EU institutions

Brussels is at the centre of EU decision-making and as such attracts thousands of lobbyists promoting the interests of big business. In this section you can find basic information about this corporate lobbying and how it affects you as a citizen. Or you can visit our specific pages on the revolving door phenomenon of politicians who become lobbyists – and vice versa – and on the corporate dominance of expert groups whose advice helps make official policy for the EU.

If you want to investigate corporate lobbying, we have put together a list of online tools that can help.

Lobby power surfaces as EU election campaign theme

22.05.2014

Secretive lobbying, excessive corporate influence on EU decision-making and other concerns about the role of lobbying in Brussels have become a major theme in the European Parliament election debates in Austria, Denmark and Germany and – to a lesser extent – Spain, Italy and other European countries. In this first of a series of blogs we zoom in on the debates in Denmark and Austria.

Over 1,100 candidate MEPs pledge to stand-up for citizens and democracy against excessive lobbying influence

19.05.2014

More than 1100 MEP candidates have pledged to “stand-up for citizens and democracy against the excessive lobbying influence of banks and big business”. [1] The 1100+ candidates are from parties across the political spectrum and from all 28 EU member states.

Looking back at the tobacco lobbying battle: Philip Morris' allies in the European Parliament

16.05.2014

The final version of the Tobacco Product Directive has just come into force. With the European Parliament elections approaching we look back at the lobbying battle around this directive and provide, for the first time, online access to (parts of) tobacco giant Philip Morris' leaked lobby strategy documents. We also offer a list of the ten MEPs from the current Parliament who have – according to the leaked documents – the strongest relations to Philip Morris.

The record of a Captive Commission

14.05.2014

Corporate Europe Observatory has gathered a lot of evidence over time and covering many different areas that shows how the Commission is easily captured by corporate interests. This report is an attempt to produce a condensed version of how the Commission has come to act on behalf of corporations over the past five years, focusing on climate policies, agriculture and food, finance, economic, and fiscal policies.

Mind the Gap - MEP Code of Conduct is not effectively enforced

12.05.2014

Brussels, Cologne, May 13, 2014 – Three years after the cash-for-amendments scandal [1], the lack of enforcement of the European Parliament ethics rules leaves the integrity and the credibility of the Parliament at risk, warned transparency campaigners today.

Mind the gap - MEP code of conduct is not effectively enforced

12.05.2014

Three years after the cash-for-amendments scandal, the lack of enforcement of the European Parliament ethics rules leaves the integrity and the credibility of the Parliament at risk, warned transparency campaigners today.

Tobacco lobbyist to become European Commissioner?

12.05.2014

There is a major controversy running in the Czech Republic right now over who will become the country's candidate for the next European Commission. One of two candidates who have a chance is Pavel Telička. Telička is also the lead candidate for the European Parliament elections for the ANO Movement, the party of billionaire business tycoon Andrej Babis (often referred to as the Czech Berlusconi). Telička's candidacy has been criticised by other parties because he is a lobbyist.

EFSA

Food lobbyists look set to join EFSA’s board

07.05.2014

According to several EU sources, member states’ diplomats in the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) this morning pre-selected a food industry lobbyist to become a member of the board of the EU Food Safety Authority (EFSA). This is Mr Jan Mousing, a director at the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, a lobby group representing the interests of the Danish food industry.

CEO submits Ombudsman complaint about EU Commission's failure to implement UN tobacco lobby rules

07.05.2014

Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) has today submitted a formal complaint to the EU Ombudsman about the European Commission's failure to properly implement UN rules for contacts with tobacco lobbyists. The EU is a signatory to the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), which obliges governments to limit interactions with the tobacco industry and ensure the transparency of those interactions that occur.

Parliament issues strong call for EU lobby transparency register to become mandatory

15.04.2014

Strongly-worded resolution first shot in battle with Commission over weak voluntary register.

Democracy is nobody's business - MEPs pledge to stand up for people over profit

15.04.2014

At the end of May the whole of Europe will be going to the ballot box for the 2014 European Parliament elections. But when the votes are counted and members-to-be (MEPs) take their place, who are they going to represent – people or profit?

The European Ombudsman urges the Commission to release hidden documents on the Dalligate scandal

11.04.2014

Following a complaint made by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) about the European Commission's secrecy in the Dalligate scandal [1], the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, has today published her draft opinion that the Commission should publicly release two letters and two internal notes concerning the resignation of former Commissioner John Dalli.

EU institutions

Lobby power surfaces as EU election campaign theme

Over 1,100 candidate MEPs pledge to stand-up for citizens and democracy against excessive lobbying influence

Looking back at the tobacco lobbying battle: Philip Morris' allies in the European Parliament

The record of a Captive Commission

Mind the Gap - MEP Code of Conduct is not effectively enforced

Mind the gap - MEP code of conduct is not effectively enforced

Tobacco lobbyist to become European Commissioner?

Food lobbyists look set to join EFSA’s board

CEO submits Ombudsman complaint about EU Commission's failure to implement UN tobacco lobby rules

Parliament issues strong call for EU lobby transparency register to become mandatory

Democracy is nobody's business - MEPs pledge to stand up for people over profit

The European Ombudsman urges the Commission to release hidden documents on the Dalligate scandal

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