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Lobbying at the EU

Who lobbies the European Union?

78 organisations with their headquarters in Latvia are in the European transparency register. They try to influence European laws and decisions. Since December 2024 they have had 31 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

78

Reported lobbying costs per year

€ 1.5 million – € 2.8 million

Of 49 companies, federations and trade unions that report this.

Access badges for the European Parliament

0

Lobbyists who can walk in freely.

Who are they?

  • NGOs and citizens’ organisations 31
  • Companies 23
  • Trade and professional federations 11
  • Other organisations and public institutions 4
  • Universities and colleges 3
  • Trade unions and professional associations 3
  • Consultancies 2
  • Think tanks and research institutions 1

Biggest lobbying budgets

What they report themselves for lobbying work at the EU, per year.

  1. Edge Autonomy Riga Companies € 200,000 – € 300,000
  2. Laflora SIA Companies € 200,000 – € 300,000
  3. Ārvalstu investoru padome Latvijā NGOs and citizens’ organisations € 200,000 – € 300,000
  4. SIA BF-ESSE Companies € 100,000 – € 200,000
  5. SAF Tehnika Companies € 100,000 – € 200,000
  6. Latvian Peat Association Trade and professional federations € 100,000 – € 200,000
  7. Latvijas Darba devēju konfederācija Trade and professional federations € 50,000 – € 100,000
  8. Biedrība "Latvijas Biznesa Eņģeļu Tīkls" NGOs and citizens’ organisations € 50,000 – € 100,000
  9. Latvijas Privātā un Iespējkapitāla asociācija Trade unions and professional associations € 50,000 – € 100,000
  10. Latvijas Pārtikas tirgotāju asociācija Trade and professional federations € 50,000 – € 100,000

Most meetings with the European Commission

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

  1. Tilde, SIA Companies 4 meetings
  2. Latvijas Darba devēju konfederācija Trade and professional federations 2 meetings
  3. MADARA Cosmetics Companies 1 meeting
  4. Finance Latvia Association Trade and professional federations 1 meeting
  5. Latvijas Kokrūpniecības federācija Trade and professional federations 1 meeting
  6. Latvian Crayfish and Fish Farmers Association Trade and professional federations 1 meeting
  7. RB Rail Companies 1 meeting
  8. KARAVELA Trade and professional federations 1 meeting
  9. LATVIJAS FUTBOLA FEDERACIJA NGOs and citizens’ organisations 1 meeting
  10. Latvijas Jaunatnes padome NGOs and citizens’ organisations 1 meeting

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.