Home | Corporate Europe Observatory

We expose the power
of corporate lobbying
in the EU.

Recent publications

Corona Lobby Watch

01.05.2020

Lobbyists for many industries are opportunistically repackaging old demands, or developing new ones, and using the Corona Crisis to justify them, even though in many cases there is no clear link to the health emergency. We set up Corona Lobby Watch to monitor the moves of 'Coronawashing' lobbyists .

Lobbying the EU

Power and profit during a pandemic

21.09.2020

In a pandemic the pharmaceutical industry is hailed as a saviour; yet the industry is using the crisis to lock in its problematic, profit-maximising model. Pushing for public money with no-strings-attached, the industry’s wish-list could restrict access to COVID-19 drugs and vaccines, prolonging the pandemic in the name of profit.

Lobbying the EU

Tainted love

23.06.2020

Germany will shortly take over the EU Council Presidency at a critical time. A new report looks at the German Government’s record in its own EU decision-making and exposes how time and again it is too close to corporate interests.

Lobbying the EU

Coronawash alert!

29.04.2020

The coronavirus pandemic is affecting the lives of billions across the globe; yet corporate lobbyists in Brussels are determined not to let a good crisis go to waste.

Trade

Cashing in on the pandemic: how lawyers are preparing to sue states over COVID-19 response measures

18.05.2020

As governments take action to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent economic collapse big law firms urge corportions to challenge governments' emergency measures in order to defend its profits. In a parallel corporate justice system called ISDS states could soon face multi-million dollar lawsuits.

Climate

A grey deal?

07.07.2020

The European Green Deal (EGD) is a major new plan for the EU that seeks to make its economy 'climate-neutral'. Is the deal really as good as they want us to believe? The fingerprints of industry, and in particular the fossil fuel industry, can be seen all over the EGD. Emissions reductions targets are too modest and too slow, fossil gas is kept as a transitional fuel, and public money will finance industry ‘false solutions’. How did this happen?

Introducing:
Corona Lobby Watch

Lobbyists for many industries are opportunistically repackaging old demands, or developing new ones, and using the Corona Crisis to justify them - even if in many cases there is no clear link to the health emergency.

CEO has set up Corona Lobby Watch in order to monitor the moves of 'Coronawashing' lobbyists.

Find out more!

Issues we work on

Food & agriculture

How do agribusiness corporations impact decisions on our food system?

Trade

How is big business using the EU's trade and investment agreements to sideline people, planet and democracy?

Lobbying the EU

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

Finance

What influence does the financial lobby have over banking regulation and other financial markets?

Climate

How are polluting industries lobbying against real climate action?

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?

The corporate lobby tour

Sometimes stories in the news can make you wonder who is really pulling the strings. This 10-minute video exposes the role corporate lobby groups have in EU decision-making: who they are, how they get what they want, and how they affect you and others like you all over Europe. From the food on your plate, to rules for bankers, to the chemicals allowed in everyday products. Watch, learn, and share!

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We are a small team that works fully independently of funding from EU
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