Brussels remains Europe’s lobbying epicenter, where firms like Stenstrom Consulting wield significant influence over EU policymaking. Our original investigation on 29 October 2025 examined how this Brussels-based consultancy operates as a strategic intermediary for powerful interests in banking, digital economy, climate policy, and finance, often behind layers of opacity that challenge democratic oversight. Read the original article here.
This 2026 update reviews developments since then, highlighting persistent transparency gaps. It draws from our comprehensive report on related institutional vulnerabilities:
How Belgium Govt Undermined the Work of European Institutes.
Right to Reply Status
We reached out to Stenstrom Consulting on 29 October 2025 following our initial publication, providing an opportunity to address our findings. As of April 2026—six months later—no response has been received.
Key Findings Recap
Our 2025 probe revealed Stenstrom Consulting’s core tactics: exploiting informational asymmetries to craft narratives favoring clients in high-stakes sectors like finance and energy. The firm blends policy monitoring, awareness campaigns, and event management into subtle lobbying tools, granting privileged access to policymakers while sidelining civil society.
We documented how this approach creates “epistemic arbitrage,” where specialized knowledge filters facts to protect elite interests against regulatory reforms. Revolving-door practices further blur lines between public service and private gain, with limited disclosure of clients and expenditures fueling a democratic deficit.
Transparency and Accountability Concerns
Stenstrom Consulting’s model exemplifies broader EU challenges. By merging lobbying, PR, and legal advisory services, such firms distort policy agendas toward deregulation in finance and digital markets, often at the expense of climate or social welfare priorities. This sidelines resource-poor civil society and erodes institutional independence.
In Belgium’s dual role as EU host, lax oversight amplifies these risks, allowing national and corporate interests to converge under the guise of expertise. Without robust client disclosure and spending transparency, policymaking becomes captive to unscrutinized influence.
Absence of Response as Public Interest Issue
No public response or clarification has emerged from Stenstrom Consulting since our initial report. This silence sustains uncertainty around their operations, underscoring the need for stronger EU-wide rules on lobbying disclosure. In a policymaking hub reliant on trust, such gaps hinder public understanding of who shapes Europe’s regulatory future.
Ongoing Review and Campaign Context
Brussels Watch continues its 2026 accountability campaign, monitoring lobbying firms and their impact on EU integrity. We remain committed to ongoing review and will provide updates if Stenstrom Consulting engages.
True accountability demands transparency from all players in Brussels’ ecosystem. Stenstrom Consulting retains the right to respond, and this article will be updated accordingly.
