Activities of Monika HOHLMEIER related to 2023/2122(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Transparency and accountability of non-governmental organisations funded from the EU budget (debate)
Amendments (22)
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8 a. Recognises that NGOs in Europe play a role in filling the gap that cannot be filled by legislation or political work, particularly in areas of social support for example, for the homeless, orphaned children, elderly care, and areas in need of socio-economic help etc.; notes that NGOs play a crucial role in fulfilling important supportive roles where governments may be overwhelmed in terms of financial, human resources, or administrative capacities, and concludes that some NGOs thereby help governments fulfil their duty to the population and help contribute to governments being able to fulfil their role.
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Applauds the activity of NGOs in areas of conflict in ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches the civilian population and those in need in a rapid and effective manner; recognizes the importance of NGOs in ensuring that the EU, as the largest donor of development aid in the world, continues to contribute to promoting stability, overcoming poverty and advancing global development.
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Emphasizes that the purpose of this INI report is not to disparage NGOs in general or their work, but rather to make improvements in the control and monitoring, definition and regulation of NGOs with the goal of transparency, the responsible use of EU taxpayers money, the fairness of distribution of European funds, and improvement of the NGO ecosystem in Europe.
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. An NGO should not be financed 100% by the state and Commission in order to be considered an NGO.
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Reiterates the call for a common definition of an NGO made in the recommendations from the 2021 Commission discharge resolution13 ; calls for a common definition of an NGO at EU level, in particular for NGOs receiving EU funding; is of the opinion that this definition should provide minimum common conditions for defining an NGO; considers that such minimum conditions must include the form of an organisation, the objectives it pursues, its level of formal or institutional existence, the accountability of its structures to its members or donors, its level of independence from government, other public authorities, political parties or commercial organisations, and the commercial or professional objectives it pursues on behalf of its members; believes that the proposed definition in the Commission’s proposal for the Financial Regulation does not provide minimum adequate conditions; _________________ 13 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2023)0137.
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Notes that the spectrum of NGOs receiving EU funding covers a wide range of structures, ways of functioning, sources of financing and focus areas, which translates into a variety of projects that are financed with taxpayers’ money; notes that the Commission uses the terms NGOs and NFPOs without a clear definition in the FTS; regrets that this results in a lack of public transparency in the allocation and monitoring of EU funds and might lead to a lack of public trust; further calls for the FTS to ensure a proper categorisation of the various types of NGOs or NFPOs in order to avoid situations in which there is little or no differentiation between certain types of organisations and whereby universities, research institutes, voluntary organisations, and other NGOs are considered identical in the FTS database;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Is concerned about cases of fraud and irregularities, notably in situations where NGOs that are members of different international networks or platforms that receive EU funding are at risk of conflicts of interest, double funding, corruption or money laundering; is concerned about the lack of publicly available data on the fraud cases involving NGOs; calls on the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to compile and provide such data to Parliament and the ECA and to draw up a list of NGOs that have broken the law; calls on the Commission temporarily ban NGOs from applying to EU funding in case of serious infringements of existing rules related to fraud, double funding, corruption, money laundering or conflict of interest or to potentially permanently exclude them from applying for EU funding in case of repeated offences;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)
Paragraph 17 a (new)
17 a. Emphasizes the importance of transparency and knowing the final recipient of EU taxpayer’s money and the importance of avoiding corruption and fraud in the use of EU funds by NGOs and the role that control and monitoring can play in contributing to these goals and the the fairness in distribution of funds;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Regrets that a lack of transparency makes it possible for powerful actors to establish, fund and/or co-opt EU-funded NGOs in multiple Member States to promote false narratives, including through disinformation, apparently in order to influence EU policy through different actors, as happened in Qatargate; underlines that the EU budget must not be used to lobby against the EU’s democratic principles and value, values and interests; reiterates that foreign influence on EU policymaking may be possible through NGOs; calls on the Commission to require NGOs in receipt of EU grants to publish details of any funding received from other sources in relation to projects co-financed by the EU over a five- year period14 ; underlines that funding for NGOs from outside the EU can be a legitimate source of financing, but stresses that without clear transparency rules such funding possibilities are open to abuse and undue influence from third state actors; _________________ 14 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 2.
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Criticises those situations in which substantial co-funding is awarded from the EU budget to NGOs that are clearly and predominantly financed by non-EU states, networks or foundations and that deliver research that regularly negatively impacts European industry and transport providers; urges the Commission to trace the flow of funds from the first donor in order to prevent damage to the EU economy; calls for a comprehensive review of such situations and for a possible complete freezing of EU funding to such organisations;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Observes significant inconsistencies in the content and extent of the information displayed on project websites and notes NGOs’ insufficient clarity on grant distribution among partners and on the connection to pertinent Commission databases; calls for a more proactive approach from NGOs to public transparency that goes beyond the current minimal requirements for EU grant funding18 ; calls for a clearer and more systematic presentation of information on NGO and EU-funded project websites on the grant funding received from the EU and from other sources for both specific projects and overall, and on project objectives, results and impact; _________________ 18 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 17.
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30
Paragraph 30
30. Acknowledges that the Commission provides administrative and financial support for the establishment of information platforms for MEPs and the public, but wondersstrongly deplores that, in the case of a platform on the Nature Restoration Law20 , whether the timing of the establishment and the lack of monitoring of the reliability of the information disseminated encouraged one-sided partisan political influence, thus giving the impression thatleading to the unacceptable situation in which the the executive branch lobbies the legislative branch, which wouldthus constituteing an improper use of taxpayers’ money; requests that the Commission disclose the timing and the amount of money flows in relation to that platform by 1 February 2024 and asks the ECA to review this case and determine what action should be taken; _________________ 20 ‘Business and Biodiversity’, European Commission, accessed 29 September 2023.
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)
Paragraph 33 a (new)
33 a. Notes the 2018 finding of the ECA that provision of sub-granting does not allow the Commission to properly monitor how EU funds are used; calls for the amounts provided to NGOs as third parties in the form of cascading grants to be clearly identifiable in the FTS and in the Commission annual financial and accountability reporting;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34
Paragraph 34
34. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all applicants or beneficiaries of EU funding, including NGOs, are required to publish annually the number of lobbying contacts they have, along with their nature and their monetary value; reiterates in this context the need for a comprehensive financial pre-screening of these entities before they are listed in the EU transparency register; calls for a transparency officer to be placed in all committee secretariats and relevant administrative units; recalls that, according to the transparency register guidelines, changes in the data provided should be communicated as soon as they occur and, in any case, within three months; insists that any changes in the board or leadership of EU-funded NGOs should also be recorded in the transparency register; calls for adequate meausres against organisations that systematically fail to respect such obligations, including a ban from applying for EU for a period of 5 years.
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Regrets the coexistence of different disclosure requirements for different types of organisations in the transparency register; calls on the Commission to impose the same disclosure requirements on all types of organisation registered in the transparency register; notes that, in particular, they must all be required to disclose their income and all amounts spent on lobbying21 ; reiterates that failure to correctly disclose such amounts shall results in a ban to engage in any lobbying activity with the EU institutions and hsall not be permitted to apply for EU funding for a period of 5 years; _________________ 21 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 24.3.
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37
Paragraph 37
37. Regrets the coexistence of different disclosure requirements for different types of organisations in the transparency register; calls on the Commission to impose the same disclosure requirements on all types of organisation registered in the transparency register; notes that, in particular, they must all be required to disclose their income and all amounts spent on lobbying21 ; notes that when an NGO is financed more than 25% by the state or Commission, that this should be listed in the transparency register. _________________ 21 See: transparency and accountability study, recommendation 24.3.
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 a (new)
Paragraph 37 a (new)
37 a. Notes that when an NGO is financed more than 25% by the state or Commission, that this should be listed in the transparency register.
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 37 b (new)
Paragraph 37 b (new)
37 b. Notes that when an NGO is financed more than 25% by the state or Commission, that this should be listed in the transparency register.
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 39
Paragraph 39
39. Calls for all EU-funded NGOs to publish online all meetings with MEPs, MEPs’ assistants or representatives of other EU institutions, bodies or agencies whenever such meetings relate to ongoing EU legislative affairs or to the EU financing that NGOs receive or apply for, in line with similar obligations for MEPs; calls on the relevant EU institutions and bodies to provide the tools necessary for the publication of such meetings; insists that NGOs not respecting such a rule shall be prohibited to engage in lobbying activites iwht EU institutions and shall not be permitted to apply for EU funding for a period of 5 years;
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 40
Paragraph 40
40. Reiterates its call made in the 2021 Commission discharge resolution23 to adopt an NGO regulation by 1 June 2024 that includes harmonised minimum requirements for NGOs across all EU entities and a clear definition and categorisation of the fields of activity and size of NGOs and that provides for the necessary conditions for NGOs to receive EU funds; regrets that the Commission has not followed Parliament’s recommendations so far on the issue; insists that there should be a clear distinction between regular NGOs and ‘public utility NGOs’; calls on the Commission to establish simplified procedures for small NGOs; _________________ 23 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2023)0137, paragraph 20.
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 41
Paragraph 41
41. Calls on the Commission to ensure that, when preparfully address ing its proposal for the NGO regulation, important questions on issues relating to, but not limited to, clear definitions, revolving doors, transparency in financing and donations, the fight against money laundering, limiting foreign interference, independence from political and economic influence, whistleblowing, and transparency in actual leadership and ownership are dealt with in a sufficiently transparent manner;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 42
Paragraph 42
42. Reiterates its call in the 2021 Commission discharge resolution24 for the creation of a public blacklist of NGOs that have engaged in activities such as hate speech, incitement to terrorism, religious extremism, anti-Semitism, supporting or glorifying violence or spreading unfounded scientific statements or that have misused or misappropriated EU funds and are listed in the EDES database in order to ensure that they are blocked from access to EU institutions and EU funding programmes; regrets that the Commission has not followed the Parliament's recommendation on the issue and expects a proposal on this to be put forward by the Commission no later than 1 July 2024; _________________ 24 Texts adopted, P9_TA(2023)0137, paragraph 19.