As the influence of civil society groups in EU policymaking increases, calls are growing for them to become more transparent about their objectives and sources of funding.
Consulting non-governmental organisations (NGOs) during the policymaking process is a key part of European governance, Commission Vice President Siim Kallas told a public hearing on the issue in the European Parliament yesterday (16 September).
"Europe needs a vibrant civil society and NGOs are a very important partner for the Commission," said Vice President Kallas, explaining that their long-standing tradition of cooperation is continuing to expand and intensify.
But "noble causes always deserve a closer look, particularly as many NGOs use the same tools as corporate lobbyists," he added, calling on more of them to sign up to the register of interest representatives launched by the EU executive in June.
Kallas's comments were a thinly veiled reference to "astroturf lobbying
". The practice was defined by SourceWatch, a project of the Centre for Media and Democracy in the US, to describe fake grassroots organisations that are "created or funded by corporations, industry trade associations, political interests or public relations firms" to garner support for their client's cause.
Less than 20% of the 334 bodies included in the register so far are NGOs. "It puzzles me that some NGOs have not yet registered, and even ones funded by the Commission have not disclosed their funding sources," Kallas said. "People have a right to know how their money is being spent," he stated.
German Liberal MEP Silvana Koch-Mehrin also called on NGOs to be more forthright in making clear who is funding them. "It is important to know whether an NGO is representing the interests of society or a particular individual," she said.
Indeed, "any NGO performing a public role should be totally transparent" and fully disclose its funding sources, argued Transparency International's Miklos Marschall. "Full disclosure allows NGOs to accept a variety of funding without triggering legitimacy fears".
Some NGOs 'hiding behind fronts'
Nevertheless, accountability issues are inevitable if the majority of a non-governmental organisation's funding comes from a single source, he said, stating: "Rules should be established governing the diversification of NGOs' funding bases," he said, suggesting that one backer should only be allowed to provide a maximum limit of 20% of the total.
European Public Affairs Consultancies Association (EPACA) Chairman José Lalloum claimed that "many NGOs' real motivations and resources are unclear" and "they may be hiding behind fronts". "I don't have a problem with NGOs campaigning vigorously against us, nor taking the moral high ground," he said, "but the problem is when NGOs preach morality to others when their own practices are questionable".
"There is a difference between what NGOs do on the ground and what they do in Brussels as interest representatives," Lalloum continued, claiming that "they are becoming political entities and should be treated as such".
Meanwhile, the debate over the Commission's lobbyists register is set to continue. Registration is currently voluntary, but its format is "not set in stone" and can be adapted in future, said Kallas earlier this year, insisting that he "will work hard" towards developing a mandatory register in conjunction with the European Parliament.
(Source: EurActive.com)
