This book explains when and how interest groups are influential in the European Parliament, which has become one of the most important lobbying venues in the EU. Yet we know little about the many ways in which interest groups and lobbyists influence parliamentary politics. The author offers insights on four key cases of lobbying, based on the analysis of EU documents, lobbying letters, and 150 interviews. She argues that lobbying success depends on a number of factors, most notably the degree of counter-lobbying, issue salience, and committee receptiveness. These factors are brought together in the framework of ¿Triple-I¿ - interests, issues, and institutions ¿ to determine the success or failure of lobbying. This book will be of use to students and scholars interested in EU politics and governance, EU decision-making, and interest group politics, along with policy-makers and practitioners.

Acknowledgements.- List of abbreviations.- Introduction.- Chapter 1: Where, when, and how does lobbying takes place in the European Parliament.- Chapter 2: What are the conditions for interest group influence?.- Chapter 3: Regulating CO2 Emissions for vans. Is the European Parliament Still a Defender of Environmental Interests?.- Chapter 4: Food Information to Consumers Chapter 5: Regulating Working time for Self-employed Trucker Drivers.- Chapter 6: When lobbying becomes counterproductive: The maternity leave directive.- Chapter 7: Conclusion.- Bibliography.- Appendices.- Index.

Maja Kluger Rasmussen is Senior Researcher at Think Tank Europa in Copenhagen, Denmark, and visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Analysis Risk and Regulation at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She was awarded her PhD in Government by the London School of Economics and Political Science.