The
Confederation of
British Industries (or
CBI) is a
pressure group that is very prevalent and powerful in the
British and
European political systems. It is made up of many
companies and also other groups of
companies. This makes it an interesting
pressure group because its
members are not
individuals (unlike
Greenpeace).
They look after the interests of the British industries in Europe and other international forums as well as in the U.K.. They make sure that the government of the U.K. keeps British industries' interests at heart.
It is classified as an Insider group since it has a large amount of contacts in the government (both in the civil service and in the Houses of Parliament).
It is also classified as a sectional cause insider group.
It is very influencial in both the UK and in the EU since it has a large membership of very rich and powerful businesses. Few governments would like to upset such a large group of managers and consultants who earn most of the countries' wealth.