Environment in the EU
Brussels, the capital of Europe is home to a high number of interest groups, clustered around the European Union institutions, such as the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council. Over 15,000 Brussels-based lobbyists (consultants, lawyers, associations, corporations, NGOs etc.) seek to influence the EU’s legislative process in order to shape policy on behalf of a particular interest.
With its impressive legally binding commitments to nature conservation and sustainable development, the European Union is responsible for approximately 80% of environmental laws in the member states and for policies such as agriculture, fisheries, regional aid, energy and trade and development cooperation.
The EU is also a major player in international environmental agreements - such as the Kyoto Protocol - and in other international arenas that affect nature conservation and environmental sustainability worldwide, such as the World Trade Organisation.