RevolvingDoorWatch exposes how the EU institutions, including the European Commission, fail to take the revolving door seriously and fail to take effective action to block it! Brussels is home to one of the highest concentrations of political power in the world and the revolving door is one of the most important ways in which lobbyists can influence the political agenda in Brussels. When senior European decision-makers leave office and go straight into lobby jobs, or when lobbyists join the EU institutions, the risk of significant conflicts of interest is great, undermining democratic, public-interest decision-making. RevolvingDoorWatch features EU officials, Commissioners and MEPs who have gone through the revolving door into lobby or industry jobs. Lobbyists who have gone through the revolving door into jobs with the EU institutions are also featured. All of these cases raise significant questions about conflicts of interest and highlight the need for tough new rules which will block the revolving door. 

The European institutions are not transparent about revolving doors, nor do they pro-actively publish information about how they monitor the revolving door. Corporate Europe Observatory will keep this web page updated as we identify new cases or receive information about existing cases. Contact revolvingdoorwatch@corporateeurope.org if you have information about revolving door cases 

RevolvingDoorWatch is a contribution to the ALTER-EU campaign to block the revolving door! CEO and ALTER-EU demand 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 EU institutions
  • Full transparency about all revolving door cases

Read more about ALTER-EU's campaign to block the revolving door!

RevolvingDoorWatch cases

Status Name Nationality Former employer Date New employer
Luc Werring Netherlands DG Transport and Energy (for 23 years), Principal adviser to the Director-General Dec 2007 Hill & Knowlton (lobby consultancy), Senior adviser on transport, energy and environment More info
Michel Petite France Legal Service - European Commission, Director-General (for 6 years) Jan 2008 Clifford Chance, Of Counsel More info
updated Suzy Renckens Belgium European Food Safety Authority, Head of GMO unit (for 5 years) May 2008 Syngenta, Regional Manager for Biotechnology Regulatory Affairs More info
John Richardson Britain DG Maritime Affairs (for 35 years), Head of maritime policy taskforce Sep 2008 Fipra (lobby consultancy), Special adviser - maritime policy and diplomacy More info
updated Magnus Ovilius Sweden DG Justice, Freedom and Security, Head of Sector, Preparedness and Crisis Management Dec 2008 Smiths Group, Senior Vice President Government Relations More info
updated Derek Taylor Britain DG Transport and Energy, Energy adviser Aug 2009 Burson-Marsteller (lobby consultancy), Adviser on energy issues More info
updated Jean-Philippe Monod de Froideville Netherlands DG Competition, Personal adviser to Commissioner Neelie Kroes (for 2 years) Nov 2009 Interel (lobby consultancy), Associate director for competition More info
updated Mårten Westrup Sweden DG Enterprise (for 27 months), Policy officer and Legal officer Dec 2009 BusinessEurope, Adviser - Industrial Affairs Committee (climate change) More info
Erika Mann Germany European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (for 10 years) Dec 2009 Computer and Communications Industry Association, Executive Vice President More info
Mogens Peter Carl Denmark DG Environment, Director-General (for 4 years) Feb 2010 Kreab Gavin Anderson (lobby consultancy), Senior Adviser More info
Petra Erler Germany DG Enterprise, Head of Cabinet, Commissioner Verheugen (for 4 years) Apr 2010 European Experience Company, Managing Director More info
updated David Harley Britain European Parliament (since 1975), Deputy Secretary-General and Director-General of the Presidency Apr 2010 Burson-Marsteller Brussels, Senior Adviser and now co-Chairman More info
Laura Smillie European Food Information Council (for 5 years), Communications manager May 2010 European Food Safety Authority, Communications directorate More info
updated John Bruton Ireland DG External Relations (now European External Action Service), EU Ambassador to the US (for 5 years) Dec 2010 Cabinet DN (lobby consultancy), Senior adviser More info
Eline Post Netherlands DG Competition, Case handler (since 2005) Dec 2010 Avisa Partners, Senior consultant on competition More info
updated Thomas Lönngren Sweden European Medicines Agency (for 10 years), Executive Director Jan 2011 Pharma Executive Consulting Ltd + NDA Group, Strategic adviser More info
Pablo Asbo Argentina DG Competition (for 6 years), Case-handler Mar 2011 Avisa Partners , Associate director on competition More info
Bruno Dethomas France DG External Relations (now European External Action Service), Head of Eastern Partnership Taskforce Mar 2011 G+ Europe (lobby consultancy), Independent associate More info
Isabel Ortiz Spain DG Enterprise and Industry, Policy Officer, Food Industry Unit (for 3 years) Mar 2011 FoodDrinkEurope (Confederation of Food and Drink Industries of the EU), Director of Consumer Information, Diet and Health More info
updated Mårten Westrup Sweden BusinessEurope, Adviser - Industrial Affairs Committee (climate change) Jun 2011 DG Energy, Energy policy & monitoring of electricity, gas, coal and oil markets More info
Parvez Khan Britain UK Permanent Representation in Brussels (for 2 years), Financial attaché (on loan from UK Financial Services Authority where he worked for 5 years) Sep 2011 G+ Europe (lobby consultancy), Associate More info
David Carlander Sweden European Food Safety Authority, Scientific Officer working on guidance for assessing risk of nanotechnology in food Sep 2011 Nanotechnology Industries Association, Director of Advocacy More info
new Ivan Rogers Britain Barclays Capital, Head of the Public Sector Industry Group, UK and Ireland Oct 2011 No 10 Downing Street, UK Prime Minister's office, Prime Minister's Adviser on Europe and Global Issues + Head of European and Global Issues Secretariat More info
new Tibor Kiss Hungary Hungary Permanent Representation to the EU, Ambassador and Permanent Representative Nov 2011 PA Europe, Senior Political Adviser More info
new Jean De Ruyt Belgium Belgium Permanent Representation to the EU, Permanent Representative + Chair of the Committee of Perm Reps, 2010 Belgian Presidency of the Council Jan 2012 Covington & Burling LLP, Senior European policy advisor More info