Lobbying consists of a set of initiatives aimed at influencing and exerting pressure to protect the interests of an entity, whether a company or an organization, with decision-makers likely to take impactful actions. It is characterized more by strategic influence maneuvers than by a purely commercial approach. Lobbying efforts primarily target political actors, with a significant concentration of activity in Brussels within the European regulatory context.

At the European level, the Transparency Register, established by the European Union, serves as an official directory of entities seeking to influence the continent’s political and legislative direction. For example, the US Senate Lobbying Report reveals that Google invested $21 million in lobbying in the United States in 2018, while Amazon and Facebook spent $14 million and $12 million, respectively. Similarly, the ride-sharing giants reportedly spent approximately $90 million in 2019 to shape decisions in the State of California. Furthermore, the German multinational Bayer admitted to allocating over €14 million between October 2016 and December 2017 to a specialized firm to oppose the proposed ban on glyphosate. This effort involved more than 1,400 individuals acting as spokespeople and the implementation of a targeted communication strategy aimed at 200 key figures, including journalists, researchers, activists, and politicians.

Lobbying efforts are typically orchestrated by specialized agencies, which act as intermediaries between the requesting entities and the decision-making bodies.