Press Invitation ALTER-EU & Seattle to Brussels Network Media Briefing Monday 16th October 14.00

  • ALTER-EU & Seattle to Brussels Network Media Briefing Monday 16th October 14.00, Passage Room International Press Centre, Brussels
    WHAT:Launch of the Seattle to Brussels Report: "Corporate Power over EU Trade Policy: Good for Business, Bad for the World"
    Briefing by ALTER-EU on the latest developments in the debate around lobbying transparency, ahead of the Commission’s final proposals for the European Transparency Initiative.
    WHERE: Passage Room, International Press Centre, Residence Palace, 155 Rue de la Loi, 1040 Brussels
    WHEN: Monday 16th October 14.00-15.00
    WHO: Seattle to Brussels Network and ALTER-EU


  • 16 October 2006

    ALTER-EU (The Alliance for Lobbying Transparency and Ethics Regulation at the EU) and the Seattle to Brussels Network will explain the urgency of their demands for mandatory lobbying disclosure and an end to privileged access for corporate lobbyists - the moment of truth for Commissioner Kallas’ European Transparency Initiative is rapidly approaching.

    The Seattle to Brussels network will present their new report: "Corporate Power over EU Trade Policy: Good for Business, Bad for the World" which explains how corporate lobbyists are able to gain excessive influence over EU trade policy making and the disastrous effects of this on social justice, the environment and the fight against poverty.*

    ALTER-EU will present the latest developments around the European Transparency Initiative [ETI] following the consultation on the Green Paper, where over 140 organisations submitted comments. Representatives of ALTER-EU will present proposals for what the Commission should do to ensure that the ETI delivers meaningful transparency for the EU public at large.

    Both networks bring forward their demands the day before European industry interests get together with EU Commissioners on UNICE day for their annual back pat, this year under the slogan "Why do companies care about Europe?"

    PRESS CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

    Jorgo Riss, Greenpeace European Unit on behalf of ALTER-EU

    Myriam Vander Stichele - SOMO (Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations) on behalf of the Seattle to Brussels Network

    INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS

    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

    ENDS



    * Owen Espley, Corporate Europe Observatory, Mob: +31 (0)647 576 743, owen@corporateeurope.org

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

    Myriam Vander Stychele, tel +31 206391291, myriam@somo.nl