The European People’s Party (EPP) is clearly on a mission. Through a series of enforcement actions look to scrutinize the financial practices of about 20-25 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to determine if funds have been misallocated. Recently, this effusive support was met with a blistering report from the European Court of Auditors. It attacked the European Commission’s “opaque” handling of the EU’s funds for NGOs and underlined the absence of sufficient supervision. In today’s political climate, non-governmental organizations are increasingly fearful. They are anxious they could suffer additional cuts to U.S. foreign aid programs, like the ones aggressively pursued by the last Trump administration.
More than 3,800 civil society groups are now registered in the EU Transparency Register, an official registry of lobbying activities directed at European Union institutions. These organizations find themselves weathering a more defiant and hostile storm. Recent losses for progressive legislators have emboldened members of the European Parliament. This new move has some NGO leaders sounding the alarm, worried that a campaign to defund civil society may be similar in spirit to the Trump administration’s wrecking of the $20 billion a year USAID program.
EPP’s Investigation into NGOs
The EPP’s initiative to audit the practices of NGO funding comes because of the appearance of financial impropriety. Tomas Zdechovsky, a member of the EPP, confirmed that the party is pursuing “concrete examples” to ensure transparency in how funds are utilized.
“We are not really here preparing any revolution which will stop financing NGOs,” – Zdechovsky
Zdechovsky noted that the caucus was following through on the party’s promise of more accountability. He promised that they would not roll out an all-out war against NGOs. As someone who has worked in the environmental NGO sector, he added, “We are not here to attack NGOs — most do excellent work.” He stressed that the EPP’s priority is improving transparency, not eliminating revenue streams.
Even with these reassurances by EPP leaders, many NGOs are still understandably on edge as they face an increasingly politically toxic environment. The EPP’s investigation coincides with broader concerns about how EU grant money is spent and whether it effectively supports essential services.
Concerns Over Funding Cuts
A coalition of health-focused NGOs are taking to the media to give voice to their concerns. They’ve written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging her to urgently clarify funding. These organizations, our democracy’s first responders, are deeply concerned about their organizational financial viability due to recent political shifts.
Bas-Defossez of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) couldn’t hide his alarm over the still-unfolding story. He stated, “The stakes are simply too high not to be,” reflecting the urgency felt by many NGOs as they navigate uncertain funding landscapes.
“NGOs across Europe — many already stretched thin — have spent months responding to what is clearly a politically motivated and fabricated scandal,” – Bas-Defossez
The impact of this pressure on NGOs to prove their accountability has forced many organizations to change their operational models. Many environmental NGOs are dependent on EU environmental funding, with several green NGOs counting on LIFE, the EU’s environmental funding arm. In order to receive this funding, they have been bullied into deleting mentions of their advocacy work.
The Political Landscape and Future Implications
Tensions between conservative lawmakers and NGOs have reached a boiling point over NGOs using EU funds to lobby Member States. NGOs counter that their advocacy work is essential for giving voice to marginalized communities and addressing urgent social challenges. There is deep suspicion about this kind of work from conservative circles, frequently calling it too political.
Nicholas Aiossa from Transparency International EU has been sounding the alarm. His is a timely warning against MAGA-inspired assaults on civil society, attacks being leveled by center-right and far-right movements across Europe. Beyond the organizations directly affected, this narrative proclaims a concerted effort to stifle civil society organizations. These communities of faith and conscience are critical for advancing the ideas of environmental protection, human rights, and social justice.
“This whole campaign is a way to prepare an attack against funding for civil society in the next MFF,” – Besozzi
These sentiments reveal growing anxiety among the majority. They fear that the next round of negotiations over the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will result in reduced funding for civil society organizations across Europe.
Leave a Reply