The EU Commission under fire for funding eNGO lobbying via subsidies, sparking EU outrage and calls for transparency reforms
A Dutch daily has revealed that a group of NGOs received €700,000 to campaign for the Nature Restoration Act. According to a report by De Telegraaf, the European Commission has been providing subsidies to various environmental groups on the condition that they support the green initiatives of Brussels and former European Commissioner Frans Timmermans.
This has raised questions about the authenticity of the environmental NGOs’ support for EU climate proposals.
The funds originated from a budget allocated for climate and environmental subsidies granted to environmental groups. However, according to documents obtained by De Telegraaf, several beneficiaries received the subsidies on the condition that they campaign for Brussels’ and Timmermans’ green initiatives, influencing debates on agriculture and sustainability.
One example cited by the Dutch daily is the European Environment Bureau (EEB), an organisation that encompasses more than 150 citizen environmental groups across the EU, including Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) and the Society for the Preservation of Nature Monuments (Natuurmonumenten).
The grant contract with this group includes specific instructions to provide at least 16 examples of how its efforts have led to more ambitious green legislation in the European Parliament.
The EEB, which is reported to have received €700,000, promoted Timmermans’ Nature Restoration Act and was tasked with steering the agricultural debate towards a greener direction, according to the contract in De Telegraaf‘s possession.
Dutch MEP Dirk Gotink of the centre-right NSC party is investigating, alongside colleagues from the budget control committee, the subsidy contracts awarded to environmental groups over the past five years. He claims that “there were even lists of lobby groups with names of politicians who should be contacted.”
“Of course, they have the right to lobby. My target is the European Commission. This seems to be a highly organised cooperation between a green coalition led by Timmermans and a left-wing majority in the European Parliament,” Gotink stated, questioning whether this is “an isolated case or a widespread practice” in Brussels that could also apply to other issues.
Timmermans returned to Dutch politics more than a year ago, resigning from his post at the European Commission to lead a coalition of two left-wing parties, the Greens GroenLinks and the Social Democrats PvdA. However, he failed to defeat the radical right of Geert Wilders and is now the leader of the largest opposition party to the coalition government, of which NSC is a member.
The EEB defended its position to De Telegraaf, stating that “a flourishing democracy requires resources that allow the voice of citizens to reach decision-makers” and that “unlike well-resourced actors such as foreign governments and multinationals, European citizens and their civil society organisations often do not have sufficient means, and EU support is necessary to ensure a level playing field.”
The European Union channels its financial support to the fisheries sector and marine conservation mainly through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFF). For the period 2021-2027, the EMFF has a budget of approximately €6.108 billion.
This fund is intended to promote sustainable fisheries and the conservation of aquatic biological resources. Its objectives include support for innovation in fisheries, advisory services, partnerships between researchers and fishermen, promotion of human capital and social dialogue, income diversification, improvement of fishermen’s working conditions, and the protection of biodiversity and marine ecosystems.
However, there is no specific data available on the exact volume of aid that the EU grants exclusively to fisheries conservation associations and marine environmental organisations. The allocation of funds varies according to the programmes and projects submitted by these organisations in each funding period.
Recent reports have noted that the European Commission has awarded subsidies to various environmental groups on the condition that they back Brussels’ environmental policies and climate proposals.
Calls to Ban Lobbying Contracts
Polish European Commissioner Piotr Serafin condemned the contracts, calling them “unacceptable” and stating that it is inappropriate for the Commission to enter into agreements obliging NGOs to lobby MEPs. Serafin is now pushing for a ban on such practices.
“It undermines the transparency of the legislative process,” Serafin argued. “Co-legislators should not be subject to pressure funded by the European Commission itself.”
A Vicious Circle of Influence
The allegations have uncovered what critics are calling a “vicious circle” in EU policymaking. The European Commission allegedly sets policy, funds environmental organisations to lobby for its proposals, and then introduces new legislation based on the pressure it has indirectly financed. This self-reinforcing system leaves ordinary citizens on the sidelines, according to critics.
Last October, reports emerged that the Commission had advised the Business & Biodiversity Platform to convince sceptical MEPs to support the Nature Restoration Act. The recent revelations provide further evidence of systemic issues in the way environmental policies are advanced in Brussels.
Impact on Fishing Industry
The news has shocked sectors previously affected by contentious green policies, such as the fishing industry. Johan K. Nooitgedagt, chairman of the Dutch Fishermen’s Association, described the revelations as “bizarre” and questioned whether similar lobbying practices influenced decisions on pulse fishing, a technique banned by the EU in 2019.
“How long has this been happening?” Nooitgedagt asked. “We’ve contacted MEPs on the Fisheries Commission to investigate how many dossiers were manipulated by this paid green lobby.”
Dutch fishermen and their representatives, including Smit (BBB), Ruissen (SGP), and Diepeveen (PVV), are demanding answers and accountability. Durk van Tuinen of the Dutch Fishermen’s Association stated, “Rumours about extensive green lobbying have circulated for years, but this news explains a lot.”
Looking Ahead
The revelations have opened a Pandora’s box of questions about the EU’s policymaking processes. Investigations by the Budgetary Control Committee and pressure from affected sectors like fishing are likely to intensify. The scandal raises fundamental concerns about the balance of power in Brussels, the transparency of decision-making, and the influence of lobbying on environmental policies.
For now, the European Commission faces mounting criticism, with demands for reforms to restore trust in its environmental agenda.
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