Multi-million-euro market for inside EU knowledge

Publication date: 
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Author: 
Andrew Rettman
Media title: 
EU Observer

Lobbyists resent the idea that their profession is somehow shady or harms public interests. [..] But morality has its limits.

Excerpt: 

"There are shortcuts to gaining trust if you are willing to pay.

Most big lobby firms hire former EU officials in a practice which NGOs call "revolving doors" and which buys them relationships with acting EU staff.

Brussels-based NGO Corporate Europe Observatory (steering committee member of ALTER-EU, Ed.) has a list of 27 former officials who changed sides in recent years. But there are many more."