Skip to content

Independent citizens’ platform · not an official website of the European Union or of any government body

OD OpenDemocratie
Czechia Search Notifications

Lobbying at the EU

Who lobbies the European Union?

228 organisations with their headquarters in Czechia are in the European transparency register. They try to influence European laws and decisions. Since December 2024 they have had 202 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

228

Reported lobbying costs per year

€ 6.4 million – € 11.5 million

Of 143 companies, federations and trade unions that report this.

Access badges for the European Parliament

41

Lobbyists who can walk in freely.

Who are they?

  • Companies 73
  • NGOs and citizens’ organisations 52
  • Trade and professional federations 31
  • Trade unions and professional associations 24
  • Think tanks and research institutions 11
  • Universities and colleges 11
  • Consultancies 11
  • Other organisations and public institutions 10
  • Law firms 3
  • 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. PPF Group a.s. Companies € 800,000 – € 900,000
  2. CEZ, a.s. Companies € 400,000 – € 500,000
  3. Svaz průmyslu a dopravy ČR Trade and professional federations € 200,000 – € 300,000
  4. Seznam.cz, a.s. Companies € 200,000 – € 300,000
  5. TRL Space Systems s.r.o. Companies € 200,000 – € 300,000
  6. Asahi CE&Europe Services s.r.o Companies € 200,000 – € 300,000
  7. Agrární komora České republiky Trade unions and professional associations € 200,000 – € 300,000
  8. Zemědělský svaz České republiky Trade unions and professional associations € 200,000 – € 300,000
  9. Česká asociace pojišťoven Trade and professional federations € 200,000 – € 300,000
  10. Energetický a průmyslový holding, a.s. Companies € 200,000 – € 300,000

Most meetings with the European Commission

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

  1. CEE Bankwatch Network NGOs and citizens’ organisations 21 meetings
  2. Frank Bold Society NGOs and citizens’ organisations 18 meetings
  3. ŠKODA TRANSPORTATION Companies 15 meetings
  4. Clovek v tisni, o.p.s. (People in Need) NGOs and citizens’ organisations 11 meetings
  5. Svaz průmyslu a dopravy ČR Trade and professional federations 9 meetings
  6. Potravinářská komora České republiky Trade unions and professional associations 8 meetings
  7. PPF Group a.s. Companies 6 meetings
  8. CEZ, a.s. Companies 6 meetings
  9. Exportní garanční a pojišťovací společnost, a.s. Companies 6 meetings
  10. Counter Balance NGOs and citizens’ organisations 5 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.