The European Commission pushed back Saturday against German media reports alleging it signed secret contracts with environmental NGOs to promote EU climate policy, calling the claims “false” and reaffirming its transparency in funding practices.
“There are no secret contracts between the European Commission and NGOs,” a spokesperson told Euronews. “The Commission exercises a high degree of transparency when it comes to providing funding to NGOs.”
The denial comes in response to an article by Welt am Sonntag, which claimed the EU Executive had paid NGOs — including ClientEarth and Friends of the Earth — up to €700,000 under undisclosed contracts to lobby for Green Deal policies, including legal action against German coal plants and opposition to the EU-Mercosur trade deal.
ClientEarth refuted the allegations, clarifying that its funding was allocated to support internal staff and operations in its German office, not litigation costs.
The controversy has added fuel to political tensions in Brussels. The European People’s Party (EPP) has long criticized the Commission’s engagement with NGOs, accusing it of using public funds to influence lawmakers. In January, Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin admitted that some LIFE programme grants had been used inappropriately to support lobbying activity, calling it “inappropriate,” though still defending the vital role of NGOs in the legislative process.
Further scrutiny came in April when the European Court of Auditors warned that funding practices risked damaging the Commission’s reputation due to a lack of clarity, though it found no breach of EU values.
To address concerns, the Commission says it has updated guidance to prevent NGOs from undertaking activities that directly target EU institutions or lawmakers and has committed to “further measures” to enhance transparency. All grant details, including recipient names and funding amounts, are available on the EU’s Financial Transparency System.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at ...
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's dis...
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with...
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the Unite...
U.S. investigators have recovered the black box recorders from the wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed in flames on takeoff in Louisville, Kent...
At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said on Saturday, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead.
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174.
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
At least 47 people have died and another 21 are reported missing following ten days of heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides across Sri Lanka, local media reported on Thursday (27 November).
Hong Kong fire authorities said they expected to wrap up search and rescue operations on Friday after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years tore through a massive apartment complex, killing at least 128 people, injuring 79 and leaving around 200 still missing.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region on Thursday, amid a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
At least 153 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after landslides and flooding caused by Cyclone Ditwah, officials said on Saturday, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide.
The Spanish agricultural sector has been placed on high alert following the confirmation that African Swine Fever (ASF) has resurfaced in the country for the first time in over thirty years.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead.
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174.
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Pope Leo visited Istanbul’s Blue Mosque on Saturday, stepping inside one of the most iconic sites of the Muslim world. He removed his shoes at the entrance in a gesture of respect. He did not appear to pray.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment