Corporate lobbying in Brussels reaches record €382 million

The scale of influence is expanding rapidly, with the number of organizations maintaining lobby budgets of at least €1 million rising by nearly 30 percent over the last four years. Tech giants dominate the field with €73 million in annual spending, closely followed by the energy and fossil fuel sector at €52 million. Banking and chemical conglomerates round out the primary groups driving this financial influx.

Campaigners argue that this capital is fueling a systemic push for deregulation. They point to an alliance between European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the right-wing majority in the European Parliament as the primary engine for dismantling established social and environmental protections. Critics maintain that these industry-friendly policies are a direct consequence of the lobbyists' emboldened ability to shape the regulatory landscape.