This is a serious one alright, and well integrated into the EU structures. It even has tentacles in the Parliament (Trans-Atlantic Legisaltors Dialogue). They aim for an economic union with the US, and a common currency I believe (eurodollar). People just do not know what is going on, and have no idea whom they are electing or for what.

LB

 http://www.bilderberg.org/critic.htm

Other Western Élites

Trans Atlantic Business Dialogue: a Death Knell for Democracy

'Democracy' is a Greek word which means, literally: 'The People Rule'

GLOBALISATION IS NOT JUST HAPPENING NATURALLY - IT IS BEING PLANNED AND EXECUTED BY A RELATIVELY TINY BUNCH OF EXTREMELY POWERFUL PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDERMINING DEMOCRATIC
AND OPINION FORMING SYSTEMS TO GET THEIR WAY. AND EXTEND THEIR LAWFUL PROPERTY TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING - INCLUDING, THROUGH GENETIC OWNERSHIP, YOU.

“Stop the TABD – Democratic Alternatives to Neoliberal Governance”

TABD Counter-summit, October 12-13, Stockholm

From October 11 - 12, several hundred industrialists and high-level government representatives will meet in Stockholm for the annual gathering of the Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD). Behind
closed doors, the largest EU and US-based corporations will present joint industry demands and discuss their implementation with EU Trade Commissioner Lamy, US Commerce Secretary Evans and an estimated 100 other European Commission and US government officials. Arguing that“the new obstacles to trade are now domestic regulations”, the TABD produces deregulation hit lists that include numerous democratically established environmental, health or safety rules on both sides of the Atlantic. Recent targets include a Danish policy to phase out HFC's (potent greenhouse gasses) and a proposed a EU-ban on animal testing for cosmetics. The TABD’s prime aim for the Stockholm meeting is to shape EU-US consensus on the launch of a new round of trade and investment deregulation talks at the WTO’s Ministerial Conference in Qatar in early November.

With ATTAC Sweden and other progressive groups, Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) is co-organising a two-day counter-summit to protest the power of this deeply undemocratic corporate-
state alliance. Speakers include Susan George (ATTAC), Mary Bottari (Public Citizen) and Ronnie Hall (Friends of the Earth).

A detailed program and other updates will be available soon on  http://www.xs4all.nl/~ceo and  http://www.attac.nu

For more information, contact Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO): and ATTAC Sweden:

For more information on the TABD, see www.tabd.com or have a look at the following CEO briefings:
"TABD: Putting the Business Horse Before the Government Cart" (October 1999)  http://www.xs4all.nl/~ceo/tabd/berlinbriefing.html
"TABD: Doing Business in Berlin" (November 1999)  http://www.xs4all.nl/~ceo/tabd/berlinbusiness.html