The tech industry is spending some \u20ac151 million annually on lobbying in Brussels: a rise of more than 50% when compared to four years ago, research published Wednesday by NGOs Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) and Lobby Control claims.<\/p>\n
Top spenders include Meta at \u20ac10 million, and Microsoft and Apple at \u20ac7 million each.<\/p>\n
At the same time, EU tech legislation \u2014 including the artificial intelligence rulebook and the bloc\u2019s platform rules \u2014 has come under pressure from the US administration led by President Donald Trump, as well as tech firms themselves, who claim the rules are too restrictive and stifle innovation.<\/p>\n
In February, US Vice President JD Vance said that \u201cin Europe free speech is in retreat\u201d, and in August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called <\/a>on diplomats to undermine the EU\u2019s Digital Services Act.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the past year, tech industry lobby groups have used their lavish budgets to aggressively push for the deregulation of the EU\u2019s digital rulebook. The intensity of this policy battle is also reflected in the fact that Big Tech companies have on average more than one lobby meeting per day with EU Commission officials,\u201d the NGOs write. <\/p>\n The pressure led to a debate <\/a>about pausing the AI Act, rules that aim to regulate AI systems according to the risks they pose to society, ranging from minimal enforcement to greater compliance for high-risk systems and prohibitions.<\/p>\n The European Commission has said <\/a>it is not considering a \u201cstop the clock\u201d or pause of the implementation phase of AI rules. <\/p>\n However, its upcoming digital simplification package, set to come out mid-November, includes <\/a>a possible burden relief for companies subject to the AI Act.<\/p>\n Who are the big spenders in Brussels?<\/p>\n The NGO’s research, which is based on public data from the EU Transparency Register, shows 10 companies \u2014 Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Qualcomm, Google, Digital Europe, Telefonica, Intel and Samsung \u2014 are responsible for \u20ac49 million in spending, compared with \u20ac40 million two years ago. <\/p>\n Companies that have noticeably increased their budgets include Amazon, up by \u20ac4,2 million; Microsoft and Meta, both up by \u20ac2 million; and the business lobby group Digital Europe (up by \u20ac1,2 million), which has many of the same major tech companies as members.<\/p>\n Bram Vranken, Corporate Europe Observatory researcher and campaigner, called the increase in the tech industry\u2019s lobby firepower “highly alarming”.<\/p>\n “The Commission should double down on enforcing its digital rulebook, not bend over to powerful corporate interests,” Vranken said.<\/p>\n Over the summer, EU lawmakers called on the Commission and, in particular, Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen to offer a firm response to Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on countries whose technology regulations harm US companies.<\/p>\n Some EU lawmakers told Euronews they are unhappy with the lack of response following Trump\u2019s remarks<\/a>, after he warned, \u201cShow respect to America and our amazing tech companies or consider the consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n