---
title: "Unprecedented Attacks on NGOs in the EUWe Call on All Democratic Forces To Act for a Strong and Independent Civil Society"
slug: "unprecedented-attacks-on-ngos-in-the-eu"
post_type: "post"
published_at: "2025-04-07T14:48:49+01:00"
modified_at: "2025-04-07T13:48:49+01:00"
author: "CIHRS"
url: "https://cihrs.org/unprecedented-attacks-on-ngos-in-the-eu/?lang=en"
category:
  - "International Advocacy Program"
causes_and_rights:
  - "Accountability"
  - "Protection of Human Rights Defenders"
country:
  - "Other"
field:
  - "Regional and International Protection and Advocacy"
interest:
  - "Statements and Positions"
protection_and_advocacy:
  - "The European Parliament"
---

# Unprecedented Attacks on NGOs in the EUWe Call on All Democratic Forces To Act for a Strong and Independent Civil Society

**European civil society organisations (CSOs) are currently facing an unprecedented attack coming from certain Members of the European Parliament.** The attack, spearheaded by some MEPs from the European People’s Party (EPP) and by the far- right groups, is fuelled by disinformation. The attack resorts to misleading arguments to artificially fabricate a scandal, and is carried and amplified by badly informed media articles. At a time when democratic values are being eroded across the EU and Member States, and civic actors acting for these values are increasingly under attack, this renewed offensive on funding for CSOs and on our legitimacy in the democratic process risks not only shrinking European civic spaces further but weakening democracy as a whole. **Disinformation from elected Members of Parliament**On 22 January 2025, some MEPs brought a targeted debate to the Plenary of the European Parliament (EP) on public funding of NGOs, focusing on environmental civil society organisations receiving operating grants under the LIFE programme. The debate raised questions about the legitimacy for CSOs to get such subsidies from the European Commission to carry out their missions. Many MEPs spoke in favour of the right of citizens organisations to engage in the democratic process. However, some MEPs mismatched arguments, suggesting that environmental organisations had been paid by the Commission to lobby the European Parliament on its behalf. This false narrative brings together opponents to the European Green Deal and adepts of conspiracy theory. MEPs wrongly spoke about fictional amounts of billions of Euros going to CSOs. False claims that CSOs were not duly using the Transparency Register were made – even though EU transparency measures resulted from campaigns by civil society, and CSOs were amongst the first adopters when they were put in place. **Why should CSOs receive public funding?**The focus of the current attacks is the EU’s LIFE programme, the main funding instrument for nature conservation and climate action. It totals around €700 million per year. As part of this programme, the EU Commission allocates €15.6 million annually across a number of environmental NGOs in compliance with the provisions agreed by the European Parliament and the EU member States after a competitive and open procedure to support civil society’s invaluable role in providing evidence-based, scientifically supported and constructive recommendations to policymakers on issues that matter to people. These funds are already dramatically insufficient to pursue the goals they are tasked to support: create a level-playing field, helping policy makers access information, fact- based evidence and best practices from the ground; and hear about citizens’ needs and expectations for their health and wellbeing, social inclusion and equality, their rights and justice, the promotion of the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and a healthy environment for current and future generations. Millions of citizens support these contributions to EU policies, through national, local and grassroots constituencies, volunteering and community engagement, provision of services and access to rights for the most vulnerable and excluded. For a strong civil society, the development of a framework for civil dialogue based on Art.11 TEU is a priority for this five-years term for the EU institutions. Properly resourcing civil society organisations to engage in this dialogue by involving their constituencies across Europe is crucial. In the EU, as in any democracy, public funding is needed to support the work of civil society organisations whose mission and objectives are strengthening the values enshrined in the treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. It is a characteristic of authoritarian regimes that institutions consider no intermediary bodies are needed and that citizens are fully and only represented by the leader/s they elected. Indeed, the current debate illustrates the overall confrontation underway between European values and autocratic perspectives. We call on all democratic forces to oppose false narratives and disinformation around the role of civil society organisations, to protect our unique role in European democracy and to support public funding for civil society. Civic participation is an essential pillar of our shared European values. We call on decision-makers to ensure a robust legal framework in which civil society and citizens organisations can thrive and play their role in interacting with policy-makers in order to have a more fully informed decision-making process. Democracy is about the right of citizens to be collectively heard for building an inclusive society and a shared European future and properly funded independent CSOs are a crucial tool for that. ***Supported by:*****European organisations**ADRA Europe Agroecology Europe AIDS Action Europe ALDA - European Association for Local Democracy Alliance4Europe Alzheimer Europe Association des Femmes de l'Europe Méridionale AFEM BirdLife Europe and Central Asia Caritas Europa CEE Bankwatch Network Centre for European Volunteering Cerebral Palsy Europe CESES - Confederation of European Senior Expert Services ClientEarth Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe COMMUNIA - Association for the Public Domain CONCORD Europe Cool Heating Coalition Corporate Europe Observatory Culture Action Europe DARE network - Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe (DARE) Network Drug Policy Network South East Europe DSW - Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung DYPALL Network ECIT foundation on European Citizenship ECOLISE AISBL Erasmus Student Network EU LAT Network Eumans Eurocarers Eurodiaconia Eurogroup for Animals EuroMed Rights European Alternatives European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD) European Citizen Action Service European Civic Forum European Disability Forum European Dyslexia Association European Environmental Bureau European Federation of Journalists European Folk Network European Liver Patients' Association - ELPA European Music Managers Alliance European Network against Racism (ENAR) European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention-ENSP European Network of Cultural Centres / ENCC European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad) European Partnership for Democracy European Students‘ Union European Youth Forum Fédération Internationale des ACAT Fédération Spéléologique Européenne FEMYSO - Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations Friends of the Earth Europe Greenpeace Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) HRDN (Human Rights & Democracy Network) IGLYO - International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Intersex Youth and Student Organisation International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network Liberties - The Civil Liberties Union for Europe Lifelong Learning Platform Michael Culture Association OBESSU - Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa Pesticide Action Network Europe Quaker Council for European Affairs REScoop.eu Samaritan International Seas At Risk Shifting Advocacy Social Platform SOLIDAR T&E - Transport and Environment The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) Trans Europe and Central Asia (TGEU) Transparency International EU Union of European Federalists Volonteurope Wetlands International Europe Women Engage for a Common Future WWF EU YEU International Young European Federalists (JEF Europe) Youth and Environment Europe Zero Waste Europe **Austria**ARTS for HEALTH AUSTRIA Austrian Council on Smoking & Health GLOBAL 2000 oevdf - association of Austrian experts in the field of drugs ÖJAB - Österreichische Jungarbeiter Bewegung Österreichische Liga für Menschenrechte Südwind **Belgium**ARPi Association of European Journalists in Belgium (AEJ Belgium) BASTA! Belgian Alliance for a Smoke-Free Society Bond Beter Leefmilieu Carbon Market Watch Institute for international assistance and solidarity (IFIAS) Kif Kif vzw Les Amis de la Terre - Belgique asbl Mutualité Chrétienne - Christelijke Mutualiteit Natagora OXY Belgium Protestants Sociaal Centrum Antwerpen The School for Moral Ambition UTSOPI **Bulgaria**Alliance for regional and civil initiatives (ARCI) BIg Brothers Big Sisters of Bulgaria Bulgarian platform European Women's Lobby Bulgarian Platform for International Development (BPID) Dose of love Association Economic Policy Institute European Institute Foundation Marginalia Multi Kulti Collective National Network for Children - Bulgaria Union of Bulgarian Journalists Young, Active, Creative NGO **Croatia**ADRA Hrvatska BIOM Association Brodsko ekološko društvo-BED Centre for Peace Studies Centre for peace, nonviolence and human rights-Osijek Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity (CROSOL) Croatian Volunteer Development Centre (Hrvatski centar za razvoj volonterstva) DKolektiv Forum for Freedom in Education Gong Human Rights House Zagreb Information Legal Centre IPE ISKORAK kolekTlRV │ For the rights of trans, intersex and gender variant persons LAG Zagorje-Sutla Life Quality Improvement Organisation FLIGHT Marine Explorers Society 20000 Leagues NGO "Eko-Zadar" Status M Terra Hub Croatia Trade Union of Croatian Journalists Zeleni Osijek **Cyprus**CARDET Civil Society Advocates UNION OF CYPRUS JOURNALISTS **Czechia**AutoMat, z.s. Beleco, z.s. Centre for Transport and Energy Czech Forest Kindergarten Association Děti Země (Children of the Earth) Ekumenická akademie, z. s. (Ecumenical Academy) Fórum 50 % Frank Bold Kids z.s. Glopolis Hnutí Brontosaurus Kavyl z.s. Klimatická koalice / Czech Climate Coalition Lesni materska skola Hvezdy v lese, z.s NESEHNUTÍ Regional Centre for Expertise Czechia Society for Sustainable Living (STUŽ) Spiralis Středisko ekologické výchovy SEVER (Centre for Environmental Education SEVER) Syndicate of Journalists of the Czech Republic Ústecké šrouby, z. s. Zelený kruh (Green Circle) **Denmark**Baltic Sea NGO Network Denmark Europe Dialogue HealthTeam for the Homeless **Estonia**Estonian Association of People Using Psychotropic Substances "LUNEST" Estonian Roundtable for Development Cooperation **Finland**Association of Children's Culture in Finland Suomen luonnonsuojeluliitto (Finnish Association for Nature Conservation) **France**AIDES AIODD Cap Magellan CFDT-Journalistes CRID European Center for Human Rights Générations Futures Global Health Advocates La Ligue de l'enseignement LDH (Ligue des droits de l'Homme) MeetEU Mouvement européen France-Vaucluse nouvelle aube VoxPublic **Germany**Araminta BUND e.V. (Friends of the Earth Germany) Deutsche Aidshilfe Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. German Speleological Federation VdHK JES Bundesverband LIFE Bildung Umwelt Chancengleichheit LobbyControl E.V. SUPERRR Lab Sustainable Europe Research Institute, Germany **Greece**Community Rights in Greece CYCLISIS DAFNI KEK Electra Energy Emfasis Non-Profit Greek Forum of Refugees Inter Alia NIDO Greece PeerNUPS Positive Voice - Greek Association of People Living With HIV **Hungary**"I'd like to teach" Movement (Tanítanék Mozgalom) Alternative Communities Association Anthropolis Association Artemisszio Foundation Civil College Foundation Civil Platform for Public Education Clean Air Action Group Diákszolidaritás Akció Dialogue Association Emberség Erejével Alapítvány Földkelte Foundation Green Action Association HAND Human PLatform Humusz Szövetség Hungarian Association of Social Workers ( = SzMME) Hungarian Civil Liberties Union Hungarian Press Union Hungarian Society for Environmental Education (HSEE) Jane Goodall Institute Hungary Magosfa Foundation for Environmental Education and Eco-tourism Motivation Educational Association Nyomtass te is! (Print it yourself!) Ökotárs-Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation Oktatói Hálózat (OHA) - Hungarian Network of Academics Academics School of Public Life Tavirozsa Association for Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation **Ireland**An Taisce - the National Trust for Ireland BirdWatch Ireland TobaccoFree Research Institute Ireland Zero Waste Alliance Ireland **Italy**Amici di Sardegna ARCI APS ASD VICENZA CALCIO FEMMINILE Associazione La Strada ODV Associazione non profit Le cose che vanno International Centro d'ascolto Mons. Spettu ODV CIES ONLUS Concord Italy Consorzio delle Ong Piemontesi ETS Cooperativa Sociale Parsec COSPE Croce Bianca - Baunei Santa Maria Navarrese CSV SARDEGNA SOLIDALE ODV CSVPOLIS Domus Oristano OdV EPLI ENTE PROLOCO ITALIANE European Movement Italy FNSI - Federazione nazionale Stampa italiana Fondazione LILA Milano ETS Forum Droghe APS Forum nazionale del Terzo Settore Haliéus I Mandaresi APS Cagliari ICARO-ODV ISCOS ISDE, International Society of Doctors for Environment Italy Italian Climate Network ITANPUD APS ITARDD Italian Harm Reduction Network Kyoto Club L’Isola di Arran ODV La Mente Comune APS LEGAMBIENTE LILA ONLUS NAZIONALE Marche a Rifiuti Zero ETS Mediterranea saving humans MEDREACT Osservatorio Fairwatch Paese dell’Acqua Parsec ngo Progetto Sud ETS SITAB (Italian Society of Tobaccology) Società Italiana di Tabaccologia SOS Elmas volontariato sardo **Latvia**Association of Latvian Organic Agriculture Latvia Hemophilia Society Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation Pasaules dabas fonds Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia Zero Waste Latvija **Lithuania**Lithuanian Development Cooperation Platform Lithuanian NGDO Platform Lithuanian Tobacco and Alcohol Control Coalition VšĮ Žiedinė ekonomika **Luxembourg**Action Solidarité Tiers Monde Associtaion luxembourgeoise des journalistes professionnels (ALJP) CELL Cercle de Coopération des ONGD du Luxembourg Le Soleil dans la Main A.S.B.L. **Malta**Friends of the Earth Malta Harm Reduction Malta ReLeaf Malta **The Netherlands**BankTrack Correlation-European Harm Reduction Network Defend Democracy ECNL - European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Human Security Collective Liga voor de Rechten van de Mens Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) **Poland**Polish Society for the Protection of Birds (OTOP, BirdLife Poland) Alliance of Associations Polish Green Network Ethnographic Laboratory Association Expedition Inside Culture Association Federacja Mazowia Foundation "Smart Health - Health in 3D" Green REV Institute Grupa Zagranica Habitat for Humanity Poland Institute for Sustainable Development Foundation Institute of Public Affairs Kultura Liberalna National Federation of Polish NGOs NOMADA Association Open Republic – Association against Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia Panoptykon Foundation Polish Ecological Club Mazovian Branch Polish Zero Waste Association PREKURSOR Foundation Rodzice dla Klimatu School with Class Foundation Social Ecologic Institut Society of Journalists (Warsaw) Space for Life Foundation The Power of Partnership Foundation / Fundacja Moc Partnerstwa \[PL\] To Proste Foundation **Portugal**A ROCHA- Associação Cristã de Estudos e Defesa do Ambiente Academia Cidadã ACI - Centro InterCulturaCidade ADRACES AEPGA - Associação para o Estudo e Protecção do Gado Asinino Alambi - Associação para o estudo e defesa do ambiente do concelho de Alenquer ALDEIA Almargem Associação de Defesa do Património Cultural e Ambiental do Algarve APDES - Piaget Agency for Development Ares do Pinhal Associação ALDEIA Associação Dunas Livres Associação Movimento Mira-Minde Associação Vita Nativa - Conservação do Ambiente AVE - Associação Vimaranense para a Ecologia Campo Aberto - associação de defesa do ambiente CEENTAA associação cultural e ambiental Confederação Portuguesa do Voluntariado Cova da Beira Converge CPADA - Confederação Portuguesa das Associações de Defesa do Ambiente Evoluir Oeiras Associação FAPAS - Associação Portuguesa para Conservação da Biodiversidade GAT - Grupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos GEOTA - Grupo de Estudos de Ordenamento do Território e Ambiente Grupo Ecológico de Cascais Juntos pelo Sudoeste KASA|PT Kosmicare Liga para a Protecção da Natureza (LPN) Movimento Glocal Faro NDMALO-GE Observalicia Oikos - Cooperação e Desenvolvimento Palombar - Associação de Conservação da Natureza e do Património Rural Pequena Ilha Verde - Associação de Educação Neohumanista Pista Mágica Plataforma Civica Aeroporto BA6-Montijo Não PRIP | Cova da Beira Converge proTEJO - Movimento pelo Tejo Quercus - Associação Nacional de Conservação da Natureza RWSW Sciaena SPEA - Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves SPECO - Sociedade Portuguesa de Ecologia Último Recurso ZERO - Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável **Romania**ActiveWatch Aer Pur Romania AFFMR ARAS - Romanian Association Against AIDS ARC Asociatia de Ajutor AMURTEL Romania Asociatia GEYC Asociatia Nevo Parudimos Asociatia Orientat Asociația Română d Consiliere și Sprijin; Grupul de Acțiune Locală Clisura Dunării Asociatia Samusocial din Romania Asociatia Unic Association Rroma Center "Amare Rromentza" Center for Public Innovation Center for the Study of Democracy Centrul FILIA Civic Radauti Association CIVICA Association Civil Society Development Foundation (FDSC) Civitas Foundation for Civil Society Cluj E-Romnja Association Ecoteca eLiberare Expert Forum FEDERATION OF NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES-FONSS Fundatia Civitas pentru Societatea Civila - Odorheiu Sec. Fundatia Comunitara Banatul Montan Fundatia Corona Fundatia Inima de Copil Fundatia PARADA FUNDATIA SF. DIMITRIE Ghita Eugen Impreuna Agency for Community Development MASTERPEACE RO Miliția Spirituală MozaiQ LGBT Association Organizatia Umanitara CONCORDIA Pro Vobis - National Resource Center for Volunteering Resource Center for Public Participation on behalf of NGOs for Citizens Coalition Roma Cultural Center O Del Amenca Romanian Environmental Partnership Foundation Romanian Society of Pneumology Romanian Women's Lobby Sustainable Development Center TERRA Mileniul III **Slovakia**Civic Association Odyseus Friends of the Earth - SPZ Iniciatíva Inakosť Institute for Circular Economy, Nitra Community Foundation Platforma dobrovoľníckych centier a organizácií Presovske dobrovolnicke centrum Rada mládeže Slovenska Slovak humanitarian council Society for Sustainable Living in the Slovak Republic Sytev ZIPCeM **Slovenia**Association for harm reduction Stigma Citizen D / Državljan D DOPPS-BirdLife Slovenia Focus Association for Sustainable Development Kultlab Celje Society PIC- Legal Center for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment Povod Institute SIBAHE - Slovenian Food Bank Slovene Philanthropy Slovenian Coalition for Public Health, Environment and Tobacco Control Umanotera **Spain**ABRACEMOS AL MAR MENOR ACCAS, ASOCIACIÓN CIUDADANA CÁNTABRA ANTI SIDA ACE Traductores ACICOM (ASSOCIACIÓ CIUTADANIA I COMUNICACIÓ) Aculco ADAVAS - León Al Tarab AMAL-ASOCIACION MADRILEÑA DE ATEOS Y LIBREPENSADORES APEPOC Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz Asociación Cultural Baizara ASOCACION SOCIO-CULTURAL Y DE COOPERACIÓN- ACULCO ASOCIACIÓN ACERCANDO REALIDADES Asociación PASOS Participación y Sostenibilidad Asociación T4 Associació Oasiurbà ATTAC SPain AUXILIA Beyond Suncare casal la viña Centro de Divulgación Cultural del Estrecho Al Tarab CIM Burkina Confederación Intersindical Convergencia de las Culturas Coordinadora Estatal de Plataformas Sociales Salesianas Creación Positiva Ecologistas en Acción eco-union El Cami Entreculturas Europimpulse Network FAPE Federación de Asociaciones de Personas Sordociegas de España (FASOCIDE) FUNDACIÓ PAU I SOLIDARITAT-CCOO CATALUNYA Fundación 1 de Mayo Fundación Asha-Kiran Fundación El Pájaro Azul Fundación Hazloposible Fundación por la Justicia de la Comunitat Valenciana Fundación privada Ficat Fundación Savia por el Compromiso y los Valores Futuro en Común IESMALA Association Imagen en Acción Instituto de Cooperación Internacional y Desarrollo Municipal - INCIDEM Irídia - Centre per la Defensa dels Drets Humans JUBILADO La Bolina La Coordinadora de Organizaciones para el Desarrollo Lafede.cat - Organitzacions per a la Justícia Global medicusmundi spain Metzineres MUJERES PALANTE Nofumadores.org ONGAWA Perifèries del Mon Plataforma catalana de suport al lobby europeu de dones Projecte Socioeducatiu Naüm Sindicalistas sin Fronteras ISCOD UGT SinergiaTIC Solidaridad Internacional Andalucia UKRAID **Sweden**AirClim Stockholms drug users union The National Organization for Relatives to Drug Users (NORD) **International organisations**Access Now ActionAid Alliance2015 Benzo Research Project Bridge 47 Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) Coalition For Women In Journalism Democracy International FICEMEA aisbl FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights) Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) Europe Global Forum for Media Development Humanists International INCHES Network InterAgency Institute International Alliance of Women International Partnership for Human RIghts (IPHR) Make Mothers Matter Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE) Mossy Earth Naturfreunde Internationale NGO Shipbreaking Platform Protection International Statewatch Terre des Hommes International Federation WFIPP Women Press Freedom World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders **Albania**Albanian Human Rights Group - AHRG Association of Journalists of Albania Beyond Barriers Association Regional Development Agency (RDA) **Armenia**ARé Cultural Foundation Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment NGO **Bosnia and Herzegovina**Center for Environment / FOE Bosnia and Herzegovina Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Banjaluka PROI THE BH Journalists Association / BH NOVINARI **Georgia**CENN (Caucasus Environement NGO Network) FCTC Implementation and Monitoring Center in Georgia **Kosovo**Association of Journalists of Kosovo **Moldova**Eco-TIRAS International Association of River Keepers Terra-1530 Union for Equity and Health **Montenegro**NGO Juventas **North Macedonia**HOPS - Healthy Options Project Skopje Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers Macedonian Respiratory Society **Norway**Electronic Frontier Norway **Serbia**GS KUM Nezavisnost Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia Initiative for Development and Cooperation **Türkiye**Association of Journalists (GC) Human Rights Foundation of Turkey **Ukraine**NGO "Advocacy Center LIFE" **United Kingdom**Child Rights International Network (CRIN) Conflict and Environment Observatory