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.

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.

How industry lobbying got toxic artificial sports fields exempted from new EU REACH rules

11.10.2016

A documentary program broadcast on Dutch TV last week has sparked major concerns about the health risks of playing football on artificial turf fields made with rubber granulate from old car tyres. Corporate lobbying seems to have been behind the lack of regulation of these surfaces used by thousands of children every week.

Brussels-based lobby firm accused of running ‘litter prevention’ industry front group

05.10.2016

Flemish daily De Standaard last week reported on the remarkable fact that Clean Europe Network – a coalition of litter prevention organisations – is run by Eamonn Bates, a veteran Brussels lobby firm that also chairs Pack2Go, the lobby group of companies producing plastic bottles, disposable cups and other packaging.

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.

Revolving doors

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.

Corporate lobby spin on the EU lobby register

23.09.2016

Ahead of the Commission's proposal for a new ‘mandatory’ lobby transparency register, CEO takes a look at the summary of the public consultation on the subject: civil society's call for better transparency systems faces the spin of corporate lobby groups and trade associations, which appear to promote transparency values but recommend limited implementation, loopholes and toothless management.

Revolving doors

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.

European Commission wants to delegate acrylamide control to food industry

20.09.2016

The European Commission's upcoming regulation proposal for acrylamide, a dangerous contaminant formed in many starchy foods when cooked at high temperatures, relies on codes of best practices developed by food industry lobby groups.

Revolving doors

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?

TTIP Awards ‘honour’ worst big business lobby groups

14.09.2016

Campaign groups today launched the Democracy for Sale Awards, an initiative giving citizens the opportunity to call out the corporate lobbyists most successful in undermining democracy and the public interest by capturing the EU positions for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Demand EU transparency and ethics rules now

06.09.2016

Join ALTER-EU to demand MEPs vote for tough new rules to ban conflicts of interest and promote full lobby transparency.

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.

EU institutions

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

How industry lobbying got toxic artificial sports fields exempted from new EU REACH rules

Brussels-based lobby firm accused of running ‘litter prevention’ industry front group

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

What the Steelie Neelie case tells us about commissioners’ ethics

Corporate lobby spin on the EU lobby register

Kroes and BahamasLeaks: enough is enough

European Commission wants to delegate acrylamide control to food industry

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

TTIP Awards ‘honour’ worst big business lobby groups

Demand EU transparency and ethics rules now

The zombie ISDS

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