The tech industry is spending some €151 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.
Top spenders include Meta at €10 million, and Microsoft and Apple at €7 million each.
At the same time, EU tech legislation — including the artificial intelligence rulebook and the bloc’s platform rules — 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.
In February, US Vice President JD Vance said that “in Europe free speech is in retreat”, and in August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on diplomats to undermine the EU’s Digital Services Act.
“Over the past year, tech industry lobby groups have used their lavish budgets to aggressively push for the deregulation of the EU’s 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,” the NGOs write.
The pressure led to a debate 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.
The European Commission has said it is not considering a “stop the clock” or pause of the implementation phase of AI rules.
However, its upcoming digital simplification package, set to come out mid-November, includes a possible burden relief for companies subject to the AI Act.
Who are the big spenders in Brussels?
The NGO’s research, which is based on public data from the EU Transparency Register, shows 10 companies — Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Qualcomm, Google, Digital Europe, Telefonica, Intel and Samsung — are responsible for €49 million in spending, compared with €40 million two years ago.
Companies that have noticeably increased their budgets include Amazon, up by €4,2 million; Microsoft and Meta, both up by €2 million; and the business lobby group Digital Europe (up by €1,2 million), which has many of the same major tech companies as members.
Bram Vranken, Corporate Europe Observatory researcher and campaigner, called the increase in the tech industry’s lobby firepower “highly alarming”.
“The Commission should double down on enforcing its digital rulebook, not bend over to powerful corporate interests,” Vranken said.
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.
Some EU lawmakers told Euronews they are unhappy with the lack of response following Trump’s remarks, after he warned, “Show respect to America and our amazing tech companies or consider the consequences.”
A Commission spokesperson defended Virkkunen at the time, saying that “she will fight back against all unfounded claims, she has done so, she will continue to do it.”
Euronews has reached out to Meta, Microsoft and Apple for comment.