A leaked document seen by Euronews shows the European Commission is considering rethinking funding rules as it warns that NGOs need public support to act as a counterweight to powerful industry lobbies.
Green and climate advocacy groups in Brussels have called on the European Commission not to cut operating subsidies for its plants. LIFE Program worth 5.4 billion eurosDue to fears that funding for political advocacy efforts will be reduced.
During The LIFE budget for the period 2021-2027 currently represents only 0.3% of EU spending If post-COVID recovery funds are taken into account, the amount of funding allocated to the daily work of NGOs is just over €15 million per year.
“A prosperous democracy requires infrastructure and resources “Allowing citizens’ voices to reach decision-makers,” reads a letter addressed to President Ursula von der Leyen and other senior officials of the Commission, dated 5 December and signed by around thirty groups.
“Unlike resource-rich actors such as foreign governments, multinational corporations and business associations, European citizens and their broader non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) often lacks adequate resources To take part in public dialogues at European level,” they write.
Civil society groups are concerned their funding could be affected by a growing backlash against environmental policy, as von der Leyen’s political family, the centre-right European People’s Party, has already managed to weaken some aspects of the “Green Deal” legislation. support from parties further to the right.
Serious ethical and reputational concerns
Written questions of the European Parliament Budget Control Committee, seen by ‘Euronews’, ahead of its hearing with Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin on Monday, December 9. MEPs suggest payments to NGOs could mean Commission It “indirectly puts pressure on Parliament through third parties” and raises “serious (ethical and reputational) concerns”.
Serafín said Community Management takes such concerns “very seriously” and has published and clarified internal guidelines for different departments this year.What activities should not be introduced as a requirement or condition for receiving Union funding?“.
The media reported last month: Many NGOs received letters This decision stated that they could no longer use EU funding for certain lobbying and advocacy activities.
In his written response, Serafín rejects indirect lobbying offerIt stated that “organizations receiving funding under such grants remain fully and solely responsible for their own views, which may not necessarily represent the views of the Commission.”
Community Manager was expecting a special report European Court of Auditors on trade union financing of NGOsSerafín wrote that it is planned for the first half of 2025.
In their open letters, NGOs including Friends of the Earth Europe, the European Environment Office and Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe emphasize that the legislation supports this. LIFE Program clearly states that funding is mandatory”To support the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of relevant Union environmental legislation and policy“.
However, the newly appointed commissioner said in his response to the European Parliament MPs:Detailed activities specifically for EU institutions…even if they do not violate the legal framework, they pose reputational risks.”
maximum operating subsidy This year, only one organization was awarded 700,000 eurosIt was awarded to the three groups mentioned above, as well as Transport and Environment, Health and Environment Alliance, Oceana, Renewable Network Initiative, Wetlands International Europe and the Carbon Disclosure Project.
In many cases, funding provided through the Life Program represents more than half of the annual budget of NGOs operating in Brussels. EU transparency register. On the other hand, according to the estimates of the European Chemical Industry Council Annual cost exceeding 10 million Euros and the Business Europe pressure group number more than 6 million.
