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:
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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
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A revised Code of Conduct for MEPs to include robust rules to regulate the revolving door
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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 | Policy area | Former employer | New employer | Date Sort ascending | Last updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier Luria Spain |
Health/Medicines | European Medicines Agency, Head of Sector Safety and Efficacy of Medicines | Self-employed. Consultant/ Freelance for: Trial Form Support, NDA Partners, Oryzon, Kinesys Consulting Ltd. Other activities for: Univerity California San Francisco, IESE Business School of the University of Navarra, ASINFARMA, Andorra Ministry of Health, Consultant | Mar 2012 | |
| 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 | |
| Tibor Kiss Hungary |
General | Hungary Permanent Representation to the EU, Ambassador and Permanent Representative | PA Europe, Senior Political Adviser | Nov 2011 | |
| Gayle Kimberley Malta |
Tobacco | European Council, Lawyer | Swedish Match, Lobbyist | Nov 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 | |
| Johan Gabrielsson Sweden |
Tobacco | DG Enlargement, Project Manager - EU Policies | Swedish Match, Public Affairs Director | Oct 2011 | |
| Parvez Khan Britain |
Finance | UK Permanent Representation in Brussels (for 2 years), Financial attaché (on loan from UK Financial Services Authority where he worked for 5 years) | G+ Europe (lobby consultancy), Associate | Sep 2011 | |
| 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 | |
| Mårten Westrup Sweden |
Energy/Climate | BusinessEurope, Adviser - Industrial Affairs Committee (climate change) | DG Energy, Energy policy & monitoring of electricity, gas, coal and oil markets | Jun 2011 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Pablo Asbo Argentina |
Competition | DG Competition (for 6 years), Case-handler | Avisa Partners , Associate director on competition | Mar 2011 | |
| Thomas Lönngren Sweden |
Health/Medicines | European Medicines Agency (for 10 years), Executive Director | Pharma Executive Consulting Ltd + NDA Group, Strategic adviser | Jan 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 | |
| Eline Post Netherlands |
Competition | DG Competition, Case handler (since 2005) | Avisa Partners, Senior consultant on competition | Dec 2010 | |
| Mårten Westrup Sweden |
Energy/Climate | DG Enterprise (for 27 months), Policy officer and Legal officer | BusinessEurope, Adviser - Industrial Affairs Committee (climate change) | Oct 2010 | |
| Poppy Kalesi Greece |
Energy/Climate | DG Energy, Programme manager | Statoil, EU Regulatory Affairs Advisor (then Senior Consultant, Innovation Strategy) | Sep 2010 | |
| Joe Borg Malta |
Maritime affairs | European Commission, Commissioner for maritime affairs and fisheries | Fipra, Special advisor | Aug 2010 | |
| Louis Michel Belgium |
Finance | European Commission, Commissioner for development and humanitarian aid | Credimo, Board member | Jun 2010 | |
| Eoin O'Malley Ireland |
Trade | BusinessEurope, Senior adviser on international relations | European Commission, DG Trade, Policy officer | Jun 2010 | |
| Laura Smillie not known |
Food | European Food Information Council (for 5 years), Communications manager | European Food Safety Authority, Communications directorate | May 2010 | |
| Meglena Kuneva Bulgaria |
Finance | European Commission, Commissioner for consumer protection | BNP Paribas, Non-executive member of the board | May 2010 | |
| Petra Erler Germany |
Business/Industry | DG Enterprise, Head of Cabinet, Commissioner Verheugen (for 4 years) | European Experience Company, Managing Director | Apr 2010 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Charlie McCreevy Ireland |
Finance | European Commission, Commissioner for internal market and services | Ryanair, BNY Mellon, Sentenial and others, Non-executive director | Mar 2010 | |
| Mogens Peter Carl Denmark |
Environment | DG Environment, Director-General | Kreab Gavin Anderson (lobby consultancy), Senior Adviser | Feb 2010 | |
| 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) |
| Gary Titley UK |
General | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 20 years) | Hume Brophy, Senior consultant | Jan 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) |
| 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 | |
| Derek Taylor Britain |
Energy/Climate | DG Transport and Energy, Energy adviser | Burson-Marsteller (lobby consultancy) + others, Adviser on energy issues | Aug 2009 | |
| Glyn Ford UK |
Foreign affairs | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 25 years) | G+ and Polint Ltd, Senior Adviser | Jul 2009 | |
| Piia-Noora Kauppi Finland |
Finance | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 9 years) | Federation of Finnish Financial Services (+ now Chair of European Banking Federation), Managing director | Jan 2009 | |
| Magnus Ovilius Sweden |
Security | DG Justice, Freedom and Security, Head of Sector, Preparedness and Crisis Management | Smiths Group, Senior Vice President Government Relations | Dec 2008 | |
| Marcus Lippold not known |
Energy/Climate | ExxonMobil, Various since 1992 | DG Energy, International relations officer | Oct 2008 | (updated) |
| 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 | |
| Suzy Renckens Belgium |
Food | European Food Safety Authority, Head of GMO unit (for 5 years) | Syngenta, Regional Manager for Biotechnology Regulatory Affairs | May 2008 | |
| Michel Petite France |
Tobacco | Legal Service - European Commission, Director-General (for 6 years) | Clifford Chance, Of Counsel | Jan 2008 | |
| Luc Werring Netherlands |
Energy/Climate | DG Transport and Energy (for 23 years), Principal adviser to the Director-General | Hill & Knowlton (lobby consultancy), Senior adviser on transport, energy and environment | Dec 2007 | |
| Karin Riis-Jørgensen Denmark |
Tobacco | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 15 years) | Kreab Gavin Anderson, Senior advisor | ||
| Peter Skinner UK |
Finance | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 20 years) | Allianz SE, Senior Advisor on EU/International relations. | ||
| Karel De Gucht Belgium |
Trade | European Commission, European commissioner for trade | Proximus, Merit Capital NV, CVC Partners, ArcelorMittal, Member of the management board | (updated) | |
| John Purvis UK |
Finance | European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 15 years) | cabinet DN, Senior advisor and chairman of Financial Future |