 |
Pulling the strings of African Business |
| |
The EU is currently negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries which pose a serious risk to the development of the countries involved. Email correspondence, obtained by Corporate Europe Observatory, shows that the European Commission has deliberately manipulated African businesses to create support for the negotiations. Read the full report.
Press release
|
|
Corporate-dominated World Water Forum kicks off in Istanbul |
| |
As the Fifth World Water Forum opens (Istanbul, March 16-22), CEO has co-published a paper revealing the continuing influence of water multinationals on the World Water Forum and its agenda. Read the new report "Controlling the agenda at World Water Forum - the multinationals' network"
CEO's Martin Pigeon - together with other water justice activists - will be blogging from Istanbul throughout next week: http://worldwaterforum.blogspot.com/
|
|
EU trade talks: a covert push for water privatisation? |
| |
A new report from Corporate Europe Observatory shows that the EU - while refusing to disclose its objectives in international trade talks - is putting pressure on developing countries to privatise their water services and to make privatisation practically irreversible by including water in trade agreements.
Read the new report EU trade talks: a covert push for water privatisation?
|
|
EU banks on insiders to fix the financial crisis |
| |
A new report from CEO, SpinWatch, Friends of the Earth Europe and LobbyControl takes a look at the members of the High Level Group on the financial crisis set up by the Council and the Commission to write recommendations for a response to the crisis. The report finds the composition to be a clear example of corporate capture. Of the eight men in the group, four are closely linked to financial giants like Goldman Sachs and bankrupt Lehman Brothers, a fifth was responsible for UK Financial Services Authority whose supervision of British bank Northern Rock failed miserably.
Read the new report "Would you bank on them?".
See also the accompanying press release.
|
|
BP - Extracting influence at the heart of the EU
|
| |
Oil industry lobbying at the heart of the EU has played a key role in
influencing Europe's energy policy, according to a new report from Corporate
Europe Observatory and PLATFORM. The report, BP - Extracting Influence at
the Heart of the EU, reveals the oil giant's close relationship with
decision makers and highlights how the company has convinced Commissioners
and others that BP's interests are in the EU's interest - allowing it to
promote profit-driven approaches to climate change through emissions trading
as well as encouraging risky dependence on Russian gas.
|
|
Veolia Environment -- turning on the taps in Brussels |
| |
New research by Corporate Europe Observatory shows that Veolia Environment, the world's largest water company, does not practice its commitments to sustainability and 'responsible lobbying'. Read full report.
CEO has written to Veolia's Brussels representative to demand that the company abandons its false claims until it significantly improves the transparency around its lobbying activities. French version of the open letter.
|
|
Agrofuels lobby and Finnish MEP win Worst EU Lobbying Awards
|
| |
With more than 50% of the votes, the Award for the Worst EU Lobbying 2008 is jointly won by the agrofuel lobbyists of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, Brazilian sugar barons UNICA and energy company Abengoa Bioenergy. They were jointly nominated for their use of misleading information and greenwash to influence EU decision-making. The Worst Conflict of Interest Award 2008 goes to the Finnish MEP Piia-Noora Kauppi, with 26% of the votes cast. MEP Kauppi has been promoting the interests of her future employer, a banking lobbying group, while still an active member of the European Parliament.
|
|
Watering down the EU?s Climate Policies |
| |
Supposed tough EU measures to tackle climate change have been dramatically weakened following a broad lobbying campaign by different sectors of industry, a new report from Corporate Europe Observatory shows. Business is pushing to reduce the 20% target for renewable energy and key industry sectors have lobbied to reduce the impacts of measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the fine rhetoric, the EU seems reluctant to challenge business when it comes to tackling climate change. Read full report.
|
|
Climate Crash in Strasbourg |
| |
The aviation industry is still seeking to challenge its inclusion in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, concludes a new report from Corporate Europe Observatory. Climate Crash in Strasbourg details how the International Air Transport Association (IATA), national airlines and key member states effectively worked together to weaken original proposals to tackle emissions from aviation ? with the result that the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe will continue to rapidly grow. Read full report.
|
|
EBPS loses its privileged status in the European Parliament, moves out of EP offices |
| |
After years of assisting large corporations with lobbying MEPs, the European Business and Parliament Scheme (EBPS) has now lost its official status vis-a-vis the European Parliament and left its rent-free offices in the Parliament building. In Mid-November, Parliament President Poettering announced that "the Parliament's official participation in the scheme" had come to an end. Poettering moreover announced that he would end his patronage of the international scheme IABP, of which the EBPs is an affiliate. Read more here.
|
|
Brazil's Agrofuel Push |
| |
17-21 November 2008 -- Brazil hosts an International Conference on Biofuels in Sao Paulo, and uses the event to push agressively for increased use of agrofuels. CEO's Nina Holland reports from the conference. Read her daily reports.
|
|
Big business moves in with Commission |
| |
Members of the EU Commission shared a platform with business leaders in
October at a conference to assess the effectiveness of the EU?s Global
Europe strategy. The event, which was hosted by BusinessEurope in the
headquarters of DG Trade in Brussels reflected the intimate working
relationship that flourished between government and business under the
leadership of former trade commissioner Peter Mandelson. His successor,
Baroness Ashton, was one of the speakers at the conference. Corporate
Europe Observatory was there and reports back on the events of the day.
Read more on the links between DG Trade and BusinessEurope
|
|
Groups Highlight Brazilian Government?s Damaging Agrofuel Push |
| |
New research from Corporate Europe Observatory
reveals how the Brazilian government has been aggressively promoting
agrofuels, including ethanol from sugarcane, as sustainable in an
attempt to corner the EU market.
EU representatives are travelling to Brazil for an International
Biofuel Conference, hosted by the Brazilian government from 17-19
November, but CEO and other campaign groups have written
to the EU Council, Commission and MEPs to urge them not to be taken in
by the Brazilian government?s PR push. They want the EU to stop
providing incentives for agrofuel expansion and to drop agrofuel
targets in Europe.
More on EU agrofuels policies
|
|
"Wedding ceremony celebrates EU Commission's love-in with big business" |
| |
28 October - Seattle to Brussels network campaigners today called on
Trade Commissioner Baroness Ashton to end the unholy alliance between
DG Trade and business lobby group BusinessEurope with a mock wedding celebration outside BusinessEurope's Going Global conference event.
|
|
"Global Europe: An Open Door Policy For Big Business Lobbyists At DG Trade" |
| |
New research from Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) reveals the close
involvement of the European employers' federation, BusinessEurope, in
drawing up the Global Europe trade strategy. CEO's new report
highlights how representatives from BusinessEurope were given
privileged access in the preparations of the new strategy, with
exclusive meetings with the former Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson
and top officials from DG Trade. CEO has written an open letter to Commission President Barroso to urge him to end the privileged access and big business capture of EU trade policy.
|
|
Brazil's Agrofuels Push |
| |
17-21 November 2008 -- CEO's Nina Holland reports from the International Biofuels Conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil..
|
|
Meager harvest: just 5-10% of EU lobbyists now registered |
| |
Three months after the Commission launched its online register for
lobbyists, there are just over 370 entries. Numbers aside,
Brussels-based lobby consultancies have announced that they will not to
disclose the names of clients who don't want to be identified. Will the
Commission let them get away with hiding the very information which the
register was set up to bring into the public domain? Read more in CEO's
new blog: http://blog.brusselssunshine.eu.
|
|
Sugarcane ethanol: a sweet solution for Europe's fuel addiction? |
| |
In spite of overwhelming criticism of agrofuels as a 'solution' to
climate change, sugarcane ethanol is often seen as the one more
positive exception. The Brazilian government and industry groups are
lobbying hard in Brussels in favour of high EU agrofuel targets and for
better market access for sugarcane ethanol. However, sugarcane is far
from a sustainable source of energy. Certification initiatives such as
the 'Better Sugarcane Initiative' are top down approaches that lack
support from small producers or affected communities. Read 'Sugarcane ethanol: a sweet solution for Europe's fuel addiction?'.
|
|
Slow and shaky start for EU lobbying register |
| |
More than two months after the European Commission's voluntary lobbying
register was launched, only a few large corporations have registered,
including Telef?nica, Renault and Air France KLM. There seems to be a
very wide variation in their reported lobbying costs, probably as a
result of the Commission's failure to provide clear and unambiguous
guidelines for calculating lobbying expense. Read more about who
registers and who doesn't, what is disclosed and what isn't, in CEO's
new blog: http://blog.brusselssunshine.eu.
|
|
ALTER-EU calls upon Commissioners to act against secrecy and corporate capture of 'Expert Groups' |
| |
August 8 -- On behalf of the Steering Committee of the Alliance for
Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU), CEO has today
written to Commission President Barroso and Vice-President Kallas,
asking for clarification about the continued secrecy around the
membership of Commission 'Expert Groups'. Letters were also written to
Commissioners Verheugen, Potocnik, Piebalgs, Vassiliou and Dimas, asking them to take action against Expert Groups dominated by big business lobbyists.
|
|
Europe's lobbyists under the spotlight as nominations open for the Worst EU Lobbying Awards 2008 |
| |
Nominations are now open for the Worst EU Lobbying Awards 2008, which
this year includes a new category for the Worst Conflict of Interest in
the EU.
The Worst EU Lobbying Awards are an important feature on the Brussels'
calendar, putting the spotlight on the activities of lobbyists behind
closed doors which ultimately undermine democratic decision-making.
Read more and propose your nominations (until 12 September 2008) at www.worstlobby.eu
|
|
Campaign groups protest against European Commission's interventions on behalf of Telecom Italia |
| |
In an open letter
launched on June 13, CEO and five other civil society groups and
coalitions called on EU Commission President Barroso to stop Commission
officials from continuing to intervene on behalf of Telecom Italia in
its efforts, via the International Center for the Settlement of
Investment Disputes (ICSID) and the New York State Court, to extract
excessive and unwarranted compensation for the renationalisation of the
Bolivian telecommunications company ENTEL, much to the detriment of the
Bolivian people.
|
|
New Website Tracks De-Privatisation of Water Services |
| |
A new website - www.remunicipalisation.org
- went live June 12 to highlight the growing trend to return failing
privately managed water services to public management. Just this month,
the Mayor of Paris announced that the city would be returning services
to public management from 2009. France - arguably the heartland of
privatised water services - is at the forefront of the
remunicipalisation trend that is also manifesting itself in parts of
South America, North America and Africa.
|
|
How hired-gun lobbyists pulled the teeth out of new EU lobbyists' register |
| |
It has now become clear that the European Commission's long-awaited
lobbyists register will be extremely unambitious. Registration will be
on a voluntary basis and the Commission will not ask organisations or
firms to disclose the names of individual lobbyists. What is more, the
financial transparency requirements for consultancy firms, who lobby on
behalf of big business clients, have been seriously diluted. This
watering down is a direct result of lobbying by EPACA, which represents
the largest 'hired-gun'
lobbyists' firms in Brussels. Read CEO's analysis "How hired-gun lobbyists pulled the teeth out of new EU lobbyists' register".
|
|
News from Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) talks in Bonn |
| |
Bonn, 19 May -- The biosafety negotiations in Bonn last week ended
without a legally binding agreement on who could be held liable and pay
compensation in case of damage due to GM crops.
Read more
|
|
Biodiversity talks hi-jacked by corporate interests |
| |
International negotiations on the UN Convention on Biodiversity take
place in Bonn from 12th- 30th May, with the latest round of talks on
the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, an international agreement
designed to protect biodiversity (COP9/MOP4). But campaigners have
criticised the talks, which they say have been hijacked by the
interests of industry. In the name of conservation, human rights are
being violated, agricultural products are being turned into fuel;
plants are patented and trees are being genetically modified. Corporate
Europe Observatory will be joining activists from around the world as
part of the Activism Network for COP9 to monitor the role of industry
at the conference and highlight the damage being done. Find out more?
Read more
|
|
Turkey's Government Plans Sweeping Water Privatisation in Run-up to World Water Forum in Istanbul |
| |
In March 2009 the Turkish government will host the fifth World Water
Forum against a backdrop of what is probably the most sweeping water
privatisation programme in the world. As well as privatizing water
services, the government plans to sell of rivers and lakes. Turkish
social movements, who hosted their own conference in Istanbul last
month, suspect the Government is using the World Water Forum to push
through this highly controversial agenda.
Read more
|
|
Joint report calls Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) 'greenwash' |
| |
The new report
is published just before the start of the Round Table on Responsible
Soy?s third conference in Buenos Aires. The authors reveal that the
Round Table will certify (GM) soy production as 'responsible', while
not doing anything against soy expansion that destroys small scale
farmers and natural ecosystems. Corporations involved in the RTRS are
at the same time lobbying for ways to expand their markets and for a
break down of the EU GMO policy. The RTRS is turning into an instrument
to legitimise the EU's much criticised push for agrofuels.
Read more
|
|
Industry Pushes For 25% Agrofuel Target |
| |
Despite the growing controversy around the EU's 10% target for agrofuel
use in transport, industry is pushing towards an even higher
target. Working via the European Biofuels Technology Platform,
corporations are channelling EU funding towards research on meeting a 25%
target for agrofuels by 2030, to the detriment of the environment and
the world's poor.
|
|
ALTER-EU report slams corporate dominance in EU advisory groups |
| |
A report published March 25th by the ALTER-EU coalition
reveals that industry lobbyists have an disproportionate presence in
Expert Groups advising the European Commission on controversial policy
issues such as biotechnology, 'clean coal' and car emissions. The
ALTER-EU report recommends that Expert Groups dominated by industry
should be dissolved and that safeguards must be introduced to prevent
privileged access. The report also slams the Commission's lack of
transparency and demands immediate disclosure of Expert Group
membership.
Read the report "Secrecy and corporate dominance - a study on the composition and transparency of European Commission Expert Groups"
|
|
Commission backtracking from transparency promises; will the parliament end lobbying secrecy? |
| |
As the European Commission is preparing the launch of its long-awaited
EU lobbyists' register, there is reason to fear that the new register
"may eventually not even contain lobbyists' names, and only very
general and limited information on how much money is spent trying to
influence EU decisions". Read CEO's appeal to the Commission to stick
to its promises (published in the European Voice): "Crunch-time for lobbying" and our comment on the European Parliament's discussions on these issues (published by EUobserver): "Will the parliament end lobbying secrecy?".
|
|
The Story of a Dutch Letterbox which Could Cost Bolivia a Fortune |
| |
15 February 2008 -- Running their business via a letterbox company in the Netherlands,
transnational corporations profit from the corporate-friendly Dutch tax regime and
bilateral investment treaties the Netherlands has with third countries. Euro Telecom
Italia (ETI), a subsidiary of Italian telecoms giant ENTEL, is one such letterbox
company. ETI recently lodged a complaint with the World Bank tribunal ICSID against
Bolivia for compensation, after the Bolivian government had launched a review the
company's much-criticised performance and attempted to negotiate a buy back of what used
to be a public telecommunications company. Although ENTEL continues to operate with
profit in Bolivia, it claims the government has 'destroyed' the company's investments and
its earning potential. Will the World Bank tribunal reward corporate greed at the expense
of the public interest in reliable and affordable public services?
|
|
Protests against EU research agenda on biofuels |
| |
31 January 2008 -- Civil society groups today demonstrated in front of a gathering of the European Biofuels Technology Platform
(EBFTP) in Brussels, protesting against the plans of this industry-led
EU advisory group for a dramatic boost of Europe's target for agrofuels
use in transport to 25% (by 2030). The EBFTP, dominated by oil, car and
biotech companies, met to launch the EU's Strategic Research Agenda and
Strategy Deployment Document. Earlier in January, six organisations and
networks sent a letter of protest
to Research Commissioner Janez Potoc(nik about the role of the European
Biofuels Technology Platform in allocating EU research funding.
|
|
Renewables Directive: agrofuel target is 'irresponsible and unsustainable' |
| |
23 January 2008 -- The European Commission's draft EU Renewable Energy
Directive, published today, ignores numerous recent warnings on the
environmental and social damage of its proposed 10 per cent target for
agrofuel use in the transport sector by 2020. Civil society groups will
continue their campaigning towards EU governments and the European
Parliament to ensure that the EU's target for agrofuels is dropped and
a moratorium on incentives for agrofuel expansion is introduced.
|
|
BMW, Daimler and Porsche win "Worst EU Lobbying Award"; German Atomic
Forum lands "Worst EU Greenwash" prize |
| |
German
car manufacturers BMW, Daimler and Porsche were disgraced on 4th of
December when they were named winners of the 'Worst EU Lobbying' Award
2007. The German Atomic Forum was also named and shamed with a special
prize for 'Worst EU Greenwash' at a ceremony in Brussels.
Information about the winners and runners-up, and coverage of the awards ceremony: www.worstlobby.eu
|
|
Paving the way for agrofuels;
EU policy, sustainability criteria,
and climate calculations |
| |
According to a new report by CEO and Carbon Trade Watch,
published to coincide with the European Parliament vote on the Thomsen
Report on renewable energy, EU criteria for 'sustainable' agrofuels are
set on a collision course with the EU's proposed target.
|
|
Hired-gun lobbyists in last-ditch battle against EU transparency plans |
| |
After
two years of heated debate around the European Transparency Initiative
(ETI), the European Commission in March announced it will launch a
voluntary EU lobbyists' register, starting in spring 2008. The
Commission expects all EU lobbyists to provide transparency about on
whose behalf they lobby and with what budgets. Lobby consultancy firms
united in EPACA and its sister organisation SEAP have reacted with
aggressive counter-campaigning against the plans, threatening to
boycott the register. Will the Commission and the Parliament stand firm
against this backlash from vested interests?
|
|
The Revolving Door Temptation |
| |
Michiel van Hulten, former Member of the European Parliament and until
recently chair of the Dutch Social Democratic party PvdA, is joining
the Brussels office of the controversial lobbying consultancy giant
Burson-Marsteller. Van Hulten is one of many former MEPs that have gone
through the revolving door in recent years, to Brussels-based
consultancies that serve big business clients.
|
|
Campaigners challenge corporate agenda during Stockholm Water Week |
| |
This
week in Stockholm, it's time for the 17th edition of World Water Week.
This annual global water policy conference, originally founded by the
local public water utility, has become increasingly industry-dominated
and is this year sponsored by Nestle. Activists, trade unionists and
progressive public water managers from Asia, Europe and the Americas
attend the event to advocate alternatives to privatisation and
commodification of the world's water.
Read their blog reports from Stockholm online at:
http://worldwaterweek.blogspot.com
|
|
Ombudsman rejects Commission secrecy over business lobbyists' names |
| |
Amsterdam, 19 July 2007 - Corporate Europe Observatory welcomes the
European Ombudsman's conclusion that data protection and privacy rules
do not justify secrecy around the names of industry lobbyists.
Ombudsman Nikiforis Diamandouros describes the European Commission's
practice of blanking out of lobbyists' names in documents released
under EU access to document rules as "maladministration". Diamandouros,
however, postpones taking action to make the Commission end this
malpractice until the European Court of Justice has delivered its
judgement in a pending case on data protection versus access to
documents.
Read more about CEO's victory in the Ombudsman case.
|
|
Lobbying the EU by Committee |
| |
Unknown to most citizens, a large part of European Union legislation is
being drafted and fine-tuned by literally thousands of unknown and
hardly accountable expert groups, advisory committees and working
groups. Industry lobbyists, for whom European Commission expert groups
are a major focus, often succeed in getting a seat or a position of
dominance within these opaque but powerful bodies. For too long this
large and critical part of the EU decision-making process has remained
pretty much in the dark. Following intense pressure from the European
Parliament, the European Commission may finally accede to demands for
improved transparency over its expert groups..
Read the briefing "Lobbying the EU by Committee - the strategies of corporate influence
in the Commission's expert groups, Council's working groups and Comitology committees".
|
|
Awarding deception: Rewarded for anti-Kyoto lobbying?
|
| |
Nicolas Robin, lobbying consultant and associate director at
Brussels-based lobbying firm Cabinet Stewart has been nominated as
'European consultant of the year'. The nomination refers to Mr. Robin's
work for the International Council for Capital Formation (ICCF), a
front group that is campaigning aggressively in Brussels against the
Kyoto Protocol and other government efforts to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. Read more
Whether or not Mr. Robin wins the Public Affairs News Award on 5 July,
he will be in the dock later his year, when on line voting starts for
the 'Worst EU Lobbying' Award 2007.
|
|
The EU's agrofuel folly: policy capture by corporate
interests |
| |
Despite growing public concern about social and environmental risks as well as
problematic climate impacts, the European Union is throwing its weight behind
the promotion of agrofuels (more frequently referred to as biofuels). A new CEO report uncovers how the EU's promotion
of agrofuels has been heavily influenced by corporate interests, including car
manufacturers, biotech companies and the oil industry. On the invitation of the
European Commission, these industries have steered EU policy on agrofuels
through industry-dominated advisory bodies such as BIOFRAC and EBFTP.
See also: EU agrofuels and climate change policies.
|
|
"Stop Water Privatisation - Alternatives to the PPIAF", The Hague, 22 & 23 May
|
| |
The Public Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) is a little
known World Bank agency that promotes the privatisation of key sectors
in developing countries such as water, energy and telecommunications.
The PPIAF's annual meeting is being hosted by the Dutch government and
held in The Hague on 23-24 May. Civil society groups will gather in The
Hague for an international forum to oppose a dangerous proposal to further expand the mandate of the PPIAF.
|
|
Davignon's conflicts of interest: unanswered questions |
| |
In response to concerns raised about Suez lobbyist Etienne Davignon's
status as a Special Adviser, EU Development Commissioner Michel argues
that there are "no conflicts of interest". Numerous questions, however,
remain unanswered. Has Davignon's advice influenced the allocation of
EU development aid? Has his advice on how to "mobilise the private
sector" directly or indirectly advanced the commercial interests of
electricity and water giant Suez?
Read more
|
|
Murky water - PPIAF, PSEEF and other examples of EU aid promoting water privatisation |
| |
Much to the horror of civil society groups, the European Commission has
started funding the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility
(PPIAF), a controversial pro-privatisation agency operating under the
wings of the World Bank. In addition to supporting the PPIAF, the
Commission has also launched its own mechanism based on a similar
philosophy, the Private Sector Enabling Environment Facility (PSEEF),
with a budget of 20 million euro.
|
|
Car industry flexes its muscles, Commission bows down |
| |
16
March 2007 -- In a major test case of its commitment to seriously
tackling CO2, the European Commission has bowed to an intensive
lobbying campaign by the automobile industry and watered down its
proposals for reducing emissions from cars. This does not bode well for
the Commission?s ability to act in the public interest and take the
difficult decisions needed to halt climate change.
Read more
|
|
World Water Day statement criticises EU aid and trade policies |
| |
16 March 2007 -- In the run up to World Water Day (22 March), over 60 civil society and labour organisations from Europe and around the world have published a critical statement
about the policies of the European Commission regarding water and
sanitation in developing countries. The statement has also been
published in the European Voice newspaper, as an advert paid for by
contributions from the endorsing organisations.
|
|
ExxonMobil funds global warming sceptics - will Brussels clear the air? |
| |
ExxonMobil has for years donated tens of thousands of dollars to
Europe-based think-tanks which are ardent opponents of the EU's efforts
to combat climate change. Commissioner Siim Kallas upcoming lobbyist
rulebook is one chance to lift the veil of secrecy around this
practice, but will he deliver? See also the shorter version of the
article which was published by EUobserver.
|
|
European Commission releases list of special advisers, takes action on conflict of interests and fraud |
| |
9
March 2007 -- This week, the European Commission for the first time
ever published a list of the names and mandates of special advisers to
EU Commissioners, 55 in total. In the list of special advisers, the
name of Suez lobbyist Etienne Davignon stands out as an another case
where conflicts of interest seem very likely to occur. Read more
about this important step towards transparency and the cases of
conflicts of interest and fraud that have surfaced since the release of
the list.
|
|
Lobbyists oppose financial transparency |
| |
21 February 2007 -- Today, Brussels reporter David Gow reveals in The Guardian how UK lobbyists are trying to stop EU rules on financial transparency for lobbyists active in Brussels. The minutes of a members meeting of the Association of Professional Political Consultants gives some insight in how this anti-transparency campaign has been planned.
|
|
CEO applauds European Commission action against special adviser's conflicts of interest |
| |
20
February 2007 -- Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) applauds
Commissioner Kallas' unprecedented decision to terminate Mr. Rolf
Linkohr's status as special adviser to Energy Commissioner Piebalgs.
Mr. Linkohr is the director of C.E.R.E.S, a Brussels-based consultancy
that is specialised in lobbying for large energy companies, including
many nuclear energy producers.
|
|
CEO reacts to a statement by Mr. Rolf Linkohr |
| |
20 February 2007 -- On the website of the Centre for European Energy Strategy (C.E.R.E.S.), Mr. Rolf Linkohr has published a statement
in which he denies that his directorship at the commercial lobbying
consultancy C.E.R.E.S. (having clients in the energy industry)
conflicted with his role of special adviser to Energy Commissioner
Piebalgs. Read CEO's reaction to Mr. Linkohr's statement.
|
|
The conflicting interests of Rolf Linkohr |
| |
19
February 2007 -- On 16 January, CEO wrote two letters to the
Commission, expressing concern about the fact that Rolf Linkohr "at the
same time directs a commercial lobbying consultancy and acts as a
special adviser to the Energy Commissioner". The Financial Times reports today
that per 1 February, Rolf Linkohr is no longer a special adviser to
Energy Commissioner Piebalgs because he did not confirm in time that
there is no possible conflict of interest.
|
|
Open Letter to EPACA chairman |
| |
13 February 2007 -- For the record: letter to John Houston,
chairman of the Brussels lobbying consultancies lobby EPACA, reacting
to Houston's wild and unsubstantiated accusations against CEO and
ALTER-EU in a recent book on EU lobbying.
|
|
Open Letter Calls Upon EU to Halt Destructive Biofuels Boost |
| |
The
European Commission's plans for expanding biofuel use in transport
would result in a massive increase in imports of biofuels from
countries in the South, with disastrous social and environmental
impacts. The Open Letter calling for a moratorium on biofuel targets is still open for sign-on.
|
|
ExxonMobil Wins Worst EU Lobby Awards 2006 |
| |
Over
9400 people took part in an online poll to decide the winners of this
year's awards. In the "Worst EU Lobbying" category, ExxonMobil was the
clear winner, gaining almost half of the votes cast. The oil giant
continues to pay climate sceptics to manipulate the EU debate, while
keeping much of this funding away from public scrutiny. For more
information, go to http://www.worstlobby.eu/winners.html.
|
|
Nuclear Power Grab |
| |
13
December 2006 -- New CEO report documents the nuclear industry lobbying
offensive ahead of a crucial vote in the European Parliament later this
week. The nuclear lobby group FORATOM aims to replace binding renewable
energy targets with 'low-carbon technologies' targets. This could
create massive new momentum for nuclear energy in Europe.
Read the pdf version of the report.
Update on the vote in the Parliament
|
|
Brussels think tanks persist in funding secrecy |
| |
07
December 2006 -- A new survey undertaken by CEO demonstrates that most
EU think tanks remain seriously untransparent about their sources of
funding. Large corporations, moreover, almost without exception fail to
disclose their financial support for these institutions. A particularly
problematic example is that of ExxonMobil, which continues to fuel the
work of climate skeptical thinktanks like the Brussels-based
International Council for Capital Formation with hundred of thousands
of euros per year. The oil giant keeps most of these funding flows
hidden from public scrutiny.
Read more
|
|
Message to Commissioner Mandelson and Finnish Presidency: Stop privileged access of services industry lobby |
| |
30 November 2006 -- The organisers of the Worst EU Lobby Awards 2006
urge EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and the Finnish Presidency
to cancel participation of EU trade officials and Member State trade
experts in a closed meeting annex cocktail party organised by the
European Services Forum next Monday 4 December in Brussels.
Read more
|
|
Worst EU Lobby Award 2006 - Vote Now! |
| |
This
year, the voting for the awards takes place in two different
categories: 'the Worst EU Lobbying' for that lobbyist who goes the
extra mile in deception and spin; and 'The Worst Privileged Access' for
the public servant or politician who's just too cosy with a particular
lobby group. Select your winners in the two categories, go to: http://www.worstlobby.eu
|
|
Whatever happened to... the Campaign for Creativity (C4C) |
| |
With
the preparations for the Worst EU Lobby Awards 2006 in full swing, you
might be wondering whatever happened to last year's winner: the
Campaign for Creativity (C4C)? Read our new report on C4C's reincarnation as the Innovation and Creativity Group.
|
|
Transparency Boost Needed for European Parliament Cross-Party Groups |
| |
The
European Energy Forum takes MEPs on an adventurous trip to the Arctic
region, sponsored by a large oil firm. The secretariat of the Sky and
Space Intergroup is run by the Aerospace and Defence Industries
Association of Europe. Cross-party groups are an increasingly popular
way for business lobbyists to mingle with and influence select groups
of MEPs.
|
|
Privileged access for business lobbyists at Asia-Europe Summit |
| |
Back-to-back
with the official Asia-Europe summit (ASEM) in Helsinki on 10-11
September, the Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF) will meet to finalise
its recommendations to the ASEM governments. The AEBF's privileged
access and influence is based on far-reaching support from the EU
Commission and EU governments.
|
|
CEO reaction to Green Paper European Transparency Initiative |
| |
In May the European Commission issued a Green Paper on the European
Transparency Initiative, containing chapters on lobbying transparency,
consultation practices of the European Commission and transparency on
recipients of EU funds.
On 31 August CEO has submitted reactions to the first two chapters:
CEO reaction to chapter 1 of the ETI Green Paper (lobbying transparency)
CEO reaction to chapter 2 of the ETI Green Paper (Commission consultation practices)
For news on the campaign for lobbying transparency: www.alter-eu.org
|
|
Moment of Truth Nears in EU Lobby Debate |
| |
In
May 2006 European Commissioner Kallas presented a Green Paper with
proposals for how to improve the "visibility" around the activities of
the estimated 15,000 lobbyists in Brussels. While the Commissioner
deserves praise for taking up these issues within the European
Transparency Initiative (ETI), the proposals in the Green Paper are
seriously inadequate. In the Autumn, the Commission will decide the
final shape of the ETI. The stakes are very high: this decision will de
facto determine the situation around EU lobbying for the coming decade.
|
|
EU-Latin America Business Summit in Vienna |
| |
While
one Latin American government after the other turns its back on failed
neoliberal policies, the EU hopes to use the 4th EU-Latin
America/Caribbean Summit in Vienna May 12th to steamroll ahead with
talks on a whole range of new 'free trade' agreements. The gathering of
large corporations from both regions at a parallel Business Summit aims to increase the pressure on those
governments who question the EU's agenda.
|
|
Discover the secretive world of EU lobbying through new website |
| |
In addition to our regular walking tours in Brussels, CEO has now launched a new website featuring a virtual tour of the EU quarter:
www.eulobbytours.org.
During the cyber-tour (including video, 3-D animated images and short
texts), you will be introduced to the headquarters of lobby groups,
think tanks, individual corporations, PR companies, law firms and other
key players in EU corporate politics, all located conveniently close to
the corridors of power.
|
|
Aquafed - another pressure group for private water |
| |
In
response to the growing backlash against privatisation, water giant
Suez recently established the International Federation of Private Water
Operators (AquaFed). For a critical assessment of this deeply
untransparent new lobby group, see the report "Aquafed - another pressure group for private water" (published by the European Federation of Public Service Unions - EPSU).
|
|
World Water Forum: cracks in the neoliberal consensus? |
| |
Negative
experiences with water privatisation in many countries are undermining
the neoliberal prescriptions that long dominated the international
water debate. This will undoubtedly be visible during the Fourth World
Water Forum (Mexico City, March 16-22) and even more so in parallel events like the International Forum in Defence of Water. The new CEO briefing "Water almost out of GATS?"
shows that civil society pressure to exclude water services from the
WTO's GATS negotiations is having an impact, but that the battle is not
yet won.
|
|
'Campaign for Creativity' wins Worst EU Lobbying Award 2005 |
| |
No
less than 85% of the over 8000 people that took part in the online
voting identified 'Campaign for Creativity' as the most manipulative
corporate lobby campaign of the year. Numbers two and three are
ExxonMobil and EPEE, both nominated for their use of deceptive tactics
to undermine EU efforts to halt climate change. For the final voting
figures, responses from the winner and runners-up, photos and video
from the award ceremony as well as background information on the ten
nominees, go to http://www.worstlobby.eu
|
| |
'Reclaiming Public Water' network launched at Madrid seminar
Campaigners, unionists and water professionals representing over
fifteen countries from across the globe, came together for a seminar in
Madrid (Spain) on 17-18 November 2005. The seminar participants decided
to launch the ?Reclaiming Public Water? network in order to strengthen
the international voice of those promoting progressive models of public
water delivery. Read the full summary of the seminar outcomes.
|
|
Chilling Intent; the F-gas Industry Plot to Subvert EU Climate Legislation |
| |
This
report (October 2005) examines how a group of largely US-based
chemicals producers set up the European Partnership for Energy and the
Environment (EPEE) to gain early access to the European Commission in
order to influence a legislative proposal to restrict the use of
so-called F-gases (potent greenhouse gases) in the EU. On November 22
the BBC's File On 4 revealed that MEPs in the final decision on the
issue were 'scaremongered to vote no' to bans on F-gases.
|
|
Who's Paying for the Brussels Think Tank Boom? |
| |
Think
tanks are increasingly important players in EU capital Brussels, but
their influence is most often not matched with basic financial
transparency, including about their sources of funding. The least
transparent are the radical "free market" think tanks, as documented in
the two new CEO briefings "Transparency unthinkable?" and "Covert industry funding fuels the expansion of radical rightwing EU think tanks".
|
|
Debate about EU Lobbying Disclosure Hots Up |
| |
In
March 2005, European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas presented
the European Transparency Initiative, including binding transparency
rules for lobbyists. Civil society groups have formed the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation (ALTER-EU)
which calls for "ending corporate privileges and secrecy around
lobbying in the European Union". The lobbying debate has intensified as
the result of the increasing use of deceptive tactics by industry, of
which the "Campaign for Creativity" (promoting software patents) is just one example. For a full overview of the EU lobbying debate click here.
|
|
Bulldozing REACH - the industry offensive to crush EU chemicals regulation |
| |
The EU's REACH proposal for improved regulation of chemicals has
sparked the largest ever industry lobbying campaign in Europe. Scare
mongering, flawed impact studies and delay tactics are part of this
aggressive counter-campaign that has seriously weakened REACH.
|
|
House of Mirrors - Burson-Marsteller Brussels lobbying for the bromine industry |
| |
In this first in a new series of in-depth articles on deceptive
corporate lobbying and spin in EU capital Brussels, Corporate Europe
Observatory presents the case of the Bromine Science and Environmental Forum (BSEF).
|
|
New book: Reclaiming Public Water - Achievements, Struggles and Visions from Around the World |
| |
Reclaiming Public Water is written by public water utility
managers, trade unionists and civil society activists from more than
twenty countries. The book (co-published by Transnational Institute and
Corporate Europe Observatory) is also available online.
|
|
'Lobby Planet' Guide to Brussels |
| |
CEO's new 24-page 'Lobby Planet' Guide to Brussels is now available online.
Nederlandstalige editie
Want to order a print copy?
Burson-Marsteller CEO comments on Lobby Planet Guide.
|
|
Power Struggles over Biotech in Brussels |
| |
Biotech companies, NGOs and EU institutions are engaged in a fierce,
unfinished battle over new rules on genetically modified food and
agriculture. Read the new CEO briefing: Power Struggles over Biotech in Brussels.
|
|
Mandelson in denial over incestuous relations DG Trade with big business |
| |
According to media reports, designate EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson pulled off "a bravura performance" at his confirmation hearing
in the European Parliament on October 4th. Living up to his reputation
as a spinmeister, Mandelson elegantly avoided answering inconvenient
questions about the privileged power of lobby groups like the
Transatlantic Business Dialogue.
|
|
Map of the corporate lobbying labyrinth |
| |
CEO has produced a map of the EU quarter of Brussels, with lots of background reading on the influence of industry lobby groups, think-tanks and PR firms over EU decision-making.
|
|
New edition of Europe Inc. |
| |
A new edition of CEO's Europe Inc.; Regional & Global Restructuring
and the Rise of Corporate Power is available from Pluto Press.
|
|
Competing Ourselves to Death?
|
| |
Industry
lobby groups cheered when the EU's Spring Summit agreed to do 'business
impact assessments' for all new EU legislation and re-evaluate EU
climate change policies. This year's European Business Summit showed
that industry's list of 'obstacles to competitiveness' ranges from
chemical safety rules over GM food restrictions to 'insufficient'
military budgets. Read the full article (HTML and PDF versions).
|
|
Shell Leads International Business Campaign
Against UN Human Rights Norms
|
| |
The
International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and other corporate lobby
groups have launched a fierce lobbying campaign aimed to kill off the
proposed UN Norms on Business and Human Rights. Self-proclaimed CSR
champion Shell plays a leading role. Read the Info Brief (HTML and PDF versions) and Shell's response.
|
|
Welcome to the EC's Hall of Shame |
| |
September
2003 -- In the run-up to the decisive WTO summit in Cancun, CEO has
launched a new website exposing the shameful record of the European
Commission (EC) and Trade Commissioner Lamy in WTO negotiations. The
above link is to the Flash version of the site; an HTML and PDF version
is also available here.
|
1052 AK Amsterdam
