Nongovernmental organizations in Brussels, Belgium, are increasingly coming under fire from right-wing politicians over their advocacy work, with veteran development advocates describing the political environment in the de facto capital of the European Union as “the worst we’ve ever had.”
The past year has seen a slew of reports and debates around NGO lobbying and transparency, as well as a series of amendments on the issue tabled in key parliamentary committees, with some EU politicians accusing NGOs of “propaganda” and political bias. NGOs recently pushed back, in turn accusing those politicians of “false narratives and disinformation.”
A key dispute has centered on how NGOs use EU funding for advocacy. But new guidance on the issue ended up muddying the waters further. As a result, some parts of the European Commission have been altering their contracts with NGOs to change the language around advocacy.