Fifty per cent or more of our laws come from Brussels and it is vital that these policies work in the interests of people and environment - not big business. Yet, the EU has a close relationship with corporate interests and many EU officials go through the 'revolving door' meaning that they leave their EU job and soon start working for industry or lobby firms, often in the same policy area. Other times, lobbyists go through the revolving door and start to work for the EU institutions. When this happens, corporate groups gain inside-knowledge, vital contacts, and above all, powerful influence. As a result, Brussels becomes even more industry-dominated and more remote from citizens’ concerns and the public interest. This raises serious questions about the political culture in Brussels and shows how we need new rules to tackle these conflicts of interest.
ALTER-EU demands tough, new rules to block the revolving door.
See the revolving door in practice
The Commission is currently reviewing the regulations that govern the conduct of EU staff. ALTER-EU demands tough, new rules to block the revolving door including:
- A ban of at least two years for all EU staff from becoming lobbyists
- New rules to regulate lobbyists who join the EU institutions
- Full transparency about all revolving door cases
Read more here
