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.
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Iran warned of an “immediate, intense, and powerful” response to any renewed Israeli or U.S. attack, as efforts to secure an interim peace deal appeared to stall despite fresh diplomatic contacts.
Australia confirmed it will repatriate citizens from the MV Hondius cruise ship hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak, with quarantine on arrival. Spain, France are evacuating nationals as three deaths are confirmed. In the U.S., two passengers have been isolated after testing positive for the virus.
U.S. President Donald Trump called Iran’s response to Washington’s latest peace proposal “totally unacceptable” amid talks over ending the war and securing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. A cargo vessel near Qatar was hit by a projectile as Kuwait reported hostile drones in its airspace.
President Donald Trump called Iran’s response to a US war proposal “totally unacceptable” after Tehran sent its reply through mediator Pakistan, according to IRNA. Qatar’s al-Thani also warned Iran against using the Strait of Hormuz as “a pressure tool”.
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The man accused of attempting to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump during a White House gala last month pleaded not guilty to all charges in federal court on Monday.
French President Emmanuel Macron opened France’s first-ever business summit in an English-speaking African nation on Monday (11 May), as Paris seeks to strengthen ties across the continent following a decline in influence in several former French colonies.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that three Polish nationals and two Moldovan citizens had been released from detention in Belarus and Russia, highlighting what he described as growing diplomatic cooperation with Minsk.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel aims to eventually end its reliance on U.S. financial military support within the next decade. The decision signals a long-term shift in the country’s defence policy as it seeks to deepen ties with Gulf states.
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