European civil society organisations (CSOs) are currently facing an attack coming from certain Members of the European Parliament. Spearheaded by some MEPs from the European People’s Party (EPP) and by far-right groups, this attack resorts to misleading arguments to fabricate a scandal.

Initially against environmental NGOs receiving grants under the LIFE programme, claims were made that these organisations had been paid by the European Commission to lobby the European Parliament on its behalf.

These claims are false, however this narrative has now gained traction in an attempt to discredit the value of civil society.

For-profit corporate lobbying is through the roof when compared to non-profit advocacy. In 2024, the 50 corporations with the largest lobbying budgets collectively spent nearly €200 million on lobbying the EU alone (66% more than in 2015).

Comparing this to the funding environmental NGOs receive under the LIFE programme – €15.6 million annually of a €700 million yearly budget – truly shows the weakness of this ‘scandal’.

This is why over 570 civil society organisations from across the EU have come together to make a statement against this harmful narrative.

We call on those in power to act now to ensure that civil society is adequately funded and enabled to share our crucial perspectives.

Democracy is about the right of citizens to be collectively heard for building an inclusive society and a shared European future; properly funded independent CSOs are a crucial tool for that.

READ FULL STATEMENT HERE