Counter Corporate Lobby Power

Ending corporate privileges and secrecy around lobbying at the EU

Over 15,000 professional lobbyists now operate in Brussels, a large majority representing business interests. Yet, ethics and transparency rules around lobbying are virtually non-existent. Beyond the problem of business spending ever-increasing amounts to influence the political process, the European Commission has developed a tradition of awarding privileged access to corporate interests.

Explore the issue ALTER-EU: The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation European Transparency Initiative (ETI) The wider problem: Corporate power over the EU

 

	The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU)

Friends of the Earth Europe is one of the founders of the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU), a civil society coalition advocating mandatory disclosure and ethic rules for EU lobbyists. ALTER-EU was officially launched at a press conference in Brussels on 19 July 2005 (see founding statement). It calls for the following:

1) EU Lobbying Disclosure legislation which must include a mandatory system of electronic registration and reporting for all lobbyists with a significant annual lobbying budget and enforcable ethics rules for lobbyists.

2) An improved code of conduct for European Commission officials, including recording of formal and informal meetings between Commission officials and lobbyists and extended 'cooling off' periods before Commissioners and senior officials can start working in the lobbying sector.

3) An end to privileged access and undue influence granted to corporate lobbyists, for instance joint taskforces in which corporate interests are represented while public interest NGOs are not; and the privileged status accorded to business lobby groups like the European Services Forum and the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue.

ALTER-EU is supported by over 140 civil society groups, trade unions, academics and public affairs firms (see list of signatories).

If you want to join, please go to: http://www.alter-eu.org/contact

THE WIDER PROBLEM: Corporate Power over the EU

Whether it is EU energy policy, liberalisation and privatisation agendas, or the preparation of trade talks - corporate lobbies always have their fingers in the pie. Other interests and values, such as environment or social justice, are often banned to the back seats.

The enormous influence of corporate lobbyists undermines democracy and all too frequently results in postponing, weakening or blocking urgently needed progress on EU social, environmental and consumer protection.

Friends of the Earth Europe, togehter with their allies in the ALTER-EU and Seattle to Brussels-networks, researches and exposes cases of corporate lobby power and challenges the undue influence of corporate interests over EU policy.

We counter:

• the privileged access to EU decision-making processes often granted to corporate lobbyists
• conflicts of interests and revolving doors between EU institutions and business
• cases of questionable or shady lobbying

More information:

Worst EU Lobby Awards: naming and shaming misleading, manipulative and otherwise controversial EU lobbying practices and demonstrate the need to act against them, to foster transparency and democracy

Lobby Scandal: Complaint in relation to EPACA's code of conduct - conflict of interest or appearance of conflict of interest constituted by Mr David Earnshaw

• Press Release: David Earnshaw accused of conflicting interests (30 November 2006)
• Official complaint by Friends of the Earth Europe to the European Public Affairs Consultancies Association (EPACA) about the pharma lobbyist David Earnshaw, for taking on an "independent expert" role for the European Parliament (30 November 2006)
• Letter to the Chairman of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety regarding a Conflict of interest of independent expert to the ENVI Committee - David Earnshaw (30 November 2006)
• Mr Earnshaw's reaction to the complaint (5th December)
• FoEE reaction to Mr Earnshaw's letter (13th December)
• EPACA's response to the complaint (21 Dec 2006)
• FoEE's position on EPACA's rejection of the complaint (24 Jan 2007)

EU Commissioners in Bed with Business - Action outside the annual back-pat of the Confederation of European Business (UNICE), attended by six European Commissioners and called "Why do companies care about Europe?" (17 October 2006)

ALTER-EU and the Seattle to Brussels Network (S2B) press conference: New report denounces damaging impacts of corporate lobby on trade policies (16 October 2006)

Trade and transparency campaigners slam secret cocktail deals - Activists offer alternative cocktails to EU officials before exclusive lobby meeting (23 May 2006)

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