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Lobbying at the EU

Who lobbies the European Union?

267 organisations with their headquarters in Portugal are in the European transparency register. They try to influence European laws and decisions. Since December 2024 they have had 136 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

267

Reported lobbying costs per year

€ 15.6 million – € 24.2 million

Of 186 companies, federations and trade unions that report this.

Access badges for the European Parliament

31

Lobbyists who can walk in freely.

Who are they?

  • Companies 87
  • Trade and professional federations 60
  • NGOs and citizens’ organisations 58
  • Other organisations and public institutions 14
  • Universities and colleges 14
  • Consultancies 12
  • Trade unions and professional associations 11
  • Think tanks and research institutions 9
  • Associations of public authorities (e.g. cities and regions) 2

Biggest lobbying budgets

What they report themselves for lobbying work at the EU, per year.

  1. Portuguese Renewable Energy Association Trade unions and professional associations € 900,000 – € 1 million
  2. LoopOS, S.A. Companies € 700,000 – € 800,000
  3. Natural Business Intelligence Companies € 700,000 – € 800,000
  4. ATP - Associação Têxtil e Vestuário de Portugal Trade and professional federations € 700,000 – € 800,000
  5. Infraestruturas de Portugal S.A. Companies € 600,000 – € 700,000
  6. Sword Health, S.A Companies € 500,000 – € 600,000
  7. ADENE - Agência para a Energia Other organisations and public institutions € 500,000 – € 600,000
  8. Associação Portuguesa de Bancos Trade and professional federations € 400,000 – € 500,000
  9. Associação Empresarial de Portugal Trade and professional federations € 400,000 – € 500,000
  10. AEDCP - ASSOCIAÇÃO PORTUGUESA PARA O CLUSTER DAS INDUSTRIAS AERONÁUTICA, DO ESPAÇO E DA DEFESA 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.

  1. Oceano Azul Foundation NGOs and citizens’ organisations 10 meetings
  2. EU Inc Petition NGOs and citizens’ organisations 10 meetings
  3. ESNA - Europe Startup Nations Alliance, Associação NGOs and citizens’ organisations 7 meetings
  4. Embraer Portugal S.A. Companies 6 meetings
  5. EUPPORTUNITY (QB, Lda.) Consultancies 6 meetings
  6. EDP SA Companies 6 meetings
  7. GALP ENERGIA SGPS, SA Companies 5 meetings
  8. SIBS SGPS, SA Companies 4 meetings
  9. NOS Companies 3 meetings
  10. Mota-Engil, SGPS, S.A. Companies 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.