‘Worst EU Lobbying’
Award 2005
Nominees

Below you find short explanations about each nominee, with links to more extensive information. Every voter could vote for just one nominee.

Votes
 
85%
7035
Campaign for Creativity
Nominated as a fake NGO brilliantly disguising corporate demands as grassroots concerns
5%
418
ExxonMobil
Nominated for its generous funding of think tanks that deny EU action against climate change is needed.
2%
206
European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE)
Nominated for determination to bash EU climate legislation
2%
181
European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC)
Nominated for being an effective ‘Crooked Enemy oF Informed Consumers’
2%
130
European Patients’ Forum
Nominated for representing pharmaceutical corporations rather than patients.
1%
114
New Defence Agenda
Nominated for being the arms industry’s ‘weapon of mass disinformation’
1%
84
SEAP and EPACA – the lobbyists’ lobbies
Nominated for their work to keep the public in the dark
0%
72
European Services Forum
Nominated for successfully using its privileged access to EU trade officials to determine the EU’s trade agenda
0%
49
Bromine Science and Environmental Forum (BSEF) and PR firm Burson-Marsteller
Nominated for fighting fire with smokescreens
0%
36
Houston Consulting Europe
Nominated for arranging marriage between big banking lobbyists and Members of the European Parliament
Total votes: 8325
 
 
 
 
 
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European Services Forum

Nominated for successfully using its privileged access to EU trade officials to determine the EU’s trade agenda

In the corporate lobby stakes, the European Services Forum (ESF) is a winner because of its far-reaching influence on the EU’s positioning in World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks. Working hand in glove with key officials, the ESF feeds European Trade Commissioner Mandelson’s determination to use the WTO services talks (GATS) for corporate gain. Active in the ESF’s ranks are banking giants like Barclays and Goldman Sachs, who are eager to capture markets in developing countries.

Offer this cosy political marriage your blessing by casting your vote for the ‘Worst EU Lobbying’ Award 2005 to the European Services Forum.

Links to more information

Voters said about this nominee:

They caused a lot of structural damage in mainstreaming EU policies on services.

Cause the ESF has a big influence on the EU-133-council and pushes trade liberalization to the profit of TNCs.

gats you know it?

abuse of access to EU officials and the hunger for the markets of poor countries is particularly disgusting

having such access is dangerous and skews the actual needs of those most effected by trade agreements

The European Services Forum sits in the EU council No. 133 and has great influence on the EU trade policy.

WTO is being (ab)used to impose rules which otherwise would never be approved by European or national parliaments.

Huge distribution of wealth from the poor to the super-rich.

powerful and succesful long term acivities

Has been founded by the then British Thatcherite commissioner Sir Leon Brittan to create a European lobby to pressurise himself publicly into doing things he already had on his neoliberal agenda to open up services markets ecverywhere. Has been doing so very effectively. The new GATS demands and offers of the EU are the first steps towards what MNCs and neoliberals want to happen: to create a worldwide job market in the services at the lowest cost available with workforce treated like a commodity.

Entlarvt die Lügner, Schleicher und Schieber!

Subtle arguments on the justice of free trade railroad the agenda of those who would benefit