Lobbying at the EU
Who lobbies the European Union?
223 organisations with their headquarters in Greece are in the European transparency register. They try to influence European laws and decisions. Since December 2024 they have had 124 meetings with the European Commission between them.
What is lobbying? (click to read)
- Lobbying means trying to influence the decisions of politicians and civil servants: through conversations, studies, letters or events. This is allowed and is done by companies, but also by trade unions, environmental organisations and cities.
- Anyone who wants to meet the European Commission or the European Parliament must be in the transparency register and state how much money and how many people are spent on it.
- The amounts are reported by the organisations themselves, in ranges (e.g. "between 1 and 1.25 million euros"). Nobody checks them all.
- A European federation with its headquarters in Brussels often represents companies from all over Europe. That is why there are so many organisations in Belgium.
- We do not show self-employed individuals (people).
Organisations
223
Reported lobbying costs per year
€ 11.9 million – € 18 million
Of 127 companies, federations and trade unions that report this.
Access badges for the European Parliament
14
Lobbyists who can walk in freely.
Who are they?
- NGOs and citizens’ organisations 82
- Companies 65
- Trade and professional federations 30
- Trade unions and professional associations 16
- Consultancies 7
- Think tanks and research institutions 7
- Universities and colleges 7
- Other organisations and public institutions 6
- Associations of public authorities (e.g. cities and regions) 2
- Churches and religious or philosophical communities 1
Biggest lobbying budgets
What they report themselves for lobbying work at the EU, per year.
- Hazlis and Rivas Communications Ltd Ltd Companies € 800,000 – € 900,000
- Union of Greek Shipowners - ΕΝΩΣΙΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ ΕΦΟΠΛΙΣΤΩΝ Trade and professional federations € 700,000 – € 800,000
- HELLENIC CABLE INDUSTRY SINGLE MEMBER SOCIETE ANONYME Companies € 600,000 – € 700,000
- Λασκαρίδης ναυτιλιακη Companies € 500,000 – € 600,000
- DYNAMIC VISION PC Companies € 500,000 – € 600,000
- EMICERT CERTIFICATION SERVICES Companies € 500,000 – € 600,000
- PPC - Public Power Corporation Companies € 400,000 – € 500,000
- ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΕΝΩΣΗ ΤΡΑΠΕΖΩΝ Trade unions and professional associations € 400,000 – € 500,000
- ΕΝΩΣΗ ΛΙΜΕΝΩΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ Trade unions and professional associations € 400,000 – € 500,000
- ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΕΩΝ ΑΝΤΙΠΡΟΣΩΠΩΝ ΑΥΤΟΚΙΝΗΤΩΝ Trade and professional federations € 400,000 – € 500,000
Most meetings with the European Commission
With commissioners, their private offices or directors-general, since December 2024.
- METLEN Energy & Metals Companies 13 meetings
- SEV - Hellenic Federation of Enterprises Trade and professional federations 10 meetings
- Union of Greek Shipowners - ΕΝΩΣΙΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ ΕΦΟΠΛΙΣΤΩΝ Trade and professional federations 8 meetings
- Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator S.A. Companies 6 meetings
- PPC - Public Power Corporation Companies 6 meetings
- Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy Think tanks and research institutions 4 meetings
- ELICA MEDITERRANEAN ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECTION SINGLE MEMBER SA (COPELOUZOS GROUP) Companies 4 meetings
- Viohalco SA Companies 4 meetings
- ΟΡΓΑΝΙΣΜΟΣ ΛΙΜΕΝΟΣ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗΣ Α.Ε. Companies 3 meetings
- CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY HELLAS Think tanks and research institutions 3 meetings
Source: EU transparency register and meetings of the European Commission with interest representatives (European Commission, reuse allowed with credit to the source). Amounts as reported by the organisations themselves.