European Commission accused of funding activist organisations to put pressure on German companies

According to a report by Welt am Sonntag, the European Commission is accused of financing environmental organizations to take legal action against German companies in an effort to sway public opinion on EU climate policies.

The newspaper, referencing confidential contracts, claims that officials in Brussels collaborated closely with activists on every aspect of the initiative. Some non-governmental organizations reportedly received up to €700,000, with ClientEarth highlighted as an example for involving German coal power plants in lawsuits to amplify the “financial and legal risk” for stakeholders. This organization was awarded a total of €350,000. The report also asserts that Commission officials enlisted Friends of the Earth to campaign against the EU-South America (Mercosur) trade agreement, while other groups were funded to lobby EU legislators on pesticide and chemical regulations.

The contracts in question date back to 2022 and detail what the Commission anticipated in return for the funding, including correspondence, social media posts, and meetings with members of the European Parliament. “It is concerning that under former Commissioners Virginius Sinkevicius (former Commissioner for the Environment) and Frans Timmermans (former Commissioner for Climate), general grants were awarded to organizations involved in covert political lobbying, radical activities, and influencing decision-makers. I was particularly alarmed by plans aiming to push farms and coal power plants to cease operations through legal actions and stringent documentation requirements,” said Monica Holmeyer, an MEP from the Christian Social Union (CSU), to WamS.

A spokesperson for the European Commission stated that “the Commission maintains a high level of transparency regarding the funding provided to NGOs” and mentioned that it issued “clear guidelines last year to improve the funding process for NGOs,” which include directives “not to engage in programs that contain overly specific actions directed at EU institutions or their representatives.”