lobbying

Volkswagen, Stellantis and Renault are being described as Europe's 'Big 3' carmakers, coordinating positions as the European auto industry faces pressure from cheap Chinese competition, tightening emissions rules and the costly shift to electric vehicles. Reports suggest the three groups are aligning on lobbying and strategy to defend the European market and shape EU industrial policy in their favour.

A claim circulating online says US technology companies have warned Europe that a move away from American tech could cost the EU economy €115 billion. The figure is framed as a warning against European efforts at digital sovereignty and reducing dependence on US cloud, software and platform providers. Reactions online are sceptical, with many reading it as lobbying pressure amid ongoing EU-US tensions over tech regulation and digital infrastructure.

Major Hollywood talent agencies CAA, WME and UTA are leading a coalition calling for legislation that would force streaming services to spend half of their content budgets on independent productions. The move aims to redirect streaming money toward indie filmmakers and smaller production companies, and is drawing attention across the entertainment industry as debates over streamer spending obligations intensify.

Commenters are arguing that awareness campaigns are not enough when it comes to Palestine, urging people to use whatever influence or platform they have to actively lobby governments and institutions for change. The sentiment, circulating widely online, reflects frustration that months of public attention on Gaza have not shifted policy, with users calling for direct political pressure over symbolic gestures.

LinkedIn and members of the video game industry lobbied federal officials about proposed online safety legislation, according to the Investigative Journalism Foundation. The companies engaged with government representatives as the bill moves through the legislative process, seeking to shape rules that would affect how online platforms handle user safety, harmful content and accountability for younger users.

Brad Close, president of the small-business lobby NFIB, has an op-ed in the Washington Times calling on Congress to level the playing field for employer-provided healthcare. He argues current federal rules treat small employers unfairly compared with larger firms, and urges lawmakers to act on healthcare policy affecting small businesses.

The Salt Lake Tribune explains that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can engage in abortion-related politics and even donate money without jeopardizing its tax-exempt status. US tax law allows churches and nonprofits to engage in limited lobbying and issue advocacy, and to fund political activity through affiliated entities, so long as they do not explicitly back candidates for office.

Apple has released a lobbying report detailing its advocacy on trade policy and public health issues. The report outlines the company's positions and the regulatory areas where it is seeking to influence policymakers. The disclosure is drawing attention for its breadth, covering both commercial trade matters and health-related policy concerns.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association is calling on EU policymakers to strike the right balance in the upcoming Digital Fairness Act, arguing the law should protect vulnerable consumers online without imposing excessive burdens on digital businesses. The act is expected to address dark patterns, unfair digital contracts and online marketing practices across the single market.

Binance.US has registered former judge counsel Cabranes to lobby on finance and banking issues in Washington. The move signals the crypto exchange is stepping up its presence with US policymakers as regulators increase scrutiny of digital asset firms. The registration covers finance-related legislative matters, though the specific bills or concerns targeted have not been detailed.

Peace Brigades International-Canada has published an analysis of how the updated draft of the UN Binding Treaty addresses human rights defenders. The organization is scrutinizing the treaty's language to assess whether it provides adequate protections for activists and defenders facing threats. The review highlights ongoing negotiations over the legally binding instrument regulating business and human rights.

Writer Jonathan Cook has published a piece arguing that concern over Russian meddling in UK politics overlooks Israeli influence operations. The article claims that Andy Burnham's government is subject to Israeli lobbying and pressure, and it is circulating in pro-Palestinian and UK politics discussion groups. Readers are sharing it as a counterpoint to mainstream coverage of foreign interference, particularly around Labour and Middle East policy.

The US Treasury is urging international partners to adopt the term 'super intelligence' in place of 'artificial intelligence', according to Reuters. The reported effort to change global terminology around AI is drawing attention, as naming conventions can shape how governments and the public frame the technology's risks and capabilities. Details on which countries are involved and how partners have responded remain unclear.

American Express Global Business Travel has launched Hotel Lobby, an agentic AI solution designed to automate and streamline hotel sourcing for corporate travel programs. The tool is aimed at helping travel managers handle hotel RFPs and rate negotiations more efficiently. Details beyond the announcement, including availability and client adoption, have not yet been widely reported.

Patrick Martin, president of France's main employers' federation Medef, is under scrutiny from two angles. Libération examines his difficult position as Medef navigates tensions between the far-right RN and left-wing LFI, while Les Echos weighs his claims against Matignon's over planned corporate tax rises in the 2027 budget. French media and business circles are debating whether the employers' lobby is losing influence.

The European Commission is considering removing the ubiquitous cookie consent banners that web users must click through, prompting the hashtag KillTheCookieBanner to spread online. Privacy advocates support the plan, but Google is reportedly lobbying against it, and some EU member states, including Germany and France, are said to want to keep consent requirements in place.

Brazil's Federal Police report says messages were exchanged between banker Daniel Vorcaro and Claudio Lottenberg, a doctor and business executive who had been floated as a minister in a Flávio Bolsonaro-led government. The revelation has drawn attention because it links a figure under investigation to lobbying around a potential cabinet appointment, intensifying scrutiny of the naming of allies to government posts.

Emanuele Orsini, president of Italian industrial lobby Confindustria, said the Iperammortamento measure — the tax scheme allowing companies to write off investments by locking capital at a fixed rate — has worked and called for firms to keep investing. His remarks, reported by ANSA, come amid debate in Italy over the future of the incentive and its impact on company balance sheets.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is travelling to Detroit to argue for tariff-free free trade between Canada and the United States, as trade tensions continue. Meanwhile, a Republican candidate has publicly criticised Donald Trump's trade war, saying "Canada is not our enemy". The interventions highlight growing unease on both sides of the border over US tariff policy and its impact on Canadian-American relations.

Discussion is focusing on the influence of the Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsunion (MIT), the business-oriented wing of the CDU. Its parliamentary arm, the Mittelstand parliamentary circle (PMK), reportedly counts 166 of the 208 CDU/CSU members of the Bundestag among its members, and works closely with the MIT. The figures are being shared to highlight how strongly business interests are organised within the union parties.

The White House has reversed its decision to restrict the UK AI Safety Institute's access to frontier models from Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI. The policy shift follows direct lobbying led by UK AI Minister Kanishka Narayan, after British officials warned that losing access would undermine international AI safety evaluations and cooperation.

Journalist Hamilton Nolan attended a police union convention in Las Vegas under cover, gaining firsthand access to how officers' associations organize politically. His write-up describes the messaging, internal dynamics, and lobbying priorities on display. Readers are sharing the piece for its rare inside look at an institution that usually controls its own public image.

A cannabis advocacy group is lobbying members of Congress to oppose a blanket ban on hemp-derived THC products. The industry fears sweeping restrictions could outlaw a wide range of hemp items sold legally since the 2018 Farm Bill, and is pushing lawmakers to consider narrower rules instead. The effort highlights a growing policy fight in Washington over how to regulate intoxicating hemp products.

European telecom industry associations, including the German groups Anga, Breko and VATM, have joined forces in a new alliance called DNA Europe. The coalition of network operators aims to coordinate lobbying and exert greater influence on EU digital policy decisions affecting the fibre and broadband sector.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that small business owners are bringing their successes with artificial intelligence to lawmakers in Washington, arguing that AI tools are boosting productivity and competitiveness. The push signals growing small-business engagement in federal policy debates over AI regulation, as owners seek a voice in rules that could shape how they adopt the technology.