Today, the Socialists and Democrats and other pro-European political groups will not take part in the witch-hunt of civil society and will not legitimise the work of the so-called scrutiny working group on the funding of NGOs from the EU budget. This happens at the opening of the constitutive and first meeting of the scrutiny working group. The S&D Group rejects political witch-hunts disguised as oversight and calls on all political groups to respect the legal framework and the mandate of the European Parliament.
The Group of the European People's Party (EPP) joined forces with the far-right in another shameful situational alliance to discredit NGOs and the way they get funds from the EU budget. This witch-hunt was made possible when the EPP, together with the conservatives and the far-right, opened deliberately and consciously the door for the creation of a staged scrutiny working group within the European Parliament's committee on budgetary control.
The S&D Group remains committed to scrutiny within the boundaries of the European Parliament's Rules of Procedure – where real oversight takes place – examining payments to major corporations. In the ongoing discharge process, the Socialists and Democrats are scrutinising significant EU payments to large multinational companies. This is the responsible, rules-based scrutiny that citizens expect from their elected representatives. The Socialists and Democrats are convinced transparency should apply – with no exception – to all those bodies who get funds from the EU budget.
Carla Tavares, S&D spokesperson in the European Parliament's committee on budgetary control, said:
"We cannot legitimise this orchestrated and deliberate witch-hunt, namely the so-called scrutiny working group. The S&D Group recalls that, according to the European Court of Auditors and the European Parliament’s discharge procedure, EU funding for NGO advocacy work is legal, regular, and fully compliant with all transparency obligations under the EU Financial Regulation. These findings confirm what has been evident from the start – there is no illegality, no irregularity, and no fraud in NGO funding under the EU programmes for climate.
"Civil society's advocacy is a fundamental part of European democracy. NGO participation in the debate on major policy issues with enormous impact on our citizens is not a threat – it is a cornerstone of pluralism and democratic debate. Article 11 of the Treaty on European Union explicitly protects interest representation and civil dialogue. The Commission, acting on behalf of the EU, cannot restrict legitimate advocacy through internal guidelines, nor can it arbitrarily decide what constitutes 'due' or 'undue' lobbying. The European Court of Auditors has issued an opinion confirming the legality and full compliance of NGO funding under EU financial rules.
"The EPP and the far-right aim at blaming the European Commission and accuse former commissioners. This distorts the facts. The EPP joins the far-right in an attempt to leverage the LIFE programme – the flagship funding instrument for environment and climate action. Its regulation has been adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, including with the votes of the EPP, and clearly prescribes funding for NGOs. The Commission, as the EU’s executive, simply implements the legislation that co-legislators adopted.
"The Commission does not 'give money out of its own pocket' as the EPP and the far-right try to hint. It acts strictly as authorising officer on behalf of the EU, implementing the law adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. Furthermore, it was the former Commissioner for Budget, Johannes Hahn – a long-standing EPP Commissioner – who signed the grant agreements.
"The facts speak clearly: the creation of this scrutiny working group is part of a political smear campaign designed to silence and discredit civil society organisations. It is regrettable to see the EPP participating in this campaign hand in hand with the anti-European forces in the Parliament."
