Swiss-based firms spend tens of millions lobbying Brussels
Companies based in Switzerland spent between €44 million and €60 million (CHF48-66 million) lobbying European Union bodies, according to the monitoring organisation Lobbywatch.
The chemicals industry invested the most money (up to €8.4
million) in presenting their arguments to top EU officials on proposed
regulations, legislation and other matters. The Swiss-based Dow Europe spent up
to €2.75 million while pharmaceutical company Novartis weighed in with upwards
of €2.5 million and crop protection firm Syngenta spent some €1.75 million.
The pharma industry came second in the list of sector-based
spenders, followed by banks and the environmental industry. Tobacco firms
collectively invested some €2.4 million in Brussels last year.
Lobbywatch collated its data from the EU’s transparency
register, which contains information on 275 companies and organisations with
their headquarters in Switzerland. Companies must publish their lobbying
expenditure in bandwidths of spending. Switzerland has rejected such
transparency to monitor lobbying.
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