Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson
Nominated for opening the doors wide for business lobbyists while leaving citizens, workers, consumers and Parliamentarians out in the rain.

The cosy relationship between DG Trade and the European Services Forum (ESF) is a prime example of how Commissioner Mandelson’s DG Trade grants privileged access to big business. Not only is the European Services Forum asked for feedback on draft proposals for EU Trade policy via a confidential e-mail list, they also benefit from personal meetings: DG Trade representatives routinely attend ESF meetings to brief the services industry lobbyists on developments in the GATS negotiations; the Committee 133, the body coordinating EU Trade policy, allows the European Services Forum to host its regular meetings (as happened e.g. on May 23rd 2006); and Peter Mandelson happily receives high-level delegations of European services companies (as happened e.g. on June 27th 2006). Trade unions, NGOs and others concerned about the impact of trade on people and the environment are frequently ignored. No wonder then that Pascal Kerneis, the managing director of ESF, openly calls negotiators at DG Trade “my negotiators”.

Peter Mandelson also does his best to bring international business forums into the fold whilst leaving people and the environment out in the cold. One of many examples: on the margins of the EU-US summit (on 21 June 2006), Mandelson happily joined the Executive Board meeting of the Transatlantic Business Dialogue to continue their “fruitful dialogue”.

Privileged access gets results and business interests are indeed well-represented in EU trade policy positions, with disastrous effects on social justice, the environment and the fight against poverty. And what did Mandelson say when accused of being in bed with big business? “There are lots of people in my bed”

For more information:

Corporate Power over EU Trade Policy: Good for business, bad for the World, Myriam Vander Stichele et al., Seattle to Brussels Network, October 2006

BBC Transcript of documentary on EU lobbying, BBC File on 4, transmitted 22 November 2005

Under the Influence; Exposing undue corporate influence over policy-making at the World Trade Organization. Dominic Eagleton, ActionAid, January 2006




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Alan Pinder wrote on 02-11-2005:
The corruption scandal over Peter Mandelson's mortgage, which led to his resignation from the Blair government, demonstrates how he goes about his job.

quailrecords@hotmail.com wrote on 01-11-2005:
Peter Mandelson's sources of finance for his new £2.4m house were queried in yesterday's Daily Mail, a paper not famous for a pro-environment or social justice agenda.

David Marchesi wrote on 01-11-2005:
EU trade policy, with the WTO as well, threatens to take all remaining power or even oversight out of the hands of electors. Mr Mandelson is a classic renegade

claude25@wanadoo.fr wrote on 01-11-2005:
Ok to nominate Peter Mendelson : He deserves it, but don't forget he is only a valet for upper powers. Why not to include in the list the lobbyists themselves and the transnational groups that are behind ?

Ole-Jacob Christensen wrote on 01-11-2005:
C'est le pire ennemie de tous ceux qui luttent pour un monde plus équitable et plus durable