Tech companies break records, spending more money than ever on lobbying the EU

Major US tech companies are spending more money than ever lobbying the EU to influence its digital rules, Politico reports. Artificial intelligence and rules such as the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) will be a particular focus.

A new analysis shows that 733 digital sector players together spend around €151 million a year on lobbying, compared to €113 million in 2023.

The biggest spenders are US companies such as Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Qualcomm and Google. The top 10 tech companies now spend more than the top players in the pharmaceutical, financial and automotive industries combined. Meta is now the biggest lobbyist in the EU with an annual budget of over €10 million.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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