Articles

Trade

MEP: Raw Materials Initiative only in the interest of big business

27.06.2011

Irish MEP Paul Murphy of the European United Left Group (GUE) is a member of the Committee on International Trade (INTA), one of the committees, which commented on the EU’s latest Raw Materials Initiative. He shared his reflections on the initiative with Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO), described what kind of raw materials policy is needed and talked about the role of corporate lobbying in the European Parliament.
Trade

Europe's resource grab – Vested interests at work in the European Parliament

27.06.2011

On 30 June, the European Parliament’s industry, energy and research committee (ITRE) is due to vote on the EU’s Raw Materials Initiative, establishing guidelines for Europe's future policy on natural resource use. The Parliament’s report could effectively give the green light to mining in protected European nature reserves as well as a resource grab in Asia, Africa, the Americas and the Arctic.
Trade

MEPs vested interests uncovered in EU's raw materials strategy

27.06.2011

Brussels, 27 June 2011 – Europe's future strategy on access to raw materials – due to be voted on in the Parliament on Thursday 30 June – is being shaped by MEPs with vested interests in related industry sectors, a new report from Corporate Europe Observatory, published today, reveals.

A critical week for European ethics

22.06.2011

This is a crucial week for European ethics, not least with an important meeting of the Buzek working group to look at a draft MEP code of conduct and the launch of the joint transparency register between the Parliament and the Commission.

Lobby millions missing from transparency register, ALTER-EU campaigners say

22.06.2011

Brussels, 22 June 2011 – Millions of euros of lobby spending are missing from the lobby register declarations made by key industry groups, the ALTER-EU coalition has revealed today.

Will the European Parliament stay bottom of the league?

17.06.2011

As the Buzek working group to develop a code of conduct for MEPs following the cash-for-amendments scandal Corporate Europe Observatory starts to wrap up its work, it could do worse than look at a recent academic study which shows that the European Parliament has one of the weakest regulatory regimes for lobbying in the world.

Food

Exposed: conflicts of interest among EFSA’s experts on food additives

15.06.2011

New research by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) has found that 11 out of the 20 experts on the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) panel on food additives (ANS) have a conflict of interest, as defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
EU institutions

The European Parliament's Revolving Door

08.06.2011

The Lisbon Treaty, introduced in 2009, substantially increased the Parliament’s legislative power, making MEPs even more attractive to consultancy firms. The Parliament can now accept, amend or reject the content of European legislation that affects every European – making its decision makers worth knowing.

Its new powers mean that greater scrutiny, transparency and accountability are required to minimize any potential conflict of interest and corruption.

Call for curbs on MEPs' going through the revolving door

08.06.2011

Brussels, 6 June 2011 – A revolving door between the European Parliament and industry lobbyists could undermine the ability of MEPs to act in the public interest, according to a new report from Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) published today (Monday) [1].
The research and campaign group is urging the European Parliament's President Jerzy Buzek to address the issue when he convenes his working group this week [2].