The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament call on the group of the European People’s Party (EPP) to stop attacks on civil society. This happened in the context of debates and votes during the European parliament’s plenary session this week on discharge procedures of EU institutions, as well as on reports on the protection of the European Union’s financial interests, combatting fraud and the control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank.
The S&D Group is extremely concerned with the pro-European EPP siding with the conservatives and the far right and spreading disinformation on the role of non-governmental organisations. The EPP claims that NGOs have an undue influence over the EU decision-making process. Their group implies civil society organisations receive EU funding under the condition that they lobby MEPs to support plans of the Commission. This is totally ungrounded and has been disproven on multiple occasions over time.
The S&D Group stands firm on its position - it is unacceptable to attack NGOs under the guise of transparency while turning a blind eye to other interest groups. It is these attempts by the EPP that undermine the trust of our citizens in democracy and European institutions. We ask for transparency to be applied to everybody with no exception – civil society, private entities, multinational companies, lobbyists, national governments and EU institutions. The Socialists and Democrats believe the EPP uses NGOs as a scapegoat to advance a narrow political agenda of securing alternative majorities with the conservatives and the far right.
Mohammed Chahim, S&D vice-president for the Green Deal for Industry, Energy and Climate and Financing the Just Transition, said:
“What was a concerning trend at the beginning of this legislative term has turned into a deliberate practice. The goal is clear – the EPP group wants to undermine policies like the Green Deal or the Asylum and Migration Pact that they themselves voted in favour of in the previous term. In doing so, they are now shamelessly tearing down structures of civil society.
“NGOs have the right to have their say on any EU policy and getting EU funds is legal and in full respect of EU Financial Regulation transparency requirements. The European Court of Auditors - the controller of spendings from the EU budget - is formal on this. Even the EPP’s own Commissioner on budget, anti-fraud and public administration, Piotr Serafin, had to admit that the Commission has no problem with the work of NGOs doing their job in providing the members of the European Parliament with their expertise and input. Civil society provides a vital contribution to the democratic debate and our pluralist society. What else does the EPP group need to stop their campaign? This witch-hunt on civil society must stop now!”
