In a significant shift in parliamentary dynamics, the European Parliament on Thursday voted to establish a working group dedicated to scrutinizing EU funding of NGOs. This move, spearheaded by the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) and supported by right-wing factions including the ECR and far-right PfE, aims to increase oversight of civil society organizations, which some accuse of using public funds for lobbying for stricter EU regulations. Despite strong opposition from center-left, liberal, Green, and Left groups who warned the initiative undermines democratic values and is politically motivated, the EPP rejected calls to broaden the group’s mandate to include all EU funding recipients. Operating under the Parliament’s budgetary control committee, this working group is viewed by many civil society organizations, including Transparency International EU, as a politically motivated attack on NGOs, prompting calls for a boycott of the new body. Read more here.
Source: Politico
