Articles

Trade

Is this what development looks like?

22.03.2010

World Water Day: An Open Letter for PUPs

22.03.2010
Trade

EU 'DoG' savages poor, say protesters

18.03.2010

Aggressive free market approach disastrous for development, demo warns

Brussels:
Campaigners warned today that the European Union’s free market trade policies are savaging poor people and the environment in
developing countries staging an action outside a DG Trade conference in Brussels where senior EU figures were discussing the issue of trade with developing countries [1].

Lobby consultancies boycott transparency

16.03.2010

Sixty per cent of EU lobbying consultancies boycott lobby transparency register

Almost two years after the European Commission launched a voluntary lobby transparency register, sixty per cent of EU lobbying consultancies are still not registered, a survey published today by the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU) reveals. The coalition has called on EU officials, including the responsible Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, and MEPs to refuse to meet with groups which have not signed the register.

Cashing in on secrecy?

15.03.2010

Twenty months after the launch of the Commission's voluntary lobbying register, less than 40 percent of Brussels-based lobby consultancies have signed up, according to a new survey from the transparency alliance ALTER-EU.

Portugal hires lobby firm to help steer off speculative attacks

11.03.2010

The Portuguese weekly Expresso reports that the Portuguese government is about to hire lobby consultancy firm Kreab & Gavin Anderson (KGA) to lobby on its behalf. Expresso writes that KGA will advice the government on the PR strategy for its Stability and Growth Pact, a new austerity program of welfare cuts and privatisations aimed to bring the country's deficits within EU limits.

A complaint to the Ombudsman re Pat Cox

23.02.2010

Corporate Europe Observatory has filed a complaint to the European Ombudsman asking him to investigate how the former chair of the Parliament, Pat Cox’s conflicts of interests were assessed by the European Commission before his appointment and then re-appointment (2007 - 2009) as a Special Adviser to the out-going Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva.

RPW Network's roundtable discussion

22.02.2010

Revolving doors: Ferrero-Waldner joins insurance giant Munich Re

22.02.2010

The new European Commission (Barroso-II) took office on 10 February. Just seven dayslater insurance giant Munich Re announced that they had headhunted the out-going EU Commissioner for external relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner (2004-2010).