Political Leaders Call for End to Campaign Against Civil Society

In recent months, members of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) have been targeting civil society organizations both at the national and EU levels. A significant development occurred when the European People's Party, alongside right-wing factions, voted to establish a control group for NGOs in the European Parliament. This move has raised concerns about the institutionalization of a campaign that many view as an attack on civil society.

Leonore Gewessler, a representative of the Green Party, expressed alarm over this trend, stating that the ÖVP's actions represent a severe breach in the treatment of NGOs and critical civil society voices across Europe. She highlighted that the ÖVP's attempts to discredit independent experts coincide with their efforts to dilute important climate and social legislation, including the supply chain law and deforestation regulation.

Lena Schilling, a Green Party Member of the European Parliament, emphasized that while industrial lobbies allocate hundreds of millions of euros annually for lobbying efforts, conservative and right-wing factions are trying to silence dissenting voices from civil society. She criticized the ÖVP's collaboration with extreme right parties as normalizing attacks on European civil society. Schilling's comments draw parallels to tactics used by Viktor Orbán, suggesting that this could lead to broader assaults on democracy.

The ÖVP has consistently suggested that stricter transparency measures are necessary for NGOs, claiming that the EU Commission has orchestrated secret contracts for lobbying purposes concerning environmental and nature protection. However, this assertion has been debunked by various analyses, including a report from Politico, and the EU Commission itself rejected these allegations.

Currently, the LIFE program allocates approximately EUR15.6 million annually for NGOs focusing on environmental matters, which is a modest sum compared to the lobbying budgets of major corporations. In 2024, the top 50 companies spent around EUR200 million on lobbying efforts within the EU.

Funding to NGOs is awarded based on competitive evaluations in accordance with the LIFE regulation, budgetary rules, and relevant calls for proposals. These organizations are required to meet stringent accountability standards, including monitoring, reporting, and audits to ensure public funds are used transparently. Many NGOs have been advocating for greater transparency in EU institutions for years. A recent report by the European Court of Auditors called for increased transparency but found no evidence of misconduct or misuse of EU funds by NGOs.

The Green Party maintains that independent and robust NGOs are vital for a vibrant democracy. They argue that the ÖVP's intimidation tactics resemble the methods of Orbán and are at odds with the principles of honest democratic discourse. The party urges ÖVP leader Christian Stocker to put an immediate end to these campaigns against civil society.