Background

  • The EU transfers hundreds of millions of euros annually, in non-transparent processes, to a number of political advocacy NGOs through frameworks such as European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR), Partnership for Peace (PfP), AIDCO, the Anna Lindh Foundation, and others.eu_funding
  • NGO Monitor reports reveal that many NGO recipients of EU funding engage in activities contradictory to EU policy goals. These NGOs obstruct EU efforts to promote peace, democracy and human rights in the region by engaging in the Durban strategy of political warfare.
  • The EU-funded NGOs engage in BDS (boycotts, divestment, sanctions) campaigns targeting European economic, scientific, and academic cooperation with Israel; “one state” proposals; anti-normalization campaigns; and lawsuits aimed at harassing Israeli officials and disrupting diplomatic meetings between Israeli and European delegations.
  • Many organizations receiving EU funding also lobby EU institutions and influence EU policies on Israel, the Palestinian conflict and regional changes. (See below.)

Examples of problematic EU funding

  • NGO Echo Chamber: Adalah, an Israeli political advocacy NGO has been a consistent recipient — for the period 2009-2012, Adalah received €627,526 through the EIDHR framework. Adalah is currently (2013) receiving a one-year grant of €162,556. The organization employs an EU Advocacy Officer to “lobby European Union governments to continue their financial backing of the group.” This is a violation of the principles of good governance in democratic systems, creating a closed echo chamber, in which EU funding facilitates the very NGO lobbying that informs EU policy, and excludes pluralistic debate.
  • Lack of due diligence and transparency: The Coalition of Women for Peace (CWP) is currently a recipient of both EIDHR and PfP funding, involving a combined total of €602,798 for 2011-2014. NGO Monitor research shows that CWP promotes the anti-Israel BDS campaign, advocates “lawfare” tactics and regularly engages in “apartheid” rhetoric.  EU funding for CWP is characterized by a severe lack of transparency. The EC has refused to release significant documentation that would allow for analysis of this funding. NGO Monitor’s multiple requests for documentation related to CWP funding have been met with minimal responses, vaguely citing “public security” as justification.
  • Disproportionate funding: Israeli and Palestinian organizations receive large-scale EU funding through EIDHR’s “country-based support scheme.” In this specific funding sector, for the period 2007-2010, Israeli and Palestinian NGOs received the largest amount of EIDHR funding. While most of the funding in this sector went to promote human rights and democracy in Israel, no such funding was allocated to Syria, Iraq, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia or the UAE.