Trade

The EU's trade policy aims to increase the 'competitiveness' of European companies – by guaranteeing them access to raw materials through often secretive free trade deals and by making sure that regulations do not stand in their way. CEO is challenging this craze for so-called competitiveness, which we believe in reality advances the interests of corporate Europe at the expense of social and environmental justice.

European and Canadian civil society groups call for rejection of CETA

28.11.2016

Over 450 public interest groups from across Europe and Canada today published an open letter urging legislators to vote against the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). They joined forces to defend people and planet against the threats posed by the EU-Canada agreement.

TTIP: The ultimate corporate trade treaty

14.10.2016

There are many potential winners of the awards for the worst lobbyist on TTIP, probably the most corporate dominated trade negotiations in history.

EU investment proposal won’t prevent corporate attacks on health & environment

19.04.2016

Dangerous attacks against regulations protecting public interest wouldn't be prevented by 'new' proposals.

The sting in the trade deal tail: corporations push for rights to sue governments

03.10.2016

Business lobby groups are pushing hard for investor-state dispute settlement in TTIP and similar trade deals. If successful, this would expand the ability of corporations to sue governments in response to policies that allegedly limit their profits. Especially laws to protect human health and the environment would be on the line.

CETA deal could help investors attack public interest safeguards, new report finds

16.09.2016

A new report on the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) reveals how the trade deal could make EU member states vulnerable to costly lawsuits from North American investors that threaten public interest.

The zombie ISDS

17.02.2016

For the past two years, an unprecedented Europe-wide public controversy about a once-unknown element in international trade agreements has kept citizens, politicians and the media on their toes. It’s all been about the so-called investor-state dispute settlement system, in short, ISDS.

'Better Regulation': corporate-friendly deregulation in disguise

01.06.2016

A deregulation agenda is sweeping through the Commission & member states, particularly pushed by the UK.

TTIP leaks highlight the dangers of regulatory cooperation

12.05.2016

The recent leak of many parts of TTIP, allowing us for the first time to read the negotiating position of the US, confirms our most serious concerns.

EU's TTIP position: regulations to be made for and by big business

11.04.2016

Despite growing concerns among the European public, the new EU proposal on regulatory cooperation in TTIP does nothing to address the upcoming democratic threats.

Panama Papers show need to safeguard press freedoms from proposed EU legislation

05.04.2016

The ''Trade Secrets Protection'' Directive due to be voted on by MEPs on April 14 would give companies new legal ammunition to prosecute journalists and news organisations publishing their documents and information.

Dangerous Regulatory Duet

18.01.2016

The ongoing EU-US trade negotiations, TTIP, seek to bring rules on both sides of the Atlantic together by means of so-called regulatory cooperation. Our new report with LobbyControl "Dangerous Regulatory Duet" finds that regulatory cooperation procedures have already been used to delay, water down and prevent legislation in the public interest.

A Toxic Affair: How the chemical lobby blocked action on hormone disrupting chemicals

19.05.2015

An investigation led by research and campaign group Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) and journalist Stéphane Horel exposes corporate lobby groups mobilising to stop the EU taking action on hormone (endocrine) disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The report sheds light on how corporations and their lobby groups have used numerous tactics from the corporate lobbying playbook: scaremongering, evidence-discrediting, and delaying tactics as well as the ongoing TTIP negotiations as a leverage.