EU lobbying spending hits €381.7m, groups say

Businesses are set to spend at least 381.7 million euros ($443.1 million) lobbying European Union institutions in 2026, up 7.8% from 2025, Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl said in a June report.

The campaign groups said the biggest spending sectors were digital, banking and energy. Digital companies including Amazon, Apple and Meta spent 73 million euros annually on EU-focused lobbying, according to the report. It said Meta spent about 10 million euros a year and had 44 people in its Brussels lobbying operation, either full-time or part-time.

The groups said the finance sector spent 66.7 million euros annually. The Association for Financial Markets in Europe, which represents major banks, spends about six million euros a year, according to the report.

Energy companies spent 52 million euros annually and the chemical sector spent 46.5 million euros, the report said. The European Chemical Industry Council reports annual spending of 12.3 million euros and employs 169 people, including more than 45 full-time lobbyists.

The EU's Transparency Register also lists groups representing a wide range of narrower interests, including potato traders, detergent makers, snack companies and horse-related organisations.