November 22, 2006

Lobbying in EU

Corporate Europe Observatory, an organization that keeps track of questionable lobbying tactics and EU institutions or officials who "have their ears a little too open for one side of the story", has nominated the European Commission's DG Internal Market for this year's "Worst Privileged Access Award" for "manipulating a consultation on EU patent policies".

In carrying out its' own round of additional consultation following the end of the official commission consultation "On the Future of European Patent Policy" together with "a disturbing degree of preferential treatment for corporate proponents of US-style software patents... DG Internal Market's flawed consultation raises the suspicion that it was primarily concerned with legitimising its own patent policy proposal no matter what."

If, like me, you share concerns surrounding these issues you can vote "for" DG Internal Market and, if they "win", i.e. if that consultation is chosen as the worst privileged access in the EU in 2006, then you will help draw attention to the unbalanced and flawed methods employed in drawing up Europe's innovation and patent policy.

Corporate Europe Observatory are also running their 'Worst EU Lobbying Award' again which last year was won by "Campaign for Creativity" - nominated as a fake NGO brilliantly disguising corporate demands as grassroots concerns. I trust you will find a suitable candidate of your own preference from the nominations this year as it is required that you vote for both categories. Mine went to Weber Shandwick, that are playing with peoples life's just to get more money (some background here).

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