Meetings on public health between top European Commission officials and lobbies increase exponentially due to pandemic
Meetings with dozens of assistants and thousands of civil servants fly under the radar of the EU's transparency register. The heads of the pharmaceutical industry, EFPIA is one of the most active lobby groups. In less than a year and a half since the start of the pandemic they have held as many meetings with senior Commission officials as in the last five years como en los cinco años anteriores.
Half of all MEPs do not disclose any meeting with lobbies
Regulation of the European Parliament is highly voluntary. Compared to 90% of Swedish, Danish or Finnish MEPs who disclose meetings with interest groups, only one out of ten Greek, Polish and Bulgarian MEPs do so.
Spain signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia to hide information about defense
The document refers specifically to procurement. In 2016, Spain sold weapons to Saudi Arabia to the tune of at least €116m.
The Heir's Court
Although his network of influential relations has yet to reach the levels of his father's, the two Prince Felipe foundations have enabled him to surround himself with the most important businesspeople in the country.
Bankers by Default
Prior to its downfall, politicians and their advisors occupied all the highest positions at Bankia, a new display of the typical division of seats between the country’s principle political parties.
The Mother Ship Bankia
When the company was first nationalized, it had 18 board members, all of whom were politicians, family members or businessmen, creating a tangle of conflicting interests.
The Cunning Valencian Branch of Bankia
Politicians and business associations from Levante place their members on the board of the savings and loan bank.