Who actually writes European laws? A new analysis by Reclaim Finance, based on a year of lobbyists’ entries into the European Parliament, reveals the heavy influence private interests have on the process of drafting EU laws. Sometimes outnumbering MEPs themselves, lobbyists for large corporations occupy a disproportionate amount of space. Fossil fuels representatives exert considerable influence on the orientation of the debates, even though phasing out fossil fuels is a priority for the EU. This reality calls into question the EU’s ability to defend the public interest and demands a radical change of course.
There is a heavy presence of lobbyists at the European Parliament. In one year, from the beginning of the 2025-2026 parliamentary sessions in August 2025 to the summer recess in July 2026, lobbyists entered the European Parliament 62,684 times. At times, there were more lobbyists than Members of the European Parliament. In fact lobbyists outnumbered MEPs in their own workplace one day in 10.
These previously unpublished data on lobbyists in the European Parliament reveal the forces at play. It is perhaps not surprising that lobbyists representing private economic and financial interests make up the overwhelming majority of visitors. Private interests account for at least 62% of visits and 67% of meetings with MEPs. NGOs promoting the “public” interest, such as the European Union’s energy independence, account for only 26% of visits and 22% of meetings.
Among the 21 companies and groups with the highest number of recorded entries to the European Parliament, 12 represent non-European interests, while 5 companies are directly involved in oil and gas expansion. Fossil fuel industry lobbyists were present at Parliament 4 days out of 5, with an average contingent of 8 people per day.
By cross-referencing public data on meetings with MEPs and data on lobbyist attendance, we see that lobbyists are at times in the European Parliament without any clear reason. For example, almost two thirds of the visits made by fossil fuel industry lobbyists are unexplained. Just 37% of those visits correspond to a declared meeting.
This influence all too often coincides with pivotal moments, such as the dismantling of laws on climate, health, human rights, and sustainable finance. The law, which is supposed to benefit the greatest number of people, appears to be shaped by and for private interests. It is urgent that the European Union put its own interests back at the center of parliamentary debates.
