EU Parliament establishes official committee to investigate NGO funding

Tomáš Zdechovský, a leading EPP lawmaker in the budgetary control committee, emphasized the need for greater transparency in NGO funding, stating, “We have long said that not enough is being done — and we meant it.” The EPP announced that the working group would hire staff to examine all contracts awarded by the Commission to NGOs.

In recent months, right-leaning political forces in Europe have called for increased scrutiny of how NGOs are funded and how they use Commission money, causing divisions among political groups in the Parliament.

The idea for the scrutiny body began when EPP lawmakers in the budgetary control committee accused the Commission of financing NGOs to lobby Parliament on its behalf through public contracts.

In response, the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists proposed a committee of inquiry. However, the EPP sought a compromise with the S&D and Renew, aiming to establish a less powerful working group within the budgetary control committee.

The alliance ultimately fell apart when the EPP declined to expand the working group’s scope to include all beneficiaries of EU funding.

Following a vote in Strasbourg on Thursday, Iratxe García, leader of the S&D group in Parliament, criticized the right-wing for their ongoing attacks on NGOs, accusing the EPP of aligning with the far-right. “The EPP is making a shameful alliance with the far right for their witch-hunt on NGOs,” García stated.


Comments

8 responses to “EU Parliament establishes official committee to investigate NGO funding”

  1. Oh, splendid! Nothing like a good ol’ EU committee to really spice up the bureaucratic soup – because who doesn’t love watching paint dry while we investigate what everyone already knows? 😂

  2. mental Avatar

    Typical, isn’t it? Nothing says “transparency” like a bunch of politicians throwing a tantrum over NGOs while they’re all busy polishing their own golden parachutes. 😂💼

  3. Titanium Ladybug Avatar
    Titanium Ladybug

    Looks like the EU’s decided to play detective on NGOs now—who knew the budgetary control committee had a flair for drama? 🤷‍♂️ Maybe next they’ll start investigating if the coffee in the break room is up to snuff! ☕️💼

  4. miss mustard Avatar
    miss mustard

    Looks like the EU’s got a new hobby—investigating NGOs like it’s the new Olympic sport. Who knew transparency could be so fashionable? 🕵️‍♂️💼

  5. The Shield Toronto Avatar
    The Shield Toronto

    Just what we need, a committee to investigate how NGOs spend their pocket money—because clearly, the real scandal in Europe is their snack budget. 🍕💼

  6. Pixy Mox Avatar
    Pixy Mox

    Oh, brilliant! Just what we need—another committee to investigate the funding of NGOs, because clearly, the world wasn’t chaotic enough! 🤦‍♂️ Let’s throw some more paperwork at the problem and call it progress! 🕵️‍♂️💸

  7. Guncap Slingbad Avatar
    Guncap Slingbad

    Oh, splendid! A committee to investigate NGO funding—because nothing screams efficiency like an endless bureaucratic rabbit hole. 🎩💼

  8. NoiseCake Avatar
    NoiseCake

    Nothing says “we trust you” like forming a committee to investigate who’s funding the NGOs, right? 🤔 It’s like asking a cat to babysit a fish. 🐟🦁

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

In Germany, Football Reflects a Governance Crisis

In Germany, Football Reflects a Governance Crisis

“The national team operates like the federal government: high on ambition, low on resolve. Individuals struggle alone, no one claims responsibility, and when fortune finally comes, the success is negated,” wrote German MEP Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann on X, addressing a controversially disallowed goal during overtime, which could have secured Germany’s victory.
There is “always a connection

Read More

Congo Brings Rwanda to World Court Over Decades of Atrocities and Requests Belgium to Return Its Dead

Congo Brings Rwanda to World Court Over Decades of Atrocities and Requests Belgium to Return Its Dead

The Democratic Republic of Congo filed proceedings against Rwanda at the International Court of Justice in the week of its 66th independence anniversary, in what victims’ groups and government officials are describing as the most significant international accountability action the country has ever taken — while simultaneously pressing Belgium to return more than 500 human remains held in Europea

Read More

EU Strengthens Chemicals Agency Foundation

EU Strengthens Chemicals Agency Foundation

The European Union has taken steps to bolster the agency central to its chemical safety system, following a provisional agreement by the Council and European Parliament on a standalone legal framework for the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). This agreement aims to provide ECHA with clearer authority, increased funding flexibility, and stronger independence safeguards as it expands beyond traditi

Read More

Transatlantic Dialogue: US and German Journalists Explore EU Reporting at the European Newsroom

Transatlantic Dialogue: US and German Journalists Explore EU Reporting at the European Newsroom

The European Newsroom (enr) hosted a delegation of journalists from the United States at its Brussels office as part of a two-week exchange program with the RIAS Berlin Kommission.
The group, representing various media outlets including Semafor, WCVB, NPR, CNN, KTVI/KPLR, WSOC Charlotte, Spectrum News, ABC, The Dispatch, and CBS, hailed from states such as New York, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C

Read More

Kallas to meet Erdoğan ahead of pivotal NATO summit

Kallas to meet Erdoğan ahead of pivotal NATO summit

POLITICO examines whether budget constraints, a lack of tools, and a turf war with the European Commission threaten the survival of the EU’s foreign policy branch in a week of major articles.

Read More

Coal India to Invest $201 Million in R&D for Sustainable Coal Mining Advancement

Coal India to Invest $201 Million in R&D for Sustainable Coal Mining Advancement

New Delhi, June 30, 2026 – Eurotoday — Sustainable coal mining received a major boost after Coal India announced plans to invest $201 million in research and development by fiscal 2030. The state-owned mining company said the funding will support technological innovation, improve mine safety, increase productivity, and reduce the environmental impact of coal extraction.
The investment forms part

Read More

Why Does My Cat Walk Between My Legs?

Why Does My Cat Walk Between My Legs?

We’ve all experienced the challenge of stepping over or avoiding our feline companions who love to weave between our legs as we walk. Navigating the house can feel like a balancing act, trying not to disturb our affectionate pets eager for closeness. What might explain this peculiar behavior?
Marking by Rubbing Your Legs
Cats have glands around their mouth and chin that release pheromones.
Your

Read More

Europe’s Awkward Embrace of Turkey

Europe’s Awkward Embrace of Turkey

Three senior EU figures are in Turkey today, just days before the NATO summit in Ankara.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, and Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner will meet Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss security, migration, and connectivity between Europe and Central Asia.
The EU institutions’ AD5 entry-level administrator admissions test

Read More

US Supreme Court to Consider Republican Appeal on Arizona Voting Limits

US Supreme Court to Consider Republican Appeal on Arizona Voting Limits

Washington, D.C., June 29, 2026 – Eurotoday Newspaper — Election integrity laws are back before the U.S. Supreme Court after the justices agreed to hear a Republican-backed appeal seeking to revive Arizona voter restrictions that were blocked by lower federal courts. The case is expected to examine whether Arizona can enforce stricter proof-of-citizenship requirements for certain voter registrat

Read More

Ontex Convenes Special General Shareholders’ Meeting

Ontex Convenes Special General Shareholders’ Meeting

Press ReleaseThis article stems from a press release or official communication from Wire News Service. The European Times republishes it as a public service.

Regulated information
Aalst, Belgium, June 29, 2026 – On July 29, 2026, at 9 a.m. CEST, Ontex Group NV [EURONEXT: ONTEX] will host a special general shareholders’ meeting at its headquarters, Korte Keppestraat 21, 9320 Aalst, Belgium.
The

Read More