RevolvingDoorWatch
RevolvingDoorWatch is a database of commissioners, MEPs and officials who have gone through the revolving door into lobby or industry jobs. Lobbyists who have taken jobs with the EU institutions are also featured. These cases raise big questions about whether the EU institutions are robust enough in recognising and acting upon the risk of conflicts of interest.
Contact us if you have info about new cases or follow #revolvingdoors
More info on the revolving door problem
RevolvingDoorWatch exposes how the EU institutions - the commission, parliament, council and agencies - fail to take effective action to block the revolving door. Brussels is home to one of the highest concentrations of political power in the world and the revolving door is one of the most important ways in which lobbyists can influence the political agenda in Brussels. When European decision-makers – commissioners, MEPs, officials - leave office and go into lobby jobs, or when lobbyists join the EU institutions, the risk of conflicts of interest can be great, undermining democratic, public-interest decision-making. It is the responsibility of the EU institutions to ensure that this does not happen. The EU institutions are not transparent about revolving doors, nor do they pro-actively publish information about how they monitor the revolving door.
RevolvingDoorWatch is a contribution to the ALTER-EU campaign to block the revolving door!
CEO and ALTER-EU demand tough, new rules to block the revolving door including:
-
A revised Code of Conduct for Commissioners to include a three year cooling-off period for Commissioners taking lobby jobs (or any other job which provokes the risk of a conflict of interest) and a revamped Commission ethics committee
-
A revised Code of Conduct for MEPs to include robust rules to regulate the revolving door
-
Further changes to the EU's Staff Regulations to better regulate the revolving door to include a two year cooling off period for officials; three years for the most senior officials
| Name Sort descending | Policy area | Former employer | New employer | Date | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleksandra Tomczak Poland |
Energy/Climate | World Coal Association, European specialist + Policy manager | European Commission, DG Energy, Policy coordinator EU Coal | Feb 2015 | (updated) |
| Algirdas Šemeta Lithuania |
Business/Industry | European Commission, Commissioner for taxation and customs union, audit and anti-fraud | Ukraine's Anti-Corruption Initiative , Ukrainian Business Ombudsman | Dec 2014 | (new) |
| Anders Fogh Rasmussen Denmark |
Security | North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Secretary General | Rasmussen Global, Consultant | Oct 2014 | |
| Ann Mettler German-Swedish |
General | The Lisbon Council + Global Agenda Council, Executive director + Vice-Chair | European Commission, Head of the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC) | Dec 2014 | |
| Arlene McCarthy UK |
General | European parliament, Member of European parliament (for 20 years) | Sovereign Strategy, Deputy chair for European strategy | Jul 2014 | (updated) |
| Barbara Gallani |
Food | Food and Drink Federation, Director Policy and Sustainability and Chief Scientist | European Food Safety Authority, Head of the Communications and External Relations Department | May 2016 | (new) |
| Benita Ferrero-Waldner Austria |
General | European Commission, Commissioner for external relations and then trade | Munich Re, Gamesa Corporación Technologica, Alpine Holding, Supervisory board member | Feb 2010 | (updated) |
| Brian Simpson UK |
European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 23 years) | Hume Brophy, Senior consultant | Jul 2014 | ||
| Bruno Dethomas France |
Foreign affairs | DG External Relations (now European External Action Service), Head of Eastern Partnership Taskforce | G+ Europe (lobby consultancy), Independent associate | Mar 2011 | |
| Carl Haglund Finland |
European Parliament + Finnish government, Member of European Parliament (for 3 years) + defence minister | Miltton group, Board member | Sep 2015 | ||
| Charlie McCreevy Ireland |
Finance | European Commission, Commissioner for internal market and services | Ryanair, BNY Mellon, Sentenial and others, Non-executive director | Mar 2010 | |
| Chris Davies UK |
Energy/Climate | European Parliament, Member of the European Parliament (for 15 years) | Chris Davies Ltd, Director | Dec 2014 | (new) |
| Christian Thimann Germany |
Finance | European Central Bank, Counsellor to the President | Group Head of Strategy & Public Affairs + member of AXA’s Executive Committee , AXA | Jan 2014 | |
| Connie Hedegaard Denmark |
Energy/Climate | European Commission, Commissioner for climate action 2010-2014 | KR Foundation, Danfoss, Volkswagen + other roles, Various (some unpaid) | Jan 2015 | (updated) |
| Corien Wortmann-Kool Netherlands |
Finance | European parliament, Member of European parliament (for 10 years) | Aegon NV + ABP, Supervisory board member | May 2014 | (updated) |
| Darren Ennis Ireland |
Foreign affairs | European External Action Service, Media and Strategic Communications adviser to Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative of Foreign Affairs and Security | MHP Communications, Brussels, Director | Sep 2011 | |
| David Carlander Sweden |
Food | European Food Safety Authority, Scientific Officer working on guidance for assessing risk of nanotechnology in food | Nanotechnology Industries Association, Director of Advocacy | Sep 2011 | |
| David Harley Britain |
General | European Parliament (since 1975), Deputy Secretary-General and Director-General of the Presidency | Burson-Marsteller Brussels, Senior Adviser and now co-Chairman | Apr 2010 | |
| Derek Taylor Britain |
Energy/Climate | DG Transport and Energy, Energy adviser | Burson-Marsteller (lobby consultancy) + others, Adviser on energy issues | Aug 2009 | |
| Eddy Wymeersch Belgium |
Finance | Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR) , Chairman | Non‐executive director and senior advisor , Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) | Sep 2012 | |
| Edgar Meister Germany |
Finance | DWS Investment (investment branch of Deutsche Bank), Member of the supervisory board | European Central Bank, Member of the Administrative Board of Review | Nov 2014 | |
| Eline Post Netherlands |
Competition | DG Competition, Case handler (since 2005) | Avisa Partners, Senior consultant on competition | Dec 2010 | |
| Elizabeth Kuiper Netherlands |
Health/Medicines | Permanent representation to the Netherlands, Attaché on health, pharmaceuticals and medical devices | European federation of pharmaceutical industries and associations (EFPIA) , Director of European affairs | May 2014 | |
| Emilie Turunen Denmark |
Finance | European Parliament, Member of European parliament (for 5 years) | Nykredit, Head of public affairs | Sep 2014 | |
| Eoin O'Malley Ireland |
Trade | BusinessEurope, Senior adviser on international relations | European Commission, DG Trade, Policy officer | Jun 2010 | |
| Erika Mann Germany |
IT | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 10 years) | Computer and Communications Industry Association, and now Facebook, Executive Vice President | Dec 2009 | (updated) |
| Fanny-Pomme Langue France |
Energy/Climate | DG Energy, Policy Officer | European Biomass Association (AEBIOM), Policy Director | Jan 2013 | |
| Fiona Hall UK |
Energy/Climate | European parliament, Member of European parliament (for 10 years) | Rockwool International A/S (Hall's major consultancy client), Senior policy advisor to its energy efficiency team | Sep 2014 | |
| Gary Titley UK |
General | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 20 years) | Hume Brophy, Senior consultant | Jan 2010 | |
| Gayle Kimberley Malta |
Tobacco | European Council, Lawyer | Swedish Match, Lobbyist | Nov 2011 | |
| George Lyon UK |
Agriculture | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 5 years) | Hume Brophy, Agri-business senior consultant | Jan 2015 | |
| Glyn Ford UK |
Foreign affairs | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 25 years) | G+ and Polint Ltd, Senior Adviser | Jul 2009 | |
| Graham Watson UK |
General | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 20 years) | Bagehot Ltd, Founder and managing director | Oct 2014 | |
| Günter Verheugen Germany |
General | European Commission, Commissioner for enterprise and industry | European Experience Company + roles at RBS Germany, FleishmanHillard and others, Non-executive managing director (unpaid) and 50 per cent shareholder | Apr 2010 | |
| Harald Boerekamp Netherlands |
Development | DG-ECHO (Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection), Administrator (contract agent) | Interel European Affairs, Senior consultant | May 2012 | |
| Herman Van Rompuy Belgium |
Business/Industry | European Council, President | TomorrowLab Advisory Board + European Policy Centre, Chairman | Jan 2015 | |
| Hervé Jouanjean France |
General | European commission, DG budget, Director-general | Fidal, Of counsel | May 2014 | |
| Holger Krahmer Germany |
General | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 10 years) | Opel Group, Director European affairs public policy and government relations | Oct 2014 | |
| Isabel Ortiz Spain |
Food | DG Enterprise and Industry, Policy Officer, Food Industry Unit (for 3 years) | FoodDrinkEurope (Confederation of Food and Drink Industries of the EU), Director of Consumer Information, Diet and Health | Mar 2011 | |
| Ivan Rogers Britain |
Finance | Barclays Capital, Head of the Public Sector Industry Group, UK and Ireland | UK Government, UK Permanent Representative to the European Union (from Nov 2013); previously Prime Minister's Adviser on Europe and Global Issues (to Nov 2013) | Oct 2011 | |
| Jan Eric Frydman Sweden |
Trade | Ekenberg & Andersson, Lawyer & partner | DG Trade, Special adviser for trade policy and transatlantic affairs | Mar 2015 | (updated) |
| Janez Potočnik Slovenia |
Environment | European Commission, Commissioner for the environment | Forum for the future of agriculture + others, Chairman | Dec 2014 | (updated) |
| Jean De Ruyt Belgium |
Trade | Belgium Permanent Representation to the EU, Permanent Representative + Chair of the Committee of Perm Reps, 2010 Belgian Presidency of the Council | Covington & Burling LLP, Senior European policy advisor | Jan 2012 | |
| Jean-Philippe Monod de Froideville Netherlands |
Competition | DG Competition, Personal adviser to Commissioner Neelie Kroes (for 2 years) | Interel (lobby consultancy), Associate director for competition | Nov 2009 | |
| Joao Pacheco Portugal |
Agriculture | European Commission, DG agriculture, Deputy director-general | JSPacheco-International Consulting, Allen F. Johnson Associates, Farm Europe, Various | Oct 2013 | (updated) |
| Joe Borg Malta |
Maritime affairs | European Commission, Commissioner for maritime affairs and fisheries | Fipra, Special advisor | Aug 2010 | |
| Johan Gabrielsson Sweden |
Tobacco | DG Enlargement, Project Manager - EU Policies | Swedish Match, Public Affairs Director | Oct 2011 | |
| John Bruton Ireland |
Foreign affairs | DG External Relations (now European External Action Service), EU Ambassador to the US (for 5 years) | Cabinet DN (lobby consultancy) + others, Senior adviser | Dec 2010 | |
| John Purvis UK |
Finance | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 15 years) | cabinet DN, Senior advisor and chairman of Financial Future | ||
| John Richardson Britain |
Maritime affairs | DG Maritime Affairs (for 35 years), Head of maritime policy taskforce | Fipra (lobby consultancy), Special adviser - maritime policy and diplomacy | Sep 2008 |