A 2026 report by the Corporate Europe Observatory claims the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal has been “captured” by heavy industry, following over 750 lobbying meetings in a single year. The investigation reveals that 90% of these interactions involved corporate interests, resulting in the weakening of CO2 emission standards and delays to the combustion engine ban. Powerful steel, nuclear, and automotive groups have successfully pushed for “simplification” and massive subsidies, effectively turning the climate initiative into a pro-business industrial strategy.
Date: February 25, 2026. Source: euronews.com