Tag: lobbying

The EU Commissioner for the internal market and services, Michel Barnier, told French journalists in Brussels yesterday (18 July), that he “was very struck by an unusual campaign – an American campaign” he faced from MasterCard.

In the three years since the Lisbon Treaty entered into force, EU decision-making has become more complex and opaque, and there are signs that the secondary legislative procedure, or comitology, no longer exists, writes Daniel Guéguen.

The European Ombudsman will today (14 February) launch a formal investigation into allegations that the European Commission is failing to clamp down on conflicts of interest amongst staff who leave the EU executive to take up jobs as lobbyists and consultants.

The EU's stringent visa requirements are hampering business contacts and investment opportunities between Europe and Ukraine, warned Konstantin Yelisieiev, the country's ambassador to the EU.

Vinnytsia, a Ukrainian region bordering Moldova, became the country's first to present its various advantages to the EU's Committee of the Regions in Brussels this week. Despite being an "absolute beginner" in the lobbying field, the Ukrainian region made a strong case for the country's EU accession.

Openness in the EU institutions received a boost yesterday (23 June) after the Council of the European Union declared that it was "ready to consider" joining a new transparency register launched by the Commission and Parliament. 

Tom Spencer analyses in depth the background and context of the Arab revolutions, the European Union's "flabby diplomacy" and the repercussions these developments will have on the EU's political leaders, arguing that these could even prematurely end Catherine Ashton's term as the bloc's foreign affairs chief.

The common perception in Central and East European countries that lobbying is no more than "corruption in sophisticated disguise" explains why calls to ban lobbying can be heard every now and then, argues Agnieszka Cianciara, an expert on lobbying and senior teaching assistant at the College of Europe. 

Governments are increasingly turning to PR companies to improve public perception of their activities. But in a world of round-the-clock media coverage any inaccuracies in such information are spotted fast, writes Andreas Geiger of Brussels law firm Alber & Geiger in an exclusive commentary for EurActiv.

A Spanish MEP who was caught passing amendments as a favour to a female lobbyist said he did so because she was "very attractive". The Spaniard was caught out by the same team of Sunday Times journalists who had already exposed three of his colleagues for passing amendments to EU legislation in return for payment promises.

Businesses require "much more professionalism" and "swifter answers" from their industry associations to deal with the complexity of today’s EU institutional landscape, according to Alain Beaumont, founder of AGEP Association Management.

Brian Ager, Director-General of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), is leaving his position after 16 years at the head of the trade association. In an interview with EurActiv, he reflects on his tenure and discusses some of the new legislation and controversies affecting the pharmaceutical industry.

Europe must respect "difficult times" by adopting a budget that reflects austerity measures being introduced by national governments, European Parliament Vice-President Diana Wallis told EurActiv Slovakia in a wide-ranging interview. 

The European public was yesterday (13 October) invited to nominate the 'worst EU lobbyist' of 2010 in a contest that organisers hope will encourage policymakers to defend public rather than corporate interests. 

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat government in the UK is planning to introduce a register of lobbyists similar to that being discussed by the EU institutions, in an attempt to restore trust in politics following an expenses scandal that hit parliament last year.  

Talks between MEPs and the European Commission on improving the transparency of EU decision-making will resume on 6 May, European Parliament Vice-President Isabelle Durant announced yesterday (26 April). Meanwhile transparency groups called for the establishment of a mandatory lobby register common to all EU institutions by 2014. 

Participants in the European Commission’s lobby register should declare expenditure on lobbying Council presidencies and permanent representations of EU member states, the EU executive said yesterday (28 October), presenting tighter financial disclosure requirements as part of a wide-ranging review of the scheme. But transparency campaigners criticised the revision for failing to fix "fundamental flaws".

Not enough law firms or think-tanks have signed up to the European Commission’s lobby register, Administration and Anti-Fraud Commissioner Siim Kallas said on Tuesday (8 September).

Lobby transparency is unlikely to be a priority for the Swedish EU Presidency given that the appointment of a new European Commission and ratification of the Lisbon Treaty will have to be dealt with under Stockholm's watch, the executive director of the European Centre for Public Affairs, Tom Spencer, told EurActiv.

The European Commission yesterday (22 June) declared the first year of its lobby register a success ahead of an internal review next month. But officials admitted that more bodies would have to sign up for the scheme to paint a "full picture" of lobbying in Brussels.

The European Commission last week (4 June) hinted at possible changes to its lobbyists register ahead of a review in July. The development comes as the register is set to celebrate its first birthday.

Membership of industry associations can help business to emerge from the economic crisis, argued participants at a conference in Brussels last week (29 April).

The European Commission sees think-tanks as interest representatives and thus expects them to sign up to its voluntary lobbyists register, Administration and Anti-Fraud Commissioner Siim Kallas announced last week, responding to claims by a leading Brussels think-tank that it had "no intention of signing up as lobbyists".

More think-tanks should sign up to the European Commission's voluntary lobbyists register, Administration and Anti-Fraud Commissioner Siim Kallas said last week (17 April), arguing that they play a clear role in the EU policymaking process. His claims were angrily refuted by think-tank representatives.