Few companies have as many seats at the table in Brussels as Apple. Since the European elections in June 2024, the corporation has held 257 meetings with high-ranking representatives of the Commission and Parliament – and boasts a lobbying budget larger than that of three European industrial giants combined.
The figures come from an analysis by the Financial Times, which evaluated the EU's transparency register and the meeting databases of the Commission and the European Parliament since the June 2024 elections. According to the analysis, Google, Apple, and Amazon each meet with EU representatives more frequently than any single European company.
The issue itself isn't new, but the scale is. Just under a year ago, an analysis by LobbyControl and Corporate Europe Observatory estimated Apple's lobbying expenditures at around seven million euros annually. The Financial Times now puts the figure at around nine million euros.
Key Facts at a Glance
- According to the FT, Apple has had 257 meetings with high-ranking Commission officials and MEPs since June 2024.
- Among tech companies, only Google has more meetings with 302, followed by Amazon with 239.
- Apple spends around nine million euros a year on lobbying in Brussels, more than TotalEnergies, Volkswagen and Airbus combined.
- Five years ago, Apple's reported figures in the transparency register were between 3.5 and 3.75 million euros.
- Apple explains that it talks to politicians about issues that are important to customers and business.
257 meetings in just over two years
The Financial Times counted meetings with high-ranking Commission officials and Members of the European Parliament. Google, including its subsidiaries, had 302 meetings, Apple 257, and Amazon 239, placing it 14th overall. Of the European companies, only TotalEnergies, Volkswagen, and Airbus made it into the top 20 most active organizations.
At the top, however, are not corporations, but environmental organizations. The WWF leads the list with 431 meetings, followed by the organization Transport & Environment with 410.
| Organization | Meetings since June 2024 |
|---|---|
| WWF | 431 |
| Transport & Environment | 410 |
| Google (including subsidiaries) | 302 |
| Apple | 257 |
| Amazon | 239 |
According to the Financial Times, the discussions between Google, Amazon, and Apple focused on topics including the planned regulation of cloud services and rules for protecting children online. Regarding the latter, the Commission presented the KIDS Act as a proposed regulation on September 17.
Nine million euros a year
In terms of money, Meta leads the way with more than ten million euros annually. According to the Financial Times, Apple follows with around nine million euros, spending more than TotalEnergies, Volkswagen, and Airbus combined.
These figures are based on companies' self-reported information in the transparency register, which records expenditures in ranges. Apple has been registered there since June 2013, and the data trend can be tracked at LobbyFacts. Over the years, there has been a clear increase.
| Period | Apple's lobbying expenditures in the EU |
|---|---|
| Financial year ending September 2020 | 3.5 to 3.75 million euros |
| Financial year ending September 2021 | 6.5 to 7 million euros |
| LobbyControl/CEO analysis, October 2025 | approximately 7 million euros |
| Financial Times analysis, October 2026 | approximately 9 million euros |
The biggest increase occurred in the fiscal year in which the Commission presented the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act. The current assessment is approximately two million euros higher than that from October 2025.
What's on the table in Brussels
Apple has been under regulatory pressure in the EU for years. In July, the EU Court upheld Apple's classification as a gatekeeper and dismissed the company's legal challenges. In April 2025, the Commission had already imposed a €500 million fine, which Apple is appealing.
As of yesterday, the new terms and conditions for the App Store in the EU, which Apple agreed upon with the Commission in August, are also in effect. The standard commission drops to 26 percent, and the controversial Core Technology Fee is replaced by a revenue share of five percent.
The dispute over Siri AI remains unresolved. Apple is withholding the feature on iPhones and iPads in the EU, citing interoperability requirements under the DMA. This places it on a list of Apple features that are missing in the EU.
The budget follows the regulation
Apple and Amazon told the Financial Times that they were in discussions with policymakers about issues important to their customers and their business. Google pointed to the multitude of new regulations the company had to comply with.
I believe this is largely true in Apple's case. Few companies are as directly affected by DMA, App Store procedures, and AI regulations, and the budget grew precisely during the years these rules were created. However, the figure of 257 meetings describes access, not success: Gatekeeper status, penalties, and new App Store terms demonstrate that Apple hasn't ultimately prevailed on the major issues.
I find the relationship with European industry remarkable. When a single US corporation spends more on lobbying than Volkswagen, Airbus, and TotalEnergies combined, it shifts the balance of power in precisely those debates concerning Europe's own digital economy. The fact that registers and meeting databases are public at least makes this imbalance verifiable.
Is nine million euros a year simply a matter of course for a corporation that was recently fined 500 million euros by the EU – or do you see this as an imbalance compared to European companies that Brussels should regulate more strictly? Let us know in the comments where you draw the line.
