Such efforts should be a wake-up call to EU policymakers to
further beef up the draft laws and lobbying rules, the study by campaign groups
Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl warned.
The tech sector outspends even the pharma, fossil fuels,
finance and chemicals sectors, which used to dominate lobbying, the report
said.
"The rising lobby firepower of big tech and the digital
industry as a whole mirrors the sectors' huge and growing role in
society," the study said.
"It is remarkable and should be a cause of concern that
the platforms can use this firepower to ensure their voices are heard – over
countervailing and critical voices – in the debate over how to construct new
rules for digital platforms."
The study found that 612 companies, groups and associations
spend more than 97 million euros ($114.4 million) annually lobbying on EU
digital economy policies. The data was submitted by companies to the EU
Transparency Register up to mid-June this year.
Google topped spending at 5.75 million euros, followed by
Facebook at 5.5 million euros, Microsoft at 5.25 million, Apple at 3.5 million,
Huawei Technologies Co Ltd at 3 million and Amazon.com Inc in sixth place with
2.75 million, the study said.
Google and Huawei responded that they submit their lobbying
data to the EU transparency register.
"We have clear policies in place to protect the
independence of the people and organisations we sponsor, including a
requirement to disclose funding," Google said in an email.
Microsoft said: "The European Union has been and
remains an important stakeholder for Microsoft. We seek to be a constructive
and transparent partner to European policymakers."
Facebook, Apple and Amazon had no immediate comment.
The tech lobbying focuses on two key pieces of legislation.
The Digital Markets' Act lists do's and don'ts for tech giants, and the Digital
Services Act requires companies to do more to police content on their
platforms.
The study warned about the industry's access to the European
Commission, with lobbyists involved in three-quarters of the 270 meetings
commission officials had on the two draft laws.
It also cited the role played by trade and business
associations, think tanks and even political parties in promoting the tech
industry's narrative.
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