May 2026 Data (June Edition)

Section A: The Themes Hidden in May's Lobbying Data

EU Relaxes CO₂ Rules for Heavy-Duty Vehicles

March 2026 saw the Council of the EU adopt more flexible CO₂ standards for heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers, responding to industry feedback regarding infrastructure challenges. This measure coincided with heightened lobbying from Kogel Trailer GmbH, System Trailers Fahrzeugbau GmbH, and Schmitz Cargobull AG in meetings with Comm Tzitzikostas (Transport and Tourism) on topics like CO₂ emission targets and the VECTO Trailer tool. The regulatory adjustment appears closely aligned with the surge in engagement from sector leaders during May 2026.

📎 EU relaxes heavy-duty vehicles CO2 limits while holding firm on 2030 targets · EU Council adopts relaxed CO₂ targets for HGV manufacturers

EU Batteries Regulation Simplified for Automotive Sector

A June 2026 simplification package introduced amendments to the EU Batteries Regulation, clarifying definitions and easing requirements around removability and hazardous substance labeling. These changes align with lobbying activity from automotive groups such as General Motors, which raised priorities on simplification of the regulation with the Directorate-General for Environment, and Volvo AB, which engaged with the Directorate-General for Tax and Customs on rules of origin for batteries, seeking regulatory streamlining, especially on operational burdens for battery use and reporting in vehicle production. The timing and scope reflect sustained advocacy prior to and during May 2026.

📎 EU Batteries Regulation: Key simplifications agreed under Omnibus VIII · Batteries: EU proposes simpler removability and replacement rules

Electrification Plans and Electricity Price Concerns

The forthcoming Electrification Action Plan—announced for July 2026—was a focal point for automotive sector lobbying, with E-MOBILITY EUROPE and Stellantis pressing in meetings with Comm Jorgensen (Energy and Housing) and Comm Dombrovskis (Statistics) for affordable and stable electricity prices. This policy momentum comes amid strong engagement from both carmakers and energy-intensive industries, as seen with Mercedes-Benz Group AG, aiming to ensure the financial viability of electrification in transport. Ongoing input into benchmarks and support schemes underlines the stakes for automotive decarbonization efforts.

📎 Electrification · Electrification Action Plan: What the EU needs to get right · Energy-intensive industries set out demands for affordable electricity in the EU

Industrial Accelerator Act: Automotive Industry Seeks Influence

The March 2026 proposal of the Industrial Accelerator Act, embedding 'Made in EU' and low-carbon criteria for manufacturing, triggered a notable increase in outreach by automotive manufacturers such as Piaggio & C. S.p.A., Stellantis, and Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Automotive groups, including small volume producers, have engaged in policy dialogue with Commission Sefcovic (Trade and Economic Security) and the Directorate General for Industry and SMEs to shape eligibility and technical details of procurement and investment incentives. The rise in related lobbying highlights strategic positioning ahead of Council and Parliament reviews.

📎 Commission proposes new measures to boost EU industry and jobs · EU’s Industrial Accelerator Act unveils “Made in EU” and low-carbon ...

Section B: Lobbying Activity by Industry

This section compares, by industry, the lobbying activity with the European Commission last month to its historical average.

Industry Lobbying Activity, May 2026

In May 2026, 3 industries from this sector were active in lobbying meetings with the European Commission, led by Motor Vehicles.

Industries running notably above their historical average this month include Motor Vehicle Bodies and Trailers.

On the quieter side, Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Parts and Accessories saw notably less lobbying activity than their historical average.

Section C: Lobbying by Industry for the Past Year

To contextualize Section B, this chart shows the residual trajectory of the same top industries from Section B over the past 12 months — the deviation from what would be expected after accounting for seasonal patterns and the overall trend. Persistent above-zero values indicate sustained over-activity; persistent below-zero values indicate sustained quiet periods.

Industry Lobbying Residuals, May 2026

This chart shows the 3 industries in this sector with the largest deviations from expected lobbying activity in May 2026. Positive values run above their seasonal trend, negative values below.

Motor Vehicle Parts and Accessories, Motor Vehicles, and Motor Vehicle Bodies and Trailers saw lobbying notably below expected levels this month.

Section D: Lobbying Activity by Organization

In this section, we see the organizations with the most unusual lobbying behavior last month, defined by either unusually high or unusually low lobbying activity.

Organization Lobbying Activity, May 2026

In May 2026, 15 organizations from this sector took part in 16 lobbying meetings with the European Commission.

On the quieter side, Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment), Association des Constructeurs Europeens d'Automobiles, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, and Robert Bosch GmbH saw notably less lobbying activity than usual.

New to the sector's lobbying records this month: System Trailers Fahrzeugbau GmbH, Kogel Trailer GmbH, and Schmitz Cargobull AG.

Section E: Lobbying of Government Institutions in the Past Month

Every lobbying meeting takes place with one of two types of European Commission body: a Commissioner's cabinet (political staff) or a Directorate-General (the civil service). This section shows the organisation-to-institution pairings with the most unusual lobbying activity last month, defined by the largest absolute difference between this month's meeting count and the pair's 12-month rolling average.

Lobbying of Commission Institutions, May 2026 vs 12-Month Avg

In May 2026, 15 organisations from this sector met with 10 Commission bodies across 16 meetings — split across 4 Commissioner cabinets and 6 Directorates-General.

On the quieter side, Association des Constructeurs Europeens d'Automobiles with EVP Sejourne (Industry and SMEs), Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) with Direct. Gen. Climate, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft with EVP Sejourne (Industry and SMEs), Robert Bosch GmbH with EVP Sejourne (Industry and SMEs), and Association des Constructeurs Europeens d'Automobiles with Direct. Gen. Industry and SMEs saw notably less lobbying activity than their historical average.

Section F: Organization Lobbying by Subject in the Past Month

This section shows the organisation-to-subject pairings with the most unusual lobbying activity last month. Subjects are classified from each meeting's title text into one of 19 EU policy areas. A meeting covering multiple topics counts toward each of them.

Lobbying by Subject, May 2026 vs 12-Month Avg

In May 2026, 15 organisations from this sector lobbied on 8 policy topics across 16 meetings. Meetings may touch multiple topics, so subject totals can exceed total meetings.

On the quieter side, Association des Constructeurs Europeens d'Automobiles on Automotive, Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) on Environment, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft on Automotive, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft on Automotive, and Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) on Automotive saw notably less lobbying activity than their historical average.

Section G: Most-Lobbied Officials

This section lists the most-frequent lobbying touchpoints between this sector's organisations and individual European Commission officials last month, compared to each pairing's average over the past year.

Most-Lobbied Officials, May 2026

In May 2026, 19 European Commission officials took part in 16 meetings with this sector's lobbyists.

The most-frequent meetings this month were Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Maros Sefcovic + 1 other at Comm Sefcovic (Trade and Economic Security), Daimler Truck AG and Sabine Weyand at Direct. Gen. Trade, Scania AB (publ) and Maria Isabel Garcia Catalan at Direct. Gen. Tax and Customs, Volvo AB and Maria Isabel Garcia Catalan at Direct. Gen. Tax and Customs, and Scania AB (publ) and Sergio Oliete Josa at Direct. Gen. International Partnerships.

Most activity came from Cabinet members (16 meetings), followed by Head of Unit (5) and Commissioner (4).