Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)1/
Revealed: industryâs lobby blitz to undermine chemicals policy reform.
See our brand new analysis of the #REACH chemicals regulation lobby battle in Brussels:
corporateeurope.org/en/2026/02/r...
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In 2025 industry dominated access to the European Commission's highest levels on the topic of #REACH.
Industry had 93 high level meetings with Commissioners and Cabinets on REACH; NGOs, only 19
corporateeurope.org/en/2026/02/r...
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New article looks at industry spin & other well-recognised lobby tactics on #REACH:
đ eye-catchingly high industry costings
đ ignoring health and environmental benefits
đ undermining science
đ misleading claims about how progressive proposals would work
corporateeurope.org/en/2026/02/r...
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Intensive industry lobbying has opposed #REACH improvements such as:
âĄïž inclusion of polymers
âĄïž tackling âcocktail effectâ of mixing chemicals
âĄïž speeding-up removal of harmful chemicals
Instead a key industry ask will likely lead to slower & weaker regulation
corporateeurope.org/en/2026/02/r...
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Today Commission President von der Leyen returns to #Antwerp to cosy-up to the chemicals & wider industry.
Tomorrow đȘđș leaders meet in #AldenBiesen to discuss further rolling-back of social & environmental rules.
When will EU stand up to big polluters?
corporateeurope.org/en/2026/02/r...
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This time last year when VDL went to #Antwerp, she told industry that she had delivered on all 10 demands of its 2024 Antwerp Declaration.
For a quick refresher on this industry wish-list see our cartoons:
corporateeurope.org/en/2024/05/d...
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Civil society organisations are saying "enough"!
We need:
đ± Rules that protect people and planet
đŹ Evidence-based lawmaking
đ« No more blank cheques for polluting industries
Europeâs future should prioritise health, climate, and justice - not just profits.
corporateeurope.org/en/2026/02/t...
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For more information on the EUâs agenda to slash back green and social protections, check out our Deregulation Watch page which we keep regularly updated on the #Omnibus programme, proposals for a 28th regime, and many other #deregulation nonsenses
corporateeurope.org/en/deregulat...
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Some coverage of this article on #REACH lobbying.
@[email protected]:
www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeur...
Pollution : la législation eur...
Pollution : la législation eur...
Pollution : la législation européenne Reach sur les produits chimiques menacée par les lobbys
Les assauts de lobbying de lâindustrie mettent en pĂ©ril la rĂ©vision du rĂšglement europĂ©en sur les produits chimiques et lâobjectif de juguler la pollution, selon un rapport de lâorganisation Corporate Europe Observatory.
Produits toxiques : Ursula von der Leyen et StĂ©phane SĂ©journĂ© sous lâinfluence des lobbys
Selon lâONG Corporate Europe Observatory, le lobby europĂ©en de la chimie a obtenu plus de 200 rĂ©unions avec les commissaires europĂ©ens pour les convaincre dâassouplir les rĂšgles dâautorisation des produits dangereux.
Alden Biesen is even het centrum van Europa: âDit kan de belangrijkste top van de laatste tien jaar wordenâ
Europese regeringsleiders komen morgen samen in Alden Biesen om de Europese economie en industrie te redden. Wat staat er op de agenda, en zal dat veel zoden aan de dijk zetten? âDit soort bijeenkomsten heeft iets masochistisch.â
In #Antwerp today VDL delivered what industry wanted to hear, including more #deregulation via '28th regime'
But this would mean parallel but weaker rules. It could help corporations avoid stricter member state rules for taxation, labour laws etc, triggering a race to the bottom for social rights
VDL also talked about making permitting easier to give infrastructure the go ahead quicker. She talked about wind power, but the risk is that it also weakens standards in rules such as the Water Framework Directive to make it easier for extractive industries such as mining.
#Antwerp
For more background on these issues and more, see Deregulation Watch:
corporateeurope.org/en/deregulat...
Deregulation Watch | Corporate...
Deregulation Watch | Corporate...
Deregulation Watch | Corporate Europe Observatory
Check out our new posts on Deregulation Watch which helps civil society monitor new developments in the deregulation agenda, assess whatâs at stake, and organise in defence of strong social, environmental, and human rights protections.
And for a critique of the EU's Clean Industrial Deal aka the Dirty Industrial Deal, see our 4-part FAQs.
Start at briefing 1 and follow the links to the others!
corporateeurope.org/en/2025/05/d...
The Dirty Industrial Deal FAQs...
The Dirty Industrial Deal FAQs...
The Dirty Industrial Deal FAQs Part I: Competitiveness | Corporate Europe Observatory
The Clean Industrial Deal is the EU Commissionâs flagship policy â but despite the name, itâs definitely not clean. This series will guide you through the basics with our answers to some frequently asked questions. Part I is on competitiveness.