The evolution of the large firm as a political actor in the European Union

The establishment of the European single market, the Maastricht accords and the development of a pan-European firm have all contributed to the creation of a European political marketplace with a myriad of access points. Why the large firm has changed its locus of political activity rewards the European Union (EU), and what form this new political action has taken are the focus of this article. Based on a study of ninety-four of Europe's largest firms, this article outlines how firms, as individual actors, have come to play such a prominent role in the EU policy process, and assesses their current lobbying preferences for political channels to the EU. In recognizing the political sophistication of firms, the article concludes that firms are now able to recognize and construct strategic alliances with rival firms and countervailing interests to create European identities and facilitate access to new European policy forums.