The current members of the European Round Table: A transnational club of economic elites

Abstract

The European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT) is usually presented by the media and in the literature as one of the most influential economic lobbies at the European level. In order to go beyond this mere observation and to better inform the logics of collective commitment of economic elites in the European political space, this article suggests a detailed sociological analysis of the resources of the current members of the ERT. It appears that this group is not homogeneous, as it brings together economic leaders with various profiles. This suggests that the ERT is not merely a tool of economic pressure, but that it is also a tool for a social elite strategy of distinction. Being an ERT member provides social, political and symbolic capital with a specific European value. This sociological approach of elites therefore intends to give some clues to reinterpret the power of economic elites in a more socially informed way.