Juncker

Ombudsman’s final ruling slams European Commission for maladministration, violating UN tobacco lobby rules

08.12.2016

CEO welcomes the very strongly worded final ruling by European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly in her inquiry into the Commission’s implementation of UN rules for contacts with tobacco industry lobbyists.

EU institutions

The Commission: keeping company with big business

17.11.2016

8 November 2016 saw the annual lobby fest between the Commission and BusinessEurope. Lasting for over seven hours, attracting four commissioners and the secretary-general, as well as 26 major corporate interests (who between them spend over €31,789,000 a year on EU lobbying), this is exclusive, privileged access at its most extreme.

EU institutions

What the Steelie Neelie case tells us about commissioners’ ethics

30.09.2016

The latest revelations about ‘Steelie’ Neelie Kroes show that, when it comes to ethics and transparency, the Commission is complaisant about conflicts of interest and far too relaxed about the risk of corporate capture.

EU institutions

Kroes and BahamasLeaks: enough is enough

22.09.2016

CEO's reaction to the the Bahamas leaks, which revealed ex-EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes' offshore links.

EU institutions

The who, what and why of the Commission’s Ad hoc Ethical Committee

15.09.2016

The Juncker Commission last week informed the European Ombudsman that it would refer Barroso’s appointment as chairman of Goldman Sachs to its Ad hoc Ethical Committee. But what is the Ad hoc Ethical Committee, who sits on it and what is it likely to say?

Barroso’s Gold-plated revolving door

16.08.2016

Never before has a former European Commission official been criticised as much for his post-EU career as ex-Commission president Barroso upon joining infamous US investment bank Goldman Sachs this summer. Citizens are outraged and evidence already points towards a gross violation of the EU Treaty.

EU institutions

Pressure grows for Commission President Juncker to end tobacco lobbying secrecy

22.04.2016

Splits occur within European Commission, as European Parliament, Ombudsman and NGOs increase the pressure for implementing UN rules for contacts with tobacco industry lobbyists.

EU institutions

The revolving doors spin again

28.10.2015

One in three (9 out of 26) outgoing commissioners who left office in 2014 have gone through the 'revolving door' into roles in corporations or other organisations with links to big business, leading to fears of an unhealthily close relationship between the EU's executive body and private interests. In our view, at least eight revolving door roles, held by four commissioners, should not have received authorisation at all, due to the risk of possible conflicts of interest.

EU institutions

39 NGOs write to EU leaders on Dieselgate

09.11.2015

NGOs write an open letter on Dieselgate to demand EU action to protect citizens from air pollution and the manipulative and fraudulent behaviour of carmakers.

EU institutions

Lessons must be learned from failed commissioner hearings

10.11.2014

Now that the dust has settled on the hearings of the commissioners-designate in the European Parliament, it is time for some critical reflections on the messy, partisan and in several other ways fundamentally flawed process for appointing arguably the most powerful people in the whole EU infrastructure.

EU institutions

The crusade against 'red tape': How the European Commission and big business push for deregulation

31.10.2014

A crusade for big business-friendly deregulation, waged during José Manuel Barroso's Presidency of the European Commission, shows no signs of stopping. This neoliberal push to weaken or block new legislation appears likely to expand with Jean-Claude Juncker's new Commission team.