THERE ARE NOT 15.000 LOBBYISTS IN BRUSSELS

12.1.2007/BRUSSELS - this is a case of total misrepresentation. This figure was circulated by the Commission but it was a clear misinterpretation. The reality is that you've 2.800 interest groups represented in Brussels. There are perhaps 15.000 individuals that are employed by private and public groups in Brussels, but that's different from calling them lobbyists.

Mr. Fouloy, as President of the Association of Accredited Lobbyists to the European Parliament told, that there are appr. 4.800 lobbyists accredited to the EP. How can we then reconcile the number of Accredited Lobbyists to the EP with the so-called 15.000 lobbyists operating in Brussels.

Again the 15.000 figure is not real and it is time for the media all over Europe to stop quoting statistics that are false! I've often been asked to estimate the number of lobbyists in Brussels. My answer is between 2.500 and 3.000 NO MORE.

Again it's a matter of definition. It's like saying that anyone working for a company X is a senior executive? It makes no sense, does it? In a company hierarchy you will find senior executives (top management), middle-level executives (middle management) and lower-level executives (lower management). Are they all executives? Answer : Yes Are they all senior executives? Answer: NO

Well, that's the same when you say that anyone employed by a private or public interest group is a LOBBYIST. In other words according to this definition the lady that is employed by an interest group and does accounting and/or administrative tasks all day long is classified as a LOBBYIST. The secretary is also called a LOBBYIST... the person in charge of policy research is a LOBBYIST etc... IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE.... I suppose the guy who cleans up the office at night is a lobbyist and the person who prepares the coffee in the morning is a lobbyist, and the dog of the Secretary General of the Trade Association is also a lobbyist.

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Christian D. de Fouloy