BRUSSELS — The European election is still a week away, but U.S. Big Tech companies have already cozied up to the political center, particularly the liberals.
Public figures show that some of the leading U.S.-based tech companies — such as Google, Apple and Microsoft — have donated money to the policy think tanks of pan-European political parties or directly to the parties themselves in the run-up to the European Parliament election.
Combined, they’re even one of the more prominent contributors, according to numbers compiled by the authority overseeing European parties and political foundations for 2024. European Democracy Consulting also tracks the donations.
The Alliance for Liberals and Democrats of Europe (ALDE) party and its think tank, European Liberal Forum (ELF), were tech giants’ most preferred recipients — ahead of an election that could see a far-right surge in the next Parliament, as polls suggest.
In January, Google’s Irish branch donated €18,000 — the maximum allowed — to ELF; Apple pledged the same amount to the think tank through an Irish subsidiary in February. Microsoft gave €5,000 in April, and €18,000 to the ALDE party in general in May; American chipmaker Qualcomm also ponied up an €18,000 donation to ALDE.
While some European parties, including the European Socialists, explicitly reject private donations, ALDE actively solicits them.
Last year, the party offered private-sector companies a menu of opportunities to sponsor party gatherings, with a full package available for the maximum €18,000 donation.
However, sponsorships weren’t available during the Parliament campaign, the party said, even as it has continued to receive donations from Big Tech and Big Pharma.
“Even though as a party we do not engage in the day-to-day policymaking in the European Parliament, we believe it is important to maintain an open dialogue [with] civil society, NGOs and the corporate sector,” said Anna Wangen, an ALDE party spokesperson. The European Liberal Forum didn’t get back on a request for comment in time for publication.
Spreading the wealth
The liberals aren’t the only preferred recipients of U.S. Big Tech’s donations.
Both Google (through its Belgian branch) and Apple contributed €8,000 to the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, the think tank of the center-right European People’s Party. U.S. chip giant Intel made the same contribution.
A Martens Centre spokesperson said the foundation engaged with “private stakeholders interested in the Centre’s work and on topics of mutual interest” every year, with events and activities publicly available on its platforms. An EPP spokesperson stressed that the party and foundation are separate entities.
All the donations are fully legal: European political parties and foundations can accept donations of up to €18,000 per year, per donor.
Some experts, though, claim it’s another means for companies to gain access to policymakers.
“Overall the role of private money remains ridiculously low when compared [with] other jurisdictions,” said Alberto Alemanno, founder of The Good Lobby, which advocates for more transparency in politics. “Yet if these (little) donations are made, this suggests they serve their purpose: to create privileged access.”
The donations also come at a time when tech companies are under heavy scrutiny in Brussels and subject to a slate of new tech regulations.
Microsoft gave some insights into the specific rationale behind its donations, saying it had donated to “The Alliance of Her,” an ALDE party project focused on women’s empowerment, and also mentioned sponsoring an ALDE conference on renewable energy in Ireland.
“Microsoft is committed to open and transparent engagements with European political parties and affiliated organizations that advance inclusive economic opportunity, protect fundamental rights, create a sustainable future and promote trust in technology,” it said in a statement shared with POLITICO.
Neither Apple nor Google provided a comment on their respective donations.
Big Tech donations boost liberals ahead of EU election
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