Big energy and finance companies scoop 'worst lobbying' awards2 December 2010
Royal Bank of Scotland, Goldman Sachs and npower have won top honours in this year's Worst EU Lobbying Awards.
The awards were announced today in Brussels, after more than 8,000 citizens across Europe voted.
The Worst EU Lobbying Awards expose corporate lobbying that undermines effective EU legislation on climate and finance.
Climate
Winner: Npower, a subsidiary of German energy giant RWE, won the climate category with 58% of the total vote. It was nominated for claiming to be green while lobbying to keep its dirty coal- and oil-fired power plants open.
Runner-up: BusinessEurope took second place with 24% of the total vote. It was nominated for its aggressive lobbying to block effective climate action in the EU while claiming to support action to protect the climate.
Finance
Winner: Goldman Sachs and derivatives lobby group ISDA took first place with 59% of the total vote. They were nominated for aggressive lobbying to defend their 'financial weapons of mass destruction'.
Runner-up: Royal Bank of Scotland (23%) took second, nominated for its lobbying tactics in Brussels.
Cleaning up lobbying at the EU
As well as voting for the winners, citizens also sent messages to EU transparency and ethics Commissioner Maroš Šefovic calling for an urgent clean-up of Brussels lobbying.
If lobbying at the EU were cleaned up we might see Europe leading the way in global climate talks. We might also see broad support for a Robin Hood Tax to tackle poverty and climate change, at home and abroad.
The awards are part of a campaign to tackle dirty lobbying tactics and privileged access affecting EU decision-making.
For more on this year's nominees and updates please visit Worst EU Lobbying Awards 2010.
