One law, 20 coffees: von der Leyen’s method forces lobbyists to adapt

Brussels’ energy lobbyists say their day-to-day work has been upended by sprawling legislative packages — in which sweeping laws bundle together numerous energy dossiers. In the Commission, there’s an institutional scramble that pulls multiple commissioners and departments into every file, while lobbying professionals must trade deep technical specialism for breadth and constant coordination.
04 December 2025 at 8h00
Energy
The Commission's shifting working method is keeping lobbyists well-caffeinated. Dunja Dumanski/iStock
by Anna Hubert

A shake-up of the European Commission’s working methods is forcing energy lobbyists to radically change their approach — leaving even veterans unsettled, confused or irritated.

The second term of President Ursula von der Leyen has more centralised decision-making , a greater focus on competitiveness, and energy issues scattered across an ever-wider number of sprawling legislative files — with consequences for those seeking to influence.

“Today, you either need a huge office full of experts or you need Swiss Army knife…

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