March 2017

The composition of civil society at the EU level is largely dictated by which groups the European Commission chooses to fund. Furthermore, citizens have not been consulted directly on this. Instead they have been ventriloquised through a select group of charities, think tanks and other organisations which are directly financed by the EU.

Insofar as funding is needed for EU legislators to hear the voice of campaigners and activists, this should be limited to essential expenses, such as travel costs, and should ensure a wide range of views.

EU grants given to non-governmental organisations should include a clause prohibiting the use of EU funds for political lobbying, campaigning and activism. This clause would de facto ban think-tanks from receiving any public grant.