[Fsfe-ie] Vote for the Worst EU Lobbying Award 2005

[teresahackett at eircom.net]

Corporate Europe Observatory in association with LobbyControl, Spinwatch
and Friends of the Earth Europe invite you to vote for this year’s most
offensive case of corporate lobbying in EU capital Brussels.

"Backed by almost a billion euros per year, over 10,000 corporate
lobbyists roam the corridors of power in Brussels. Ever more inventive
and often problematic ways of gaining influence are gaining ground.
Pretending to be concerned environmentalists, buying science, funding
anarcho-capitalist think-tanks, and securing first class treatment and
access by EU bodies, powerful lobby groups manage to get their interests
satisfied.

This is your opportunity to decide which of the ten cases deserves to be
remembered as the most ruthless influence peddler, the fastest spinner
of spin, the grand master of disguise, in short who will become the
‘Worst EU Lobbying’ Award 2005 champion."

Streaks ahead in the voting so far is "Campaign for Creativity",
nominated as a fake NGO brilliantly disguising corporate demands as
grassroots concerns when in fact set up to lobby MEPs to vote for
US-style software patents.

Another nominee is the European Patients' Forum 'nominated for
representing pharmaceutical corporations rather than patients'

The unhappy winner will be announced on December 14 in Brussels."

http://www.corporateeurope.org/worstlobby/