"People dont understand   what the European Union is." "They dont understand how it is governed." "They dont know who are the people who runing it." "But they know that they were not chosen by the people." "And so, when they see the results less than perfect, they say,   'Who do we blame?" "'" "And they dont know who to blame   because they dont know who these people are." "When I started out as a young environmental activist,   I had no idea that I should end up as watch-dog in the Brussels machinery." "But I was stunned to the discover   how fragile political decision-making process is." "And to realize how easily it can be manipulated." "There is a dark force behind this machinery." "An entire industry operating in the shadow." "Often in secrecy and very confidential." "This industry is the lobby industry." "For 20 years now, I've been fighting to uncover   who are these people who are pulling the strings of the EU decisions." "How do they operate?" "And how they are linked to the EU political elite?" "Hello?" "Oh yes, good evening." "I'd like to speak to Rafael, please." "Oh, he's not there." "Listen, I'd like to leave a message for tomorrow." "I just want to confirm the meeting   that we have fixed." "My name is Mr. Kerneis." "Pascal Kerneis." "K, E, R, N, E, I, S." "Yes, from the European Services Forum, ESF." "Yes, and we have meeting tomorrow, but   I did get time today to confirm." "I want to do it now." "Is that ok?" "Yes?" "Thank you very much." "Bye-bye." "Well, Brussels is a small city, kind of a province city,   but that is only the surface." "And then, when you know a bit further about it,   Brussels is a really good place." "This is where the business taking place." "This is where legislation start." "I think that the figure is around 80% of all legislations   which are touching direct life of EU citizens,   is actually initiated here in Brussels." "If you look at place Schuman,   the epicenter of political power in Europe,   you see the European Commission on the one side   next to the Council of EU." "And all around that square you'll find lobby offices." "Most of them belonging to big multinational corporations." "You'll find them also in all side streets." "All over to the European Parliament and beyond." "You'll find the lobby headquarters of large corporations." "You'll find industry lobby groups and their   lobby operations been orchestrated from the offices in that area." "2500 lobby structures are based in Brussels." "15 thousand lobbyists." "The second biggest lobby industry in the world." "Only Washington DC is bigger." "So, EU legislation is   complicated and goes through a lot of stages." "It always start with a European Commission." "They take new initiatives for legislation, for policies   and it goes through the institutions." "Parliament, the Council of Ministers." "And from the moment that the European Commission   take very first steps in developing new legislation or new policies,   Industry wants to be there to influence it." "Administration is not really for me, so I really   want to have the possibility to go and work   for the private sector, where I'll decide myself   what I will do." "I thought that is much more   something for me." "And then I discovered a business around the European institutions." "And I started to be a lobbyist." "You know, we ..." "Everybody believe about   the lawmakers are institutions." "A institution in the European Union is about   The Commission, the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament." "But there is also another world behind that, which is   how to influence the institutions?" "To make a text." "To give a good idea." "To   propose amandmans, to try to find you in the text   depending on the interests of people who are willing to push for." "In the mid '90s   we have come across so may examples of EU policies that are basically   captured by the industry and industry lobbying." "We felt it was really fundamental problem here   the influence of industry is excessive." "And   we decided to setup a group to document examples   and to start developing a strategy to rollback this excessive influence." "That's how it started." "In the early '90s I was working as enviromental campaigner within NGO   based in Amsterdam, cooperating with other   enviromental NGO's across Europe." "One day in the summer of 1993., I remember that fax came in   the fax machine in the office and it came from the south of France   from local environment group." "The group was fighting against   motorway that was planned to go through the valley   in the area they lived." "In the valley of D'Aspe." "Ecologically very important area." "Very beautifull area." "The group asked if we knew more about the role of the EU   and specifically the European Commission in this motorway project." "So we started looking into this." "We discovered that this motorway project   was part of something called Trans-European Networks." "Trans-European networks was the biggest   infrastructure project in the history with   estimated budget of 400 billion euro's." "Friends from Sweden came up with another detail." "There was an influential lobby group behind this and they asked us   'Do you know of ERT, the European Round Table of Industrialists?" "'" "I did not." "I started digging for more information about ERT." "I went to our archive and I didnt find anything." "I started diving into the alien world of business press." "Newspapers like the Financial Times, The ecconomist,   German business newspapers." "And we've found references to a new report   that have been published shortly before, called   'Reshaping Europe'." "That sounded rather interesting." "And we've ordered this report from European Round Table headquarters." "I did not believe that I would get anything   but a few days later a big brown envelope   arrived in my letterbox." "Three booklets were inside." "I took the first two publications,   'Missing networks', 'Missing links'." "Gone through them." "Something is strange about them." "Euro Tunnel" "Scanlink" "Pyreneas corridor" "Somehow they looked soo familiar." "I went to the archive." "'TEN project' by the Commission." "I went through the papers." "I compared them." "Back and forth." "What a striking similarity." "Projects are almost identical." "The Commission seems copy/pasted ERT proposals." "Now I was really curious." "I took 'Reshaping Europe'." "The authors, three CEO's." "Jerome Monod, Pehr Gyllenhamar and Wisse Dekker." "Living in the Nederlands I knew Wisse Dekker." "He was the head of the Philips." "One of the largest companies in the country." "Pehr Gyllenhamar was the head of Volvo, car producing company." "And Jerome Mono was the head of Lyoneaisse des eaux,   very large French multinational." "So, the authors of this report were   three CEO's from some of the biggest companies in Europe." "It was a political manifesto written by these industry leaders." "Meeting in Dublin is mentioned." "45 CEO's." "All from multinational companies,   representing billions of euro's of turnover." "Companies like Fiat, La Farge,   British Petroleum, Hoechst, Nestle,   Shell, Unilever, Siemens and many others,   all of them supported what is in this book." "What was stunning was that   these three CEO's would sit down and actually write   report that was a detailed set of recommendations   for how to change the face of Europe." "I finished my job with the Commission in April 1990." "And I have decided that maybe is best place is, actually, where the money is." "So I went to the European Banking Federation." "I have worked a long time." "Nine years in the European Banking Federation   and I started also to discover   an additional work to Europe, which was   international trade." "It was just before 1992. single market." "Jacque Delors at that time was the president   and he had really givin' impetus." "He emphasised that Europe was something   and that we have a role to play." "And that was really pushing everybody in the city to say   'There is something that all of us together can do.'" "It was a feeling that if we act together   we can be friends and change the world." "I can say that I represent around 80%   of all of the services exporters and investors." "I can say that I represent around 60 million workers." "As a turnover it is, let's say 50% GDP of the European Union." "I dont really believe in to chance." "It's part of it, but most of the time you will provoke a chance." "And then it's gonna be up to you to   see opportunity when the chance is there." "In December 1993., NGO network I worked for   had it's annual meeting." "And the meeting should take place in Brussels." "They decided that this was the perfect opportunity   to do something a little provoking." "Night before we wrote press release   and in the early morning we went to the ERT office." "One of us rang the door bell and told the secretary that   he is a student looking for some documents." "When the door opened we all run up the stairs quickly   and we all managed to get in the ERT office that way." "I remember it very well." "I was at some meeting .  in the morning, so I think it was mid-morning   when I came into the office   and found banners hanging around the office   and a lots of strange faces around." "So I said, 'What's happening?" "'" "'Will somebody please tell me what's going on?" "'" "And they said, 'We've come to occupy your building and ...'" "Possibly they wanted a confrontation." "Possibly they wanted me to ring up the police   and have the police come and throw them out, but   it didnt seemed to be a good idea at all." "Indeed finally, there was some reasons   but we had the office lunch   so I took everybody, my people out to lunch and   left them there." "We were surprised by the reaction that we got from the ERT that day." "He went often to a room and   talked about that aparently and decided to leave." "What we did was that we used ERT press lists." "We faxed press release to the international media." "We expected that the occupation of this   very shadowed but a powerfull   business lobby group would really interest thet media." "But things were a little bit different." "I think we talked to one newspaper   and there was a radio program that was interested." "For the rest, it was silence." "We did not know when the ERT staff would come back." "But on the tables there were positioned papers we quoted later on." "But there was also a very neatly organized archive." "Everything sorted." "So we decided to be fast and copy as much as possible." "In those documents were letters from the ERT   and demands from the ERT to the European Government   and to the European Commission." "And there were the responses." "It really showed us the degree of access that they had." "And incredible influence that was clear from those documents." "So when we tracked back the history of the ERT,   we found that it started in the early '80s." "ERT represent the first time that multinational firms   organized purposely and politically at the European level,   to try to influence European policy." "In the early 1980s, Europe was behind." "You had rising Japan and   of course, strong United States and   Europe was really concerned about falling behind." "What happened actually is that   Pehr Gyllenhamar from Volvo started talking about   trying to find a way to create a marshall plan for Europe." "Gyllenhamar himself was known as a political animal." "He loved a limelight." "So Gyllenhamar drew up a list of heads of multinational firms." "Individuals who might come together   and come up with some ideas and actually participate   in finding solutions to economic problems at the time." "From the Commission,   the member of the Commission who was really keen was the Belgian   called Stevie Davignon." "He had diplomatic and business background   and he could see the need and he said,   'If I want to talk to European industry, who do I talk to?" "'" "What I found out when I was commisioner for industry   that there was an insufficient contact inbetween the Commission and the   economic apparatus." "The relation which existed was a relation with   federations of Industries at, I would say, the official level." "But not at the level of the people who were   responsible for a individual businesses." "And I felt that we are missing this." "And so we decided to set up   group of industrialists, which later became the ERT,   so as to have the capacity to listen to the CEO's." "There were Agnelli's who run Fiat in Italy." "There was Wise Dekker who run Philips' in the Netherlands." "There was Pehr Gyllenhamar who run Volvo in Sweden." "People from Siemens and big German chemical companies." "French, Spaniards and the British." "A small number of people who run the biggest companies in Europe   and were ready to talk about big policy issues   with those people who were in charge in the European   goverment machine." "And then when they meet   a visionary president of the Commission Jacques Delors, they find   that Jacques Delors is thinking in entirely the same terms." "So why dont we get together and pull their ideas?" "That's the breakthrough we made." "I'm fascinated." "That's probably a good word to put me as a description." "Lobbying is always   understood as a bit of a dirty work, but it's just   networking, just contact between human beings." "The world is very small, actually." "The people we have to reach out actually at the end of the day   is becoming smaller and smaller." "If you know the right person   actually, always gonna be about 100 persons that are keepers." "The rest are moving around." "You know that I, actually, the next week I have a appointment with a   someone from the Taiwan delegation and   in Brussels ..." "We'll talking about ..." "Companies are global nowdays." "And therefore the American companies,   the Chinese companies, the Indian and Taiwanese companies,   are actually, my highlights." "We are working together for the same purpose,   which is to open up the market." "I have contacts friends in other countries." "And we have actually established global services coalition,   so we working together to push and put the pressure   for the same purpose." "The word 'lobbying' is about actually, working in the lobby of the hotel." "And meeting the people   with which I'm going to go in a decision-making meeting." "Ok, shall we go?" "Shall we go?" "You have to be first well informed,   consistent and modest." "The world is changing, people are changing everyday   so I'm always very careful in what I'm saying." "I am very careful about what is right today   might not be right tomorrow." "It's because we are on the long-term basis." "My job it's   not going to be pretending that I'm going to change the world tomorrow." "And the only way for me to deliver   is to meet and meet again and repeat and convey messages." "1993. was the year when the EU was born,   to us that's been sold as a political project." "But these letters that we have found in December   pointed in a totally different direction." "The files showed that the ERT and the European Commission   were meeting on a regular basis." "The tone is amazingly jovial and informal." "However, all that went on in complete secrecy." "ERT and the European Commission work hand in hands." "In 1984. 'Missing links' was published." "And immediately after the European Commission sets up a working group   with ERT, on exactly this topic." "In January 1985." "Wise Dekker, CEO of Philips,   presents his 'Europe 1990'   and his action plan for the single market." "10 days later, Jacques Delors, new president of the European Commission   gave a speech about the single market in the European Parliament   which sounds like the echo of Dekker speech." "In June 1985. the Lord Caulfield, Vice-President of the Commission   published his famous single market 'White Paper'." "Copy/Paste of Dekker plan." "Every 6 months there was an EU summit." "And every 6 months the ERT met." "Just a few days before." "Location and date were kept confidential." "The booking was made two years in advance." "They met at that level twice a year." "One of them took on responsibility of   arranging the meeting." "So often they would meet in some fairly nice place." "We met once in the opera house in Milan." "We met in a big museum in Germany." "We met in Royal Palace in London." "And they were arranged for the Prime Minister or   Foreign minister or whoever   to come and talk." "Sometimes it was very impressive." "When everybody was struggling to join the single currency,   I can to this day remember the Finance Minister of Spain   when there was a general elections, he said,   'Dont bother." "Whoever wins this general election ...' '..." "Spain will do whatever is necessary.'" "It's a terrible strong message." "He felt able to speak for the other parties as well   because he knew that Spain is determined." "That kind of things is very impressive." "We talked to a French Prime Minister   who had a lot of doubts about world free trade." "One of our people, may have been Norwegian." "Somebody who wouldnt normally get mauch of a chance to talk   to a French Prime Minister, he said,   'You've got to do this, Prime Minister." "You've got to be a part of this ...' '... free trade movement.'" "And then one of the German chemical people spoke up   and said the same thing." "'We need free trade.'" "'European business need free trade.'" "'France must not block it.'" "And I dont think that the French Prime Minister took that seriously." "Because no French businessman   would talk to him in those terms." "Well,   I think it's important to see that the ERT was club   of top businessman and it operated as a club." "There were no delegates, they turned up in person." "Talking to other members at their own level." "So it functioned like a club, like any other club,   like a church club or dance club." "When they met,   if you put the Italian car manufacturer   and a German chemical manufacturer together   they discovered that they have common problems." "They are all worried about barriers to trade." "They are all worried about skill of young people   who were trying to get jobs." "They are all worried about the world financial system." "And so, all the time we are meeting this way   and these people would give 48 hours, which is a lot of time,   and then all go home." "And   we would hope they would spread the message   to their own colleagues, to their own countries   and to their own governments, to their own politicians." "You know, to talk more widely about it." "Saying that we need to build Europe that works better." "Because without Europe we are lost." "Left behind was a clear message to the following EU summit   for the heads of goverments a few days later." "Adopt this single market   and monetary union, infrastructure projects,   flexible labor market, deregulation,   downsized public services, austerity measures   and so on, a whole Neoliberal agenda for them." "It was the message of the ERT you could find it   also elsewhere in kind of a business circles." "But   what we found very scary was the   very close cooperation and personal links also   between ERT and the European Commission, in particular." "So basically, our picture got confirmed by American scholar   steppin' in to the topic, Maria Green Cowles." "I was interested in   doing something about Europe, something about the EU." "Here in the US we really didnt   know much about the single market program   until our business people here in US brought it to Congress." "And all of sudden there was this big disscusion about fortress Europe   and that the European Community at the time was creating this entity   that would prevent American firms for beeing able to do business there." "And if you ask me to think what was the role of business   behind the single market program   what I could read and what have been published at that time,   really have suggested that it was largely government led initiative." "But once I started asking questions   in meeting with different people in Brussels   it started a whole different story." "I start to talking with some of the CEO's and then   particularily with the Corporate Affairs managers of these firms   to ask them what happened." "And everybody had a little piece of the story." "And then I met with Keith Richardson." "Keith and I would talk about different things and   he would give me some ideas   and I'd go and talk with other individuals." "And then I come back with more questions." "And sometimes used he had the answers and sometimes he didnt." "And finally, I believe it was on my seventh meeting with Keith,   When I said to Keith, 'You know ...' '..." "I can write about this, I can have all of these interviews, ...' '... but I really want to see the pieces of paper.'" "And Keith said to me, 'Well, ...' '..." "I have a bunch of cardboard boxes in the basement of ERT.'" "'We have not opened them.'" "'They are from the earlier days." "We just put this material in the boxes.'" "And of course, in a back of my mind I was very excited thinking this is it." "Maria Green Cowles came across a telex." "It was from Wise Dekker, CEO of Philips." "In December 1985. he wrote to the heads of state." "Just before the signing of the single European act   which started the process of the single market." "The crux of the telex was as follows   'We dont know what you are going to do, but we want you to act.'" "'You can act one way or another.'" "'If you choose not to have a single market program ...' ' ... then you have given us no choice but perhaps ... ' '... take our business elsewhere.'" "This was a clear threat." "ERT represented 60%   Western Europe's industrial output." "This was blackmail." "Why didnt single government say anything about the Dekker telex?" "Or about the other threats that followed?" "They were all elected representatives." "We felt that this was a betrayal." "And we wanted to do something about it." "It was important that bigger public to know about this." "And we decided to publish a book." "Besides collecting data we started to make interviews." "Undercover interviews." "Erik was the perfect person for doing these interviews." "At that time, Press Accreditation was easy to obtain." "For a magazine or journal, and you are a journalist." "I mean, it was not completely untrue,   it was also not completely true." "By the mid 90s the ERT was everywhere." "In advisory boards for the Commission,   in export groups, in research institutes and Think tanks." "Some people said that it was hardly lobby group anymore but   already part of the EU institutions." "However, the ERT was only one out of over 2,000 lobby structures in Brussels." "We started to dive into the lobby world." "In business federations, lobby consultanties,   in Public Affairs offices,   in Think tanks." "Finally in spring 1997., we assembled the results of our investigations   and interviews into the report   'Europe, INC'." "We scheduled a book launch for big EU summit in Amsterdam." "All the media will be there." "We were excited." "We have prepared a book launch and a half-hour before   first friends started to arriving." "But   very little or no Press showed up." "So yes, that was disappointing." "We thought we had some very exciting material   presented in a nice way and   it is clear that is disappointing that the   media didnt take up that story." "A very large part of companies investing abroad are actually   discriminated toward the local competitives." "Sometimes they dont give you the licences all day." "Wait very much all day." "Put a lot of taxes, they find ways and means   to slow down your business." "You are obviously   not in the level playfield and that is your disadvantage, so   my job is actually about removing these difficulties   and sometimes through barriers." "When I was a little boy I remember one of my   dearest toy was actually the globe that   I've been offered once for Christmas." "And   I was looking at this world and all the different countries   and I was dreaming about it and I felt   'One day I hope I'll be able to travel.'" "*We have just concluded most ambitious ...* * ... of market opening and rule making exercise ... * * ... strengthing rules based system of multilateral trade.*" "*And perhaps most important, ...* *... the establishment of a stronger and more broadly based ...* *..." "World Trade Organization.*" "When I started to work on financial services GATTs negotiations,   that was really a time when I've discovered that this is   really interesting and I really liked to do that." "What is interesting in international trade is   international treatty signed by the EU." "Even if it is not European legislation is above European legislation." "And all countries of the EU have to respect   an international treatty that the Union has signed." "*We've come to the end of the most far-reaching ...* *... trade negotiations ever.*" "*You, the negotiators of the 117 governments involved ...* *... have achieved extraordinary success.*" "*With your approval therefore ...* *..." "I gavel the Uruguay round is concluded.*" "The internal market of the EU was becoming an   a very important market, rich market." "With the highest GDP per capita and   that when the EU was going outside and negotiate as a block   they had a real power." "Because it was the biggest exporter,   biggest importer, biggest foreign investor." "But sir Leon Britain,   trade commisioner EU was complaining that every time   he was going to negotiate with the United States   in front of him he will see his counterpart." "And on his back he will have CEO's of big banks   and big insurance companies telling him,   'Please do that for me, please do that for us.'" "But when sir Leon Britain was turning his back to see where his support was   he was actually had only some ministers that saying   'Dont do this, dont do that." "Please do that only but no more.'" "And he was really not very happy." "We discovered that there is a whole world of lobbyists in Washington." "To tell their government what they want in the Trade Organisation." "And we thought this is the way we have to go." "We have to do something like that." "European institutions is asking for it." "European institutions can not only   rely on information given by the member states and   experts in the Finance Ministries." "They need to get the information directly from   the banks and insurance companies." "The World Trade Organization was planned at the time   when there was a wave of privatization around the world." "And when there was a dominant thinking that   what is good for large companies is good for everyone." "Just give them free reign." "In October 1997." "I was on the train to Paris." "On the way to a meeting that will bring together activists   from across Europe and around the world   to discuss trade agreement that was negotiated   behind closed door at the OECD." "The debate was about the multilateral agreement on investment MAI   and it was about international investments." "Sounds pretty harmless, to an outsider, probably." "But in reality, it's boiled down to a massive attack and   undermining potentially of Democracy." "Multilateral Agreement on Investment was cooked up   by some of the worlds largest corporations and their associations." "And their goal was to constrain governments   from regulating these big corporations   and from regulating capital on investments." "It literally constrained governments." "It put hand-cuffs on government regulation." "And then   empower the corporations with a whole new set of rights   to be freed from regulation but also to sue our governments." "So, this agreement would have meant that governments   would have to compensate foreign companies   if they wanted to increase environmental protections,   if they want better labor standards,   if they want to secure equal treatment for women   or if they want to tax capital." "MAI would even let to companies been compensated   for expected profit that they might lose from some   new law or regulation." "This goes completely against the logic even on a free market." "Negotiations were top secret and behind closed doors." "Until the official proposal by the EU was leaked." "It was some Canadian group that somehow obtained   electronic copy of the text." "Well clearly, the original source   was a Democracy loving civil servant   in the government, that sholud not be mentioned." "How that eventually got around is   we scanned the text into a website   and wrote the commentary on what it ment   so that the lay person could actually understand it." "But when all of this got public   it turns out that several of the European governments   didnt even know about it." "And then France put up her Veto." "So, business had been so successful   in influencing the MAI rules,   that this time it was counterproductive." "Despite the defeat in the OECD with the MAI talks,   commissioner Leon Britan   didnt want to give up of this project." "So he broughted in again under the name MIA   and wanted to launch a similar   Investment treatty in the WTO talks." "*Mr. president, ladies and gentlemen ...* *..." "I think there is a wider degree of consenssus on this issue ...* *... than protagonists would wish to admit.*" "*The fact to the matter is that most people, if not all who spoken ...* * ... do see the merrits of international Agreement on Investments.*" "*And they are right to do so.*" "*You can not force investments to take place.*" "*You can do what you like.*" "*You can shout and you can scream slogans from the sky, ...* *... but people will not invest ...* *... unless they believe that there is a possibility ...* * ... to get a return.*" "*Now it well may be that the scene shifts of the WTO.*" "*To achieve that we have to persuade everybody ...* *... that there should be a new Millennium round ...* *... and we have to persuade people ...* *... that the negotiations on investment should take place in it.*" "So then in that point of time   the European trade commissioner sir Leon Britan   decided, 'I am going to invite for dinner 40 CEO's ...' '... of the major services companies in Europe.'" "Big banks, big Telecoms,   big insurance, big distribution services,   big transport services, big tourism companies,   and all different sectors   that it is actually making about 70% of GDP in Europe." "So, he invited a bunch of 40 of those and   after dinner, he said, 'Well, now that you've got some ...' '... some 'food' by the Commission you owe me something.'" "'You have to do something for me.'" "People sometimes think that the Commission   comes up with ideas out of the blue and then pushes them." "It's not so at all." "The Commission is thirsty for ideas from the economic actors   to help us   to decide what to put forth which is in the interest of Europe." "It really was, I think, at the time when ERT   became more and more present in the city." "It became clear that there was a new way of lobbying." "But the ERT, from the world I'm coming from, which is the services sectors,   didnt represent anybody." "So, it was clear also that if the service sector wanted to be heard   they had also to bring some CEO's   to put their voice loud." "Whereas we had strong   European bodies pushing for steel industry, agriculture, etc,   the services were not united and didnt provide   clear voice and advice for the Commission." "And that was very important, it was a various sectors,   the most important sectors   and we needed this advice and I wanted that to provide it." "That's the way I became the managing director European Services Forum." "We had 11 months to prepare Seattle." "The first WTO ministerial conference after the creation of this organization." "And the idea was that this meeting is going to launch   Millennium Round that sir Leon Britan had so much pushed for." "The Commission has for very, very long time taking as its starting point,   interests in the negotiations, the interests of large European companies." "For example, when we would ask for access to Commission documents   like a correspondence and minutes from meetings,   to reconstruct what is going on   whole fuss arises." "The Commission would treat these requests as if they were hostile act." "They would crossout all the   essential elements that they think not want us to know." "Treating us as if we were an enemy." "Sir Leon Britain never got to Seattle." "The entire Commission had to resign   because of the massive fraud   several commissioners were involved in." "And in Seattle,   Millennium round itself took completely unexpected turn." "We were not alone anymore with our concerns." "I was based in the Hilton Hotel,   and conference was in the Sheraton, 500m away." "And I'm not been allowed to go out of the hotel because   there was one protester blocking the door by laying on the ground." "And it was the police officer beside him   I asked him, 'Can I go outside please?" "'" "'I'd like to go and do my job.'" "I was going to assist to the launch Seattle round,   so that we will enter into a new phase negotiations   for liberalization of services." "I remember that the commissioner Lamy was on the way to his car,   but the car couldnt move." "Because those people there ... is just there." "And a policeman said to them, 'Please go away 5m ...' ' ... so that the high VIP here can do their job.'" "There are many NGOs saying that ESF is super secret organization   at the secret meeting with the European Commission." "Although everything is on my website." "I mean, I am doing my job   by contacting Commission officials responsible for my file." "If anybody else would like to do same,   their phone number is on their website." "I'm just doing my job and I dont have anything speciffic, but   if the Commission has some relations with ESF   it is because the Commission is   willing to get some information from the services sectors   before negotiating on their behalf." "Because this what we talking about." "Trade is done by companies, not by NGO's." "This is the annual dinner of the 'Friends of Europe'   which is really a very big Brussels organization." "Lots and lots of people from different countries,   different jobs, different walks of life,   are all interested in   how can Europe develop?" "How can we pull right the things that are wrong?" "How can we build on what we've already done?" "I will call it a Think tank." "Think tanks in Brussels are filling a part of vacuum   that exists at EU level, that there is no European public debates." "So Think tanks step in to that vacuum and   they are forums in which something like a debate happens   inside the Brussels bubble." "There are national politicians, there are European politicians,   there are Civil service and draeded bureaucrats are here, diplomats,   businessman, there are professors from universities, all sorts of people." "One thing about Brussels." "It's a bit like a village." "Everybody talks to one another." "When I worked to the ERT,   part of my job was to keep in contact." "Think tanks are not themselves lobbyists,   but they are part of the landscape of lobbying because   companies use them to transmit their demands and their perspectives." "And all of these are heavily depended on industry funding." "Several people sponsor it." "Microsoft is one of them." "American business is present in Europe." "Microsoft is one of them,   why not?" "You have had Think tanks in Brussels   that were directly funded by the oil industry   and to working to resolve   whether there is such thing as climate change   and whether it's important for governments to act   to reduce the CO2 emissions." "You can setup research institute to provide you with the   research that would strengthened your position." "You can alunch massive PR campaigns and   flood the media with your information." "What also happens is seting up fake NGO's   as happened in big battle about self repentance law." "Suddenly the word is advertisment from the NGOs that   said it was representing small and medium set companies,   but financial backers of these NGOs are Microsoft and SFE." "In the end it's all about money." "In Democracy it's one person - one vote, but   in Brussels business is 1 euro - 1 vote." "The problem is that we dont know about the money behind the politics." "We dont know how much was spent on lobbying   by whom and on which issues." "We need to get this under democratic control." "It has to be made visible what role is of lobbying in the EU decision-making." "What is the role of large companies like Monsanto or Shell?" "And what is the role of foreign governments   like the Chinesse or Russian in making decisions in Brussels?" "We actually have had a Lobby Disclosure law in the US." "Although most people do not know this, since World War II." "President Franklin Delano Roosevelt   was worried that Adolf Hitler was trying to lobby Congress   to prevent the US from entering World War II." "*Todays threat to our national security ...* *... is not a matter of military weapons alone.*" "*We know of new methods of attack.*" "*The Trojan horse, the fifth column.*" "And as a result, he passed this Lobby Disclosure law   that said quite simply, if your primary purpose is to   influence legislation on Capitol Hill,   then you have to register and disclose who's paying you." "To do that sounds simple enough." "However, that was mandatory." "It essentially made it as a voluntary system,   because that type kind of definition is so subjective." "What is one's primary purpose?" "And as a result you had 9 out of 10 lobbyists   not registering and not disclosing." "When I started to work as Capitol Hill lobbyists in 2002.   that was the time when the   style of lobbying evolved things like gift giving,   campaign contributions, fundraising,   hiring the revolving-door persons out of Congress   with lucrative jobs." "And I noticed I just wasnt able to get through to most people." "I couldnt even get through to meet with many lawmakers   unless I had something to give." "So I started preparing   legislation to reform the lobbying process." "But,   as you can imagine   no one reallly was interested in my legislation proposal." "What changed everything was this   'super-lobbyist' named Jack Abramof   who's suddenly was caught in the middle of a big major sting operation." "I he agreed to point the finger   at those lawmakers whom he bribed." "And as soon as that news broke,   my phone started ringing off the hook over in my office." "I didnt even have to go visit any legislators anymore." "They were calling me, saying,   'You know that reform legislation you were talking about?" "'" "'Could we sign on to that?" "'" "And at that point the legislation moved through Congress, it moved very quickly." "And this is known as the Honest Leadership and Open Government act." "We had a desire to regulate lobbying for a long time." "But in 2004th the new Commission came in." "And for the first time,   10 East European countries were a part of it." "The first Barroso Commission started in the autumn of 2004." "We wrote an open letter to the Commission president,   to Jose Manuel Barroso, signed by over 50 NGO's." "Response was a very short form of letter." "I'd say we have received two letters with, 'Thank you, very interesting.'" "But no substantial response." "So we sent a similar letter to all the Vice-Presidents of the Commission." "And suddenly, towards the end of February   we were contacted by the office of Siim Kallas,   commissioner from Estonia responsible for administration   inviting us to come over." "So we went to Mr. Kalas's office   which was somewhere on top of the building." "We didnt know what we had to expect from this meeting." "We have never been approached by a commissioner   so in this sense, it was very exciting." "We were welcomed by Mr. Kalas himself   and one of his cabinet members and   in his hands Mr. Kalas had a brochure and   that makes us smile." "It was the lobby plan of guide to Brussels which was a   cheap but very critical look at industry lobbying in the EU,   written by Erik and me and our colleagues." "When I started as administration commissioner   I really saw that there was so big suspicions   surrounding decision-making in the EU." "And of course I put certain ..." "let say   established for myself a purpose to little reduce this suspicions." "Kalas told us that he was going to launch   this European transparency initiative,   and we immediately saw that it was a big political opportunity." "As an outsider to the Brussels business he also had a clear sence   for how the ordinary citizen thought about Brussels." "I Siim Kallas took it on with a lobby industry." "*European Commission is convinced ...* *... that activities of the interests representatives are legitimate ...* *... and offer valuable input in to the decision-making process.*" "*But things have to happen in a transparent manner.*" "*The Commission consideres that it is important to know ...* *... whose interests representatives are?" "*" "*What interests they represent?" "And against what financial background?" "*" "I put a lot of effort to create a speach and this is of course   outlined." "The main principles of transparency initiative   which should be done." "And it was of course met   with excitement and a lot of controversial reactions." "*When is a lawyer, a lawyer and when is a lawyer, lobbyist?" "*" "When the EU was considering European transparency initiative   they were looking for some advices to how some of these achievements   happened in the US." "And as a result I was brought about half a dozen times to testify   before the European Commission and the European Parliament." "So one of my first testimonies before the European Commission   was very, very awakening experience." "I had one commissioner interrupt me and say,   'Well, we understand you had a problem in the United States ...' '... with lobbying activities and Jack Abramof, ...' ... but he went on to say,   'But you know, this is Brussels and this is Europe.'" "'We dont have that kind of activities going on here.'" "'We do not have Jack Abramof's in Europe.'" "Which just kind of floored me." "That anyone could be so naive and actually believe that." "Michael Moore perhaps effective answer was, 'Ok ...' ' ... all concieved that a lot of this case street lobbyists ...' '... and the professional lobbyists here in the US ...' '... may be corrupt.'" "'However, I know every major case-street lobby shop ...' '... also has a lobby shop in Brussels.'" "'And so, we are in your bed." "Dont you want to know ...' '... if you think that we so corruptible ...' '... and so corrupting, ...' '... dont you want to know who we are and who is paying for us ...'" "' ... and what it is we trying to get you to do for us?" "'" "To tell the truth, I was very impressed with Siim Kallas   when I first started to work with him in the European Commission." "Siim Kallas helped really ushered   the whole significance of needing transparency." "But, halfway through the process   Siim Kallas came up against political realities." "After three years of struggle and political fight   exhausted commissioner Kalas enter the stage   to finally launch lobby register." "*It is noon." "Or afternoon.*" "*So quite remarcable moment today.*" "*Three years ago, I proposed to setup a register of lobbyists ...* * ... in order to enhance transparency and legitimacy around ... * *..." "EU decision-making process and the register starts from today.*" "*So, we proposed voluntary solution ...* *... because I am convinced that this would suit for all.*" "*All expectations.*" "*I think that today is a very important moment of cultural change ...* *... concerning these ...* *... these aspects of decision-making in European institutions.*" "Siim Kallas introduced voluntary system." "Against all recommendations by NGO's and experts." "This was the best he could get." "We've tried for over two years now to find out   who have blocked Kallases original intention?" "Were it other commissioners?" "The Commission Secretariat?" "Lobbyists themselves?" "We do not know." "But shortly after,   at the annual award ceremony of the lobby industry   the winner of the Think tank of the year   had a clear message for Mr. Kallas." "*I know I'm not mention it in speeches, but I'm going to.*" "*Because I wanted to say ...* *... we, 'Friends of Europe' were not sure ...* *... whether our efforts are worth." "And I'll tell you why.*" "*Because commissioner Kallas ...* *... who cant tell the difference ...* *... between Think tank and lobbyists.*" "*I thought that we in business, we now ...* *... 'Friends of Europe' and other Think tanks, ...* *... we provide a platform for a different points of view ...* *... and use them for the benefit of people.*" "*To help them towards these different point of view.*" "*And mine view is that ...* *... your award means a lot for us from the 'Friends of Europe' ...* *... because you are the guys who really know ...* *... how European political errand ...*" "*... should be shaped and how shaping it.*" "*So thank you very much.*" "One month after the financial crisis started   in October 2008., Jose Manuel Barroso   appointed an independent high level group on financial supervision." "The group was to work up proposals   for the regulation of the financial markets   and to find way out from the financial crisis." "Eight so-called wise man were appointed to this group." "Jacques de la Roche, Rainer Masera, Onno Ruding, Otmar Issing,   Keller McCarthy, Leszek Balcerovitz, Jose Perez Fernandez and Lars Nuger." "We looked into the independence of this independent group   and we've found some astonishing things." "De la Roche is representative of the financial lobby organization." "Masera is linked to Lehman Brothers." "Ruding to Citi Group." "Issing to Goldman Sachs." "McCarthy, Nuger and Balcerovitz are notorious deregulators." "And Perez Ferenandez   works to provide financial market intelligence to big banks." "Three of the eight are directly linked to the American banks   all of which were directly involved in causing the crisis." "Balcerovitz, in addition, is closely linked   to American right-wing Think tanks like the Keito Institute." "Which was one of the closest advisor to the British administration." "He was also involved in Neoliberal Think tanks   in Brussels and Poland and the UK." "Not a single of these 'wise' man wasnt in favor of strict regulation." "Not a single one of them was really independent." "And the effects of these eight 'wise' man   on overcoming the financial crisis were sealed on." "The meeting that happened was that a lot of public money   was flowing to the banks." "*This whole affair has a horrible sense of deja vu.*" "*The same financial institutions that were bailed out ...* *... with taxpayers money ...* *... are now making a fortune from Greeces misfortune.*" "*While those same taxpayers are paying the price ...* *... in deep cuts to their salaries and social services.*" "After 20 years of deregulation and liberalization   suddenly the EU herself was at the edge of been blow up." "What is at stake is not only the EU   but also Democracy   and future of the values that we hold dear." "Was it this what Europeans wanted?" "Was it really naive to have a European dream?" "It is in the human nature, that you have not only good." "You'll always have a bad side of something." "And we need to make sure that we keep only the good." "And therefore you need to be patient." "When you live in a society you have rules, because otherwise   people will go to fast on motorways,   because people have no respect for others, because   stronger will take his place." "This is a human nature." "What have we done to go and make sure that we live together   is by creating legislations." "By creating an authority that everyone respect." "sub by feha@neobee.net"