Tech companies are increasing their budgets for lobbying efforts in Brussels, according to an analysis by non-profit Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) and LobbyControl.
Lobbying spending among the actors in the digital sector currently amounts to €151 million annually, according to the report based on data from the Transparency register. This is a 33.6% increase compared to 2023, when the budget reportedly totalled €113 million.
The rise in lobbying efforts comes amid attempts from some industry actors to push back against the EU’s efforts to regulate the digital sector.
In the list of top ten spenders in the report are Meta, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon. The trade association DIGITALEUROPE, which includes tech companies like Amazon as members, also made it to the list.
Tech giant Meta was singled out in the analysis as the largest lobby spender in the EU for a single company, with a budget of €10 million.
According to the non-profits, the tech industry is outspending other corporate sectors with significant lobbying power.
“For example the top 10 digital companies are spending three times as much as the top 10 spenders in the pharmaceutical, financial, and automotive industries, and twice as much as the energy sector,” reads a statement by the CEO.
In addition, the report notes that the increase in spending comes with an increase in tech lobbyists, from 699 lobbyists (full-time equivalents) in 2023 to 890 now.
The non-profit warned that increased lobbying efforts could threaten progress for EU legislation aimed at reining in the power of big tech and protecting the digital rights of consumers.
In response to the report, Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE, Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, said that the group’s growth “has been driven by the digitalisation of the European industries – manufacturing, defence, healthcare, finance, automotive, public sector.”
She further noted rising worries over the approaches to regulations in the industry.
“What we see is a huge concern amongst European CEOs and companies about the regulatory complexity and fragmentation, and a strong commitment to push for smarter, simpler rules, and to build scalable digital investments and capabilities in Europe,” she said.
A spokesperson for Amazon told The Brussels Times that “Amazon engages on issues that are important to our customers, sellers, and the diverse range of businesses we operate.”
They added: “This means we work with organisations like trade associations and think tanks, and communicate with officials at the European Institutions."
The Brussels Times contacted the reported top ten spending digital lobby actors, including Meta, Microsoft, and Apple. The European Commission was also approached for comment.
At the time of writing, The Brussels Times has yet to receive a response.
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