Always amusing to see comments from US about the undemocratic etc etc EU which of course is big enough to stand up to US agencies wheres individual European countries are not, that is not saying conflicts of interests do not ocur in the EU .
Aviation and politics are always intertwined and at the most visble level get a lot of public exposure.. It is the case in all 'open' / democratic socities that what was once industry/user cooperation crosses the boundary into industy /user coordination/collaboration and peopel lose site of the goal of regualtion and standards..
Boeing transformed from a technically/industry specific run company that recognised that it had a special level of responsibility because of its products, to a corrupt regime that couldnt differentiate a 737 from a tractor . Consequently they put too much reliance on a cosy regulatory regime. Eventually, as is always the case, something went seriously wrong and the wheels came off . Whether that results in a higher degree of emphasis put on integrity in business and politics is open to debate