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Lobbying at the EU

Who lobbies the European Union?

395 organisations with their headquarters in Finland are in the European transparency register. They try to influence European laws and decisions. Since December 2024 they have had 946 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

395

Reported lobbying costs per year

€ 24.2 million – € 36.1 million

Of 282 companies, federations and trade unions that report this.

Access badges for the European Parliament

131

Lobbyists who can walk in freely.

Who are they?

  • Companies 152
  • Trade and professional federations 73
  • NGOs and citizens’ organisations 62
  • Other organisations and public institutions 31
  • Trade unions and professional associations 27
  • Universities and colleges 22
  • Think tanks and research institutions 14
  • Consultancies 11
  • Law firms 2
  • Associations of public authorities (e.g. cities and regions) 1

Biggest lobbying budgets

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

  1. Metso Corporation Companies € 900,000 – € 1 million
  2. Bioenergia ry - Bioenergy Association of Finland Trade and professional federations € 900,000 – € 1 million
  3. Nokia Companies € 800,000 – € 900,000
  4. Confederation of Finnish Industries EK Trade and professional federations € 700,000 – € 800,000
  5. Fortum Oyj Companies € 700,000 – € 800,000
  6. Neste Oyj Companies € 700,000 – € 800,000
  7. Helsinki EU Office Other organisations and public institutions € 700,000 – € 800,000
  8. Suomen Tekstiili ja Muoti ry Trade and professional federations € 700,000 – € 800,000
  9. Technology Industries of Finland (Teknologiateollisuus ry) Trade and professional federations € 600,000 – € 700,000
  10. Finanssiala ry - Finance Finland Trade and professional federations € 600,000 – € 700,000

Most meetings with the European Commission

With commissioners, their private offices or directors-general, since December 2024.

  1. Confederation of Finnish Industries EK Trade and professional federations 74 meetings
  2. Nokia Companies 61 meetings
  3. Maa- ja metsätaloustuottajain Keskusliitto – Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners Trade unions and professional associations 36 meetings
  4. Nordea Bank Abp Companies 34 meetings
  5. Outokumpu Oyj Companies 30 meetings
  6. Fortum Oyj Companies 30 meetings
  7. Suomen itsenäisyyden juhlarahasto Other organisations and public institutions 26 meetings
  8. Neste Oyj Companies 25 meetings
  9. Finnish Forest Industries Federation (Metsäteollisuus ry) Trade and professional federations 23 meetings
  10. Technology Industries of Finland (Teknologiateollisuus ry) Trade and professional federations 20 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.