Digital sector spends the most on lobbying in the EU
In Brussels, Belgium, the digital sector spends the most on lobbying European Union institutions. Digital giants, including Amazon, Apple and Meta, allocate €73 million annually to lobbying on EU policy. This is reported by The Local Sweden, citing a report by the civil society organizations Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl.
Business spending is growing
According to the report’s authors, in 2026 businesses plan to spend at least €381.7 million on lobbying EU institutions, 7.8% more than in 2025. After the digital industry, the financial, energy and chemical sectors have the highest spending.
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, spends about €10 million a year on lobbying in Brussels. Its lobbying work involves 44 people working full or part time. Digital companies also actively lobbied against stricter European rules on artificial intelligence.
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Finance, energy and chemicals
The financial sector spends about €66.7 million annually on lobbying in the EU. The Association for Financial Markets in Europe, which represents major banks, declares approximately €6 million in annual spending. According to the source, the European Commission is expected to propose easing banking rules, while banks seek to obtain as much flexibility as possible in future changes.
The energy sector spends €52 million a year on lobbying, while the chemical sector spends €46.5 million. The European Chemical Industry Council reports annual spending of €12.3 million and has more than 45 full-time lobbyists. The EU Transparency Register also includes organizations advocating for the interests of the potato trade, producers of detergents, snacks and the equestrian industry.
