The right wants rich corporations to run the EU

We’re running out of time to save civil society in Europe. Right now, right-wing forces are plotting to silence NGOs. They are plotting to silence those who speak truth to power, pushing for EU funding rules that will shut down advocacy groups and leave rich corporate lobbyists to dominate policymaking.

This is not a drill. In December of last year, NGOs who receive EU grants, including those fighting climate change and protecting environmental rights, were warned to avoid advocacy that could pose a “reputational risk” to the EU.

And this was only the first part of their attack: since January, the European Parliament has been holding debates pushed by some members of the conservative EPP group and the far-right ECR, who are accusing NGOs of “misusing public money” and “lacking transparency.” They are now requesting to revise the contracts of those civil society organisations working in the fields of climate, justice, agriculture, migration and human rights. If this crackdown succeeds, grassroots voices like ours will lose crucial allies.

The hypocrisy is outrageous! These same Members of the European Parliament receive thousands from corporations that don’t want to be countered by NGOs fighting for people and the planet.

We are seeing more and more these authoritarian tendencies being picked up all across Europe. Through his puppet think tank MCC Brussels, Viktor Orbán is accusing NGOs to be part of a “pro-EU propaganda machine”. In Germany, the likely-to-become chancellor Friedrich Merz has requested an intrusive inquiry against NGOs involved in organising citizens’ protests in response to the breach of the firewall against the far-right. In the Netherlands, budget cuts of around €1 billion in support of NGOs seem to be part of a broader crackdown on critical voices towards the government.

Why this is wrong:

Civil society is the backbone of democracy. Without it, there’s no one to hold power to account or fight for the rights of young people, marginalised communities, workers, and the planet. The same tactics that crushed NGOs in Hungary, Poland, and Georgia are now being used against us at the EU level. We can’t let this happen.

The facts: 

The European Commission agency CINEA has warned NGOs receiving LIFE program grants to stop lobbying EU institutions directly. Activities such as “sending letters, organising meetings or providing advocacy material to EU institutions or specific members of an institution; or identifying specific members or officials of an institution to evaluate or describe their positions, or to discuss specific political content or outcome” are now deemed out of line, as shown in the letters made public by POLITICO. 

As if all of this wasn’t enough, lobbying to influence European policy-making is already completely unbalanced. Big corporations spend billions each year to defend their industries’ interest while NGOs have way less resources to make citizens’ voices heard. So, it is essential that NGOs keep receiving funding to level the playing field and ensure they can participate in the public debate. This is the backbone of a healthy and pluralistic democracy.

This plan to dismantle civil society is not new, they’ve been trying to do it since 2016 when EPP member of the European Parliament Markus Pieper commissioned a report attacking NGOs. Back then, the Greens in the European Parliament were able to shut it down. Now after the last elections and with completely new dynamics given the rise of the far-right, the stakes couldn’t be higher. 

Our demands:

We demand that the European Commission protect independent civil society and reject these draconian restrictions. Civil society must be free to organise, advocate, and fight for justice without fear of losing funding.

Together, we can make this happen. Join us in reminding EU leaders that without civil society, democracy itself is at risk.

Sign our petition to remind von der Leyen how essential civil society is to a healthy and pluralistic democracy.