To secure a rapid and sufficient supply of vaccines and medicines, the global south has asked for a waiver of intellectual property rights. But despite the gravity of the situation, that is rejected outright by the EU. That should not come as a surprise. A briefing from CEO outlines the EU's traditional role as a staunch defender of big pharma monopolies, and how the push for provisions on 'data exclusivity' in trade agreements with third countries have seeked to undermine even existing flexibility under international rules.

Chemical giant's lobbyists woo MEPs via online wine tasting, just as the battle over pesticides reduction proposed by the European Green Deal heats up. But does this event comply with existing rules on lobbying gifts and events targeting MEPs?

A detailed summary of the findings and conclusions of two extensive reports on research public-private partnerships in the EU: the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) and the Bio-Based Industries (BBI) Joint Undertakings.

Despite strong calls from MEPs and the public, ExxonMobil and its lobby groups mobilise enough behind-the-scenes pressure to stop the European Parliament taking away its lobby badges

Welcome to a new autumn episode of EU Watchdog Radio. In this episode we will discuss the re-launch of one of CEO's flagship initiatives to create more transparency in EU decision making: Lobbyfacts.eu. This tool was created by CEO and German sister organisation LobbyControl in 2015 and has now been improved and re-launched.

A significant number of European scientists active in biotechnology research, are actively lobbying for deregulating new gene editing techniques; While at the same time they have direct or indirect vested and undisclosed interests in the marketing of plants derived from those techniques via patents, patent applications or via links with the seed industry. That is revealed today by a new report commissioned by the Greens/EFA in the European Parliament: ‘Behind the smokescreen. Vested interests of EU scientists lobbying for GMO deregulation’.

The EU’s green ambitions are in great jeopardy. The agribusiness industry is using the cost-of-living crisis as an excuse to push stronger EU environmental legislation off the table and weaken already existing legislation. For instance, they are pushing against tighter pesticides rules and in favour of relaxing GMO rules. But the lobby is increasingly driven by GM researchers and institutes with links to industry or with vested interests. The Commission seems to be listening to these pro-deregulation voices and a proposal to change EU GMO rules is in the works.

NGOs are urgently demanding that proposed EU chemicals regulatory reform stays on track.

Brand new analysis by EU lobby data website LobbyFacts has revealed that the companies with the highest-declared lobby budgets have increased their spending by a third since 2015.

The biggest companies in the EU lobby transparency register have increased their annual EU lobby budget by one third in recent years. Find out more as Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl re-launch their EU lobby data site LobbyFacts.eu