Tech, Banking, Energy Lead EU Lobbying Spending Ahead of 2026

The technology, banking, and energy industries are pouring vast sums into influencing European Union legislation, collectively spending nearly 200 million euros on lobbying efforts directed at EU institutions this year. This significant investment places them at the forefront of corporate influence, a trend that has steadily grown since 2020, according to a report by the Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO).

The report, which tracks the influence of corporate lobbies within the EU, reveals that the 173 most active companies and associations, each declaring at least one million euros in annual influence spending, are collectively investing 381.75 million euros. This figure marks a record high and represents a 50% increase compared to 2020.

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This enormous pressure is bringing significant political benefits to industry. We are witnessing business lobbies gaining more and more power to influence policies, the biggest wave of deregulation ever seen in the EU, and a citizenry that, for the most part, is unaware of what is happening.

Tech giants like Meta, Amazon, Apple, and Qualcomm are spearheading the technology sector's investment, contributing 73 million euros. CEO warns this intense lobbying could lead to a considerable relaxation of regulations designed to control powerful tech monopolies. Following closely behind are the banking sector with 66.75 million euros, the energy sector with 52 million euros, and the chemical and agro-industrial sectors with 46.5 million euros.

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Everything indicates that this will lead to a considerable relaxation of the rules designed to control powerful tech monopolies.

While these figures are substantial, CEO suggests the actual spending may be even higher, as companies are not legally bound to provide accurate figures to the Transparency Register, and penalties for misreporting are minimal. The report also highlights that industries like tobacco, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals have significantly increased their lobbying budgets since 2020, by 143%, 98%, and 90.6% respectively.

CEO urges EU institutions to re-evaluate their rules governing lobbying activities, noting that the existence of reinforced rules for the tobacco industry indicates an awareness of potential undue influence. The report criticizes the current landscape where immense corporate pressure yields significant political benefits, leading to a wave of deregulation and a public largely unaware of the decisions shaping their lives.

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