EU Commission defends itself against allegations: No secret NGO deals!

EU Commission defends itself against allegations: No secret NGO deals!

The European Commission is currently under criticism after reports emerged of secret deals with environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Media reports published by Welt am Sonntag claim that the EU Commission has funded environmental groups to carry out campaigns against German companies. A spokesman for the commission firmly rejected these allegations and emphasized that there were no secret contracts between the commission and NGOs. In addition, all information about EU funds and their recipients is publicly available on the financial transparency system website. This reports express.

The allegations against the EU Commission are not new. Similar topics were already discussed intensively in the European Parliament in February. In particular, there are fears that some NGOs, such as the organization ClientEarth, have been funded for campaigns and lawsuits against companies. A secret contract from 2022 between the EU Commission and ClientEarth, which guaranteed the NGO a remuneration of 350,000 euros for support in the coal phase-out, is the focus of criticism. This is done by daily news confirmed.

Transparency and control

The European Court of Auditors has also raised concerns, particularly regarding the allocation of EU funds to NGOs. A report published on April 8, 2025 criticizes the lack of transparency in financing activities. The Commission did not disclose lobbying activities correctly and there was a lack of control over whether the NGOs funded respected EU values. Between 2021 and 2023, over 12,000 NGOs in the EU received a total of 7.4 billion euros, with 4.8 billion euros coming from the EU Commission. These figures illustrate the dimension of financial support provided by European Newsroom be shown.

In addition, according to concerns from the European Parliament, some NGOs have used EU grants for radical projects. Monika Hohlmeier, a CSU European Parliamentarian, has made a clear demand that EU funds must not be used to undermine the rule of law. The EU Commission responded by publishing new guidelines for the awarding of financial aid: in the future, there will no longer be any funding for activities that could be understood as targeted lobbying.

Futuristic changes and demands

The discussion about the transparency of NGO funding is further fueled by calls for stricter regulations. EU MP Alexander Bernhuber and others, such as Lena Schilling from the Greens, are calling for clear criteria for awarding NGO contracts and maximum transparency, including for industrial and agricultural lobbies. Roman Haider from the FPÖ criticizes the handling of public money to both NGOs and other lobby groups.

The EU Commission continues to assure that it wants to promote transparency. However, it remains to be seen what measures will ultimately be implemented to increase confidence in the EU's financing practices and allay concerns about potential abuses.