In his footsteps Cathargatediscussions on European Parliament about lobbying and the need to protect against it began to flare up. Immediately after the revelations, measures began to be discussed to prevent the influence of third countries (for example, Qatar) on the processes and decision-making of the institution. As expected, a cross-party resolution was adopted on December 15 to “bring order” to the political turmoil by strengthening the rules of transparency and ethics and ensuring their independent application.

However, the unity and enthusiasm did not last long. In a few days, the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) he distanced himself from the debate about decision-making on the protection of human rights in the Union and spoke out against NGOs. Through its “We must talk about NGOs” campaign, the EPP has been trying since December to put pressure on the European Parliament to take strict measures to ensure “transparency” of organizations.

Speaking at a meeting in Strasbourg, European People’s Party member Monika Hollmayer called for the creation of an “US-equivalent law on the registration of foreign organizations” in the EU in order to increase control and transparency.

The US FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) requires all third country agencies and their representatives to register and detail their work in cooperation with US legislators, including any formal contracts and remuneration, on a public website.

The EPP has demanded a full financial audit of the NGOs before they are registered in the EU transparency register. and that all agreements between the European Commission and NGOs be published.

“Witch-hunt”

However, many critics of the People’s Party are suspicious of this initiative. Claudio Francavilla, Senior EU Representative at Human Rights Watch, tweeted that the enemy is corruption, not NGOs: “The ongoing witch hunt against NGOs since Cathargate is pathetic, pointless and most damaging to the work of the European Parliament itself. in the field of human rights”, while others accuse the EPP of deliberately downplaying the influence that Qatar has long been found to have in Europe.

The emerging dilemma that the highest European institution is called upon to answer in the near future is whether the control of NGOs should be the focus of the strategy for the next period or, in order to combat corruption, which, admittedly, is wanted, it should turn its attention to something other.