Commission High Level Groups - whose views do they represent?

The Commission led High Level Groups (HLGs), that have the mandate to advise on policy making, often provide the input for Commission’s proposals with the potential to be translated into legislation. In order to ensure public interests within these groups, the Commission has to follow rules and minimum standards in the consultation process. The High Level Groups recently met with severe criticism as their membership composition is mainly skewed in favour of industry interests.

The recently published report by Friends of the Earth Europe: Whose view counts? focuses on transparency and membership of the seven High Level Groups established by the Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry. The report investigates whether these groups are acting in the common public interest.

The seven High Level Groups are:
 HLG on Textiles and Clothing,
 Cars 21,
 Pharmaceutical Forum,
 HLG on Competitiveness, Energy & Environment,
 HLG on Competitiveness of the European Chemicals Industry,
 HLG of Independent Stakeholders on Administrative Burdens, and
 HLG on the Competitiveness of the Agro-Food Industry.

The report states that besides the Pharmaceutical Forum, which has a more balanced representation, all HLG are chiefly comprised of industrial organisations that represent industry interests. This is also mirrored in the policy recommendations made by four of these groups which greatly reflect an industry agenda or at least a dominance of industry interests. Moreover, these HLG were not fully transparent in the disclosure of membership, reports and minutes. Consequently, the legitimacy of these HLGs has been called into question as there was no balanced representation of stakeholders and an equitable consultation did not take place.

The report concludes that HLG are not the right forum for giving advice on policy making. The Commission should dissolve all groups that are skewed in favour of industry interests and should not establish new HLG until a clear system for transparency and equitable consultation is implemented. Finally, all currently active HLGs should publish the lists of membership, their reports and minutes in an extensive register to ensure transparency.

EPHA has commissioned an independent report into the process around the Pharmaceutical Forum which will be published later this year.

For more information

Friends of the Earth Europe

DG Enterprise