<p>The research aims to investigate which interest groups are more successful in shaping the European Union’s policymaking process in the context of the European Green Deal during the policy formulation stage. Quantitative textual analysis is used to evaluate interest groups’ success. The study concludes that interest groups representing a minority of businesses, represented by alternative industries and established business associations, and environmental associations are more successful than most business interest groups in the policy formulation phase of environmental policies discussed within the European Union legislative process. This occurs despite the overrepresentation of business interests. In addition, in the initiatives analysed the Commission position always steered towards the pro-environmental side of the policy spectrum contradicting results from previous research. The findings have implications for the literature investigating the legislative decision-making of the European Union's environmental policies and interest group’s literature more broadly.</p>