Dominique Soenens

ANTWERP/ROTTERDAM - Heavily contaminated plastic waste from the Netherlands and the rest of Europe can be illegally exported via the port of Antwerp, unnoticed by inspectors, to countries where it ends up being dumped. Antwerp is an important hub for the international trade in plastic waste. But compared to the port of Rotterdam for example, it has too few inspectors and resources, which opens the door to criminal trade in plastic.

Companies, trade unions, interest groups, NGOs, professional lobbyists: they all do their best to influence Belgian politics. How do they do that, and by what means? How far do they go? How do they conquer the 'Rue de la Loi' and win politicians over? These are questions that seldom get an answer. Until now. In 'Lobbying in the Wetstraat' Dominique Soenens looks at how lobbying works.