The EU Committee of AmCham: The powerful voice of American firms in Brussels

Abstract

Abstract Comprised of large American companies, the EU Committee of AmCham is recognized as one of the most powerful lobbying organizations in Brussels today. Until recently, however, the role of large American firms and the EU Committee have gone largely unnoticed by academics. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the collective action of American companies and the resulting political influence of the EU Committee in Brussels policy‐making. The EU Committee's collective action is novel owing not only to its form (direct firm membership), but also to the collective political incentives underlying the group's membership. The establishment of the EU Committee introduced an American‐style of lobbying along with a complex intelligence network previously unknown in Brussels. Through the EU Committee's ‘power of information’ and extensive institutional ties, the organization of ‘American firms of European parentage’ has become a model for other industry groups.