[A2k] “Corporate Power over EU Trade Policy: Good f or Business, Bad for the World”

[Michelle Childs]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
<snip> A new report : “Corporate Power over EU Trade Policy: Good for
Business, Bad for the World” [2] launched today by the Seattle to
Brussels Network analyses how corporate lobbyists are able to gain
excessive influence over EU trade policy making and the negative
effects of this influence on social justice, the environment and the
fight against poverty. The report gives concrete examples focusing on
different sectors of the trade negotiations including case studies of
individual corporations’ influence. [3]

Though there are no specific case studies on a2K or medicines issues,
the first general  section gives a good overview of the lobbying
process. The case study on Bayer (p34) though focused on chemicals
mentions the push under NAMA for lowering tariffs on meds.

Michelle


“Why should Europe care about lobby transparency?”:
New report: Campaigners denounce damaging impacts of corporate lobby
on trade policies


Brussels, 16th October 2006 – The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency
and Ethics Regulation at the EU (ALTER-EU) and the Seattle to
Brussels Network today demanded mandatory lobbying disclosure and an
end to privileged access, as a new report reveals the disastrous
impacts of the enormous influence of corporate lobbying on EU trade
policy. The demands were made at a press conference the day before
European industry interests get together with EU Commissioners for
their annual back pat, this year under the slogan “Why do companies
care about Europe?” [1]

Barbara Specht, from WIDE (Women in Development Europe), a member of
the Seattle to Brussels Network and ALTER-EU said,  “This annual
meeting between corporate lobbyists and EU Commissioners is just one
publicised example of corporate power over the EU, but is only the
tip of the iceberg. For the rest of the year, meetings between the EU
and corporate lobbyists take place beneath the surface. There is no
transparency for the public, even though it is their interests at
stake when business has too much influence.”

A new report : “Corporate Power over EU Trade Policy: Good for
Business, Bad for the World” [2] launched today by the Seattle to
Brussels Network analyses how corporate lobbyists are able to gain
excessive influence over EU trade policy making and the negative
effects of this influence on social justice, the environment and the
fight against poverty. The report gives concrete examples focusing on
different sectors of the trade negotiations including case studies of
individual corporations’ influence. [3]

Myriam Vander Stichele, one of the report’s authors, from SOMO
(Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations), part of the
Seattle to Brussels Network, said “The EU’s position in world trade
negotiations shows how dangerous the domination of big business
interests in policy making can be. Corporate interests pushed the EU
into aggressive demands on market access in developing countries,
even though this would lead to increased poverty and environmental
destruction in those countries. Commissioner Mandelson has a
responsibility to prevent corporate lobbyists controlling trade
policy and must use a new approach that looks beyond cost reduction
for business.”

A crucial step in tackling excessive corporate influence in EU policy
making is to increase transparency in EU lobbying. However, in its
recent proposals on the European Transparency Initiative, the
Commission does not adequately address this - lobbying disclosure
would be left voluntary and optional.

Jorgo Riss, member of the ALTER-EU steering committee and Director of
Greenpeace EU Unit, said, “We will intensify our campaign to ensure
that the European Transparency Initiative delivers meaningful
transparency around lobbying. To even begin to address the problem,
detailed information must be available about who is paying how much
to whom to work on which areas of policy. These answers must be
available to the public about all lobbyists.”

ALTER-EU members from across Europe gathered in Brussels on October
16-17 to plan the next steps in their campaign for mandatory
transparency for all EU lobbyists. The Commission is currently
drafting its final proposals for the European Transparency
Initiative, which it expects to present at the turn of the year. [4]

Members of both networks will stage a protest outside the UNICE day
tomorrow [5].

***
For more information, please contact:

Jorgo Riss, Greenpeace tel +32 2 2741907
jorgo.riss@diala.greenpeace.org

Myriam Vander Stichele, SOMO, tel +31 206391291, mobile: +31 6 44112659
myriam@somo.nl

Barbara Specht, WIDE, +32 2 545 90 74, mobile: +32 (0)479559415
barbara@wide-network.org

Owen Espley, ALTER-EU, mobile: +31 (0)647 576 743
owen@corporateeurope.org

Notes to editors:

[1] UNICE (Confederation of European Industrialists) day 2006 has
been branded “Why do companies care about Europe” and is expected to
gather some hundred lobbyists who will be addressed by six EU
Commissioners. Information on UNICE day is available at http://
www.unice.org/content/default.asp?PageId=402

[2] “Corporate Power over EU Trade Policy: Good for Business, bad for
the World”, Myriam Vander Stichele, Kim Bizarri, Leonard Plank,
Seattle to Brussels Network, 2006.
Read the full report at:
http://www.s2bnetwork.org/download/Corporate_power_over_EU_Trade_policy

[3] An S2B media briefing is available at:
http://www.s2bnetwork.org/download/s2bmediabriefing_16_10_06

[4] An ALTER EU media briefing is available at:
www.alter-eu.org/MediaBriefing161006

[5] There will be a photo/TV opportunity tomorrow (Tuesday 17th
October). “Barroso”, representing the EU Commission, will have a cosy
meeting with a businessman. They will sip champagne in a double bed
outside the UNICE day, as attendees of the meeting enter the
building. 9:15-10:00 a.m. at Espace Flagey, Place Flagey, Brussels.
For more information, contact Rosemary Hall:
rosemary.hall@foeeurope.org, +32 485 930515.

ALTER-EU is a coalition of over 140 organisations, including NGOs,
trade unions, academics and public affairs firms, campaigning for
mandatory lobbying transparency and ethics regulation at the EU. More
information is available at www.alter-eu.org

The Seattle to Brussels Network is a pan-European network of more
than 70 organisations from 16 countries campaigning to promote a
sustainable, socially and democratically accountable system of trade.
More information is available from www.s2bnetwork.org