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How the EU operates – lobbying
by John Boyd

THOUSANDS of lobbyists are in Brussels to bring pressure to bear on EU institutions, especially the Commission, all Councils of Ministers and EU legislation.

There are two powerful groups: the European round table of industrialists (ERT) and BusinessEurope (formerly the Confederation of European Business and founded as UNICE).

The ERT was set up in 1983 by 18 CEOs of major European transnational corporations and today has 51 companies in EU member states, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.

  • John Boyd is secretary of the Campaign against Euro-federalism for Independence and Democracy. This is the fourth article in the How the EU Operates series.
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