Corporate Europe Observatory

Exposing the power of corporate lobbying in the EU

Report

Monsanto Lobbying: an attack on us, our planet and democracy

October 13th 2016The power of lobbies, Food and agriculture
Corporations like Monsanto have limitless resources to buy political power through lobbying. This short guide, published at the occasion of the International Monsanto Tribunal in The Hague, exposes some of Monsanto’s key lobbying strategies and tools, illustrated with examples from different parts of the world.
Story

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

October 5th 2016The power of lobbies, Environment
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.
Comment

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

October 3rd 2016The power of lobbies, International trade
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.
Comment

What the Steelie Neelie case tells us about commissioners’ ethics

September 30th 2016Revolving doors, The power of lobbies
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.
Story

EFSA commits to disclosing glyphosate raw data to CEO and Green MEPs

September 29th 2016EFSA, Food and agriculture
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) told CEO today, and publicly announced on their website, that they would disclose most of the raw data of studies on glyphosate used in the EU's toxicity assessment of glyphosate.

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The corporate lobby tour

Story

Clean air bought the farm: agro-lobby decimates air quality directive

October 12th 2016Food and agriculture
How the agribusiness lobby has weakened the new EU air quality directive with serious consequences for health. An article written by Vincent Harmsen en Berna van Vilsteren and translated by Iris Maher.
Story

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

October 11th 2016The power of lobbies, Environment
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.

Job opening: Outreach and mobilisation organiser

September 28th 2016
Corporate Europe Observatory is looking for an experienced, creative and dynamic outreach and mobilisation organiser to strengthen our visibility as well as public engagement with CEO's work in countries across Europe. The 13-month contract will run from 1 December 2016 to 31 December 2017.
Story

Corporate lobby spin on the EU lobby register

September 23rd 2016The power of lobbies

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.