US EditionApple spent $8M lobbying the EU last year and had 76 meetings
Big Tech firms spent €151 million lobbying EU institutions in 2025, a 33.6% rise since 2023, focusing on deregulating digital rules and influencing legislation.
- Research published Wednesday by Corporate Europe Observatory and Lobby Control shows the tech industry spends 151 million euros annually on lobbying in Brussels, a rise of more than 50% compared to four years ago.
- Over the past year, tech industry lobby groups have pushed to deregulate the EU digital rulebook while Apple has called for the Digital Markets Act to be scrapped.
- From January to June 2025, Big Tech met high-level European Commission staff 146 times and held 232 meetings with Members of the European Parliament, averaging more than one and almost two meetings daily respectively, with Meta leading at 63 meetings followed by Amazon.
- Bram Vranken, Corporate Europe Observatory researcher and campaigner, called the lobbying rise "highly alarming" and urged the European Commission to "double down on enforcing its digital rulebook, not bend over to powerful corporate interests," while the Commission said it will not pause AI rules implementation.
- The report finds ten companies—Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Qualcomm, Google, Digital Europe, Telefonica, Intel, and Samsung—spend €49 million, with Meta at $10 million and Apple at $7 million.
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US digital corporations are investing record amounts in EU lobbying, which is in line with the political pressure exerted by the Trump administration against European digital laws.
Apple spent more than ever lobbying politicians in the EU in 2025
Apple has always used the tools it has at its disposal to influence EU politics, and it was not afraid to spend a record amount of its cash for lobbying officials in 2025 — but it is not the leader amongst big tech in that regard.EU flags - Image Credit: European UnionApple faces a lot of criticism and regulations around the world. Like other companies, it wants to have rules to either work on its behalf or be at least tolerable.Also like other …
Millions of euros for persuasion work: The digital industry spends a lot of money to convince EU politicians of their concerns. A US company leads the list when lobbying.
Millions of euros for persuasion work: The digital industry spends a lot of money to convince EU politicians of their concerns. A US company leads the list when lobbying.
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