Scandal for secret EU contracts: Tax money for climate NGOs politically abused!

Scandal for secret EU contracts: Tax money for climate NGOs politically abused!

Brüssel, Belgien - In 2022, the EU Commission has concluded secret contracts with German environmental associations, which have now come into focus on public discussions. According to the revelations that the newspaper Welt am Sonntag , enormous funds, including German tax money, flowed to these non-profit organizations (NGOS). The main purpose of these payments was to convince the public of the EU's climate policy and to do lobbying.

These secret agreements included financing for campaigns against the German economy, especially against coal -fired power plants. As Compact-online were also supported, which in some cases led to rioting. It turned out that the EU Commission also expected the environmental associations to deal with specific lobby tasks, as the writing of lobby letters addressed to EU deputies.

criticism and concerns

The allocation of tax funds to certain NGOs that are perceived as extremist has triggered a wave of criticism. CSU European Member Monika Hohlmeier, worried about the use of financial resources for organizations that pursue radical goals. She warned of subversive plans to endanger the economic activities of companies through complaints and to endanger stricter evidence.

The amount of the funds that have flowed to the different NGOs is impressive. A single organization is said to have received up to 700,000 euros, while Clientearth got 350,000 euros to lead to complaints against German coal -fired power plants. Tagesschau reports that these practices are viewed as a massive attack on the economy. Former MEPs criticized that such procedures violate the principle of separation of powers.

public reaction and transparency claims

In the meantime, the pressure on the EU Commission is growing to uncover these practices and ensure more transparency. FDP-MEP Svenja Hahn warned of a possible loss of trust in the European institutions and called for a comprehensive clarification of the processes. The European Court of Auditors had criticized the financing of NGOs as too opaque for months, and the current reappraisal of the affair is still at the beginning.

according to BR were concluded in 2022, in the framework of which the EU Commission worked closely with activists to propagate the EU climate policy. This raises questions about the integrity of institutional processes within the EU and requires answers to the actual extent and reach of these secret.