Source: European Parliament
The EU programme for the environment and climate action (LIFE) provides financial support for the functioning of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), supporting civil society’s participation to policy making. The Commission has no indication that ongoing LIFE operating grants breach the LIFE Regulation[1] or the EU Financial Regulation[2].
Operating grants are awarded competitively, and applicants submit proposals that include the description of their work-programmes of activities in areas under the LIFE Regulation.
This description is annexed to the grant agreement. The work programme may mention, among other activities, advocacy activities. The Commission does not prescribe the specific activities.
The Commission agrees that funding agreements involving specifically detailed activities directed at EU institutions and some of their representatives, even if they do not breach the legal framework, may entail a reputational risk for the EU.
To mitigate this risk, the Commission issued guidance[3] clarifying which activities should not be mandated as a requirement for EU financing.
The Commission adheres strictly to its transparency obligations[4] by publishing information about LIFE recipients and the amounts received in the Financial Transparency System[5] and on the LIFE website[6]. In addition, the Commission proactively shares the objectives and outcomes of funded projects on the Funding and Tenders Portal[7].
Furthermore, interest representatives are required to report their lobbying activities and main funding sources as well as the amount of each contribution above EUR 10 000 exceeding 10% of their total budget in the Transparency Register[8].
- [1] LIFE Regulation https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/783/oj/eng
- [2] Financial Regulation https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202402509
- [3] https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/guidance-funding-dev-impl-monit-enforce-of-eu-law_en.pdf
- [4] Article 38 of the Financial Regulation requires publishing information about recipients and does not require the disclosure of advocacy activities funded through grant agreements.
- [5] Financial T ransparency System https://ec.europa.eu/budget/financial-transparency-system/index.html
- [6] https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/life_en
- [7] EU Funding and Tenders Portal https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/home
- [8] Transparency Register https://transparency-register.europa.eu/index_en