, the EU’s trade secrets directive was enacted, but the way it defines these secrets is so broad that it will likely hinder public scrutiny of corporations in Europe. Our new report highlights what legislators and civil society organisations need to watch out for when implementing the directive.

Health

‘Better Regulation’ to make things worse

14.12.2016

Our new report shows how industry lobbies present employee protection against work-related cancers as an 'unnecessary' burden on companies, and explains which tactics have been used to weaken and delay the European Union's revision of the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive.

Health

Ombudsman’s final ruling slams European Commission for maladministration, violating UN tobacco lobby rules

08.12.2016

CEO welcomes the very strongly worded final ruling by European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly in her inquiry into the Commission’s implementation of UN rules for contacts with tobacco industry lobbyists.

Environment

How industry lobbying got toxic artificial sports fields exempted from new EU REACH rules

11.10.2016

A documentary program broadcast on Dutch TV last week has sparked major concerns about the health risks of playing football on artificial turf fields made with rubber granulate from old car tyres. Corporate lobbying seems to have been behind the lack of regulation of these surfaces used by thousands of children every week.

Environment

Brussels-based lobby firm accused of running ‘litter prevention’ industry front group

05.10.2016

Flemish daily De Standaard last week reported on the remarkable fact that Clean Europe Network – a coalition of litter prevention organisations – is run by Eamonn Bates, a veteran Brussels lobby firm that also chairs Pack2Go, the lobby group of companies producing plastic bottles, disposable cups and other packaging.

Brazil’s new government imposes Rio water privatisation to pay for Olympic Games

14.07.2016

In CEO's December 2015 interview with Renato Cinco, the City Councillor and chair of Rio’s Special Committee on the Water Crisis already warned of privatisation threats. Now, Brazil's “interim” government, signed an emergency loan to the State of Rio de Janeiro to help finance the 2016 Olympics infrastructure - a bailout conditional on the privatisation of the State's public water supply and sanitation company.

Austerity

How the EU pushed France to reforms of labour law

27.06.2016

The current struggle in France over labour law reforms is not just between the Government and trade unions – a European battle is waged. The attacks on social rights stem in no small part from the web of EU-rules dubbed 'economic governance', invented to impose austerity policies on member states.

Other battles

Fishing for influence

From Marrakesh to Brussels: the long arm of the EU copyright lobby

‘Dieselgate’ lessons must be heeded to end industry self-regulation

Driving Into Disaster

Will MEPs resist lobby pressure to derail better workplace cancer law?

Adapting the EU Directive on Trade Secrets ‘Protection’ into National Law

‘Better Regulation’ to make things worse

Ombudsman’s final ruling slams European Commission for maladministration, violating UN tobacco lobby rules

How industry lobbying got toxic artificial sports fields exempted from new EU REACH rules

Brussels-based lobby firm accused of running ‘litter prevention’ industry front group

Brazil’s new government imposes Rio water privatisation to pay for Olympic Games

How the EU pushed France to reforms of labour law

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