Panasonic Europe Ltd., operating under the legal entity Panasonic Europe B.V., is a prominent multinational corporation headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Established in March 1997, it is part of the larger Panasonic Group, which has a significant presence across Europe and the CIS region, employing over 11,000 people in various sectors including sales, marketing, manufacturing, design, lifestyle research, and R&D. Panasonic’s European operations began in 1962 with its first sales office in Hamburg, Germany, reflecting a long-standing commitment to the region.
The company’s lobbying activities in the EU focus on maintaining awareness and influence over a broad range of policy areas that impact its business interests. These include trade policies (such as WTO reform and free trade agreements), customs classification, technical and regulatory standards, intellectual property rights, audiovisual policy, data protection and international data transfers, spectrum policy, cybersecurity, consumer and e-commerce issues, artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, Internet of Things, standardization, energy and environmental policies (including ecodesign and energy labeling), climate policy, transport policy, corporate social responsibility, taxation, and Brexit-related matters.
Panasonic Europe Ltd. engages actively with EU institutions to ensure its business environment is conducive to innovation and growth. It maintains a government and external relations division that works closely with national and local governments, industry organizations, academic circles, and embassies to foster trusting relationships and influence policy development beneficial to Panasonic’s operations. The company emphasizes ethical lobbying practices, adhering to anti-corruption policies and transparency requirements as outlined in its business ethics guidelines.
Since registering with the EU Transparency Register in February 2012, Panasonic Europe Ltd. has demonstrated consistent lobbying efforts, employing multiple lobbyists accredited to the European Parliament and conducting numerous meetings with EU officials. Its lobbying expenditures have varied over the years, reflecting its active engagement in EU policymaking processes. The company’s strategic lobbying is supported by its extensive network within the industry and government sectors, enabling it to contribute effectively to policy discussions that affect its diverse business lines.
