With over 30,000 lobbyists in town, Brussels is often called the European capital of lobbying. Despite this, little is known on how this political system works in practice.

This book offers an unprecedented window into the everyday relationships between bureaucrats and interest representatives. Where the media only shows lobbyists as they meet MEPs and submit amendments, the book argues that the bulk of their work is done in close contact with EU bureaucrats - a form of 'quiet politics' developed by the business community, targeting officials with little public exposure. Based on official archives, the book first sets the historical picture for the emergence of a new layer of bureaucrats; fuelled by European and transatlantic capitalism, it altered the political facade of the business community to fulfil its need for legitimacy. Drawing from observations of internal meetings of the main lobbies operating in Brussels and interviews with lobbyists and Commission officials, the book then shows lobbyists at work.

This text will be of key interest to scholars, students and practitioners of the European Union, interest groups, and more broadly to political science and sociology.

About the Author

Sylvain Laurens is a Maitre de Conferences (senior lecturer) at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris, France, where he hosts a seminar series on the 'Sociology of Elites'.

Book Information
ISBN 9780367886240
Author Sylvain Laurens
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 453g