US EditionEU Commission Paid Environmental NGOs to Target Germany, Report Says
- A report published on June 7 revealed that the EU Commission paid environmental NGOs, including ClientEarth, to legally target German coal-fired power plants amid the energy crisis.
- This action followed broader EU funding practices criticized by the European Court of Auditors in April 2025 for being opaque and unreliable, with over €4.8 billion granted to NGOs by the Commission and €2.6 billion by member states.
- Documents showed ClientEarth received €350,000 to increase the legal and financial pressure on coal plant operators by contesting emissions and water permits, while similar contracts funded activist lobbying across Europe.
- German Parliamentary State Secretary Christoph de Vries condemned the funding as an outrageous use of taxpayer money to undermine energy companies and demanded greater transparency and disciplinary action against those involved.
- The revelations highlight growing concerns about EU Commission involvement in political lobbying through NGOs, raising questions about transparency and the separation of powers within the Union’s governance.
36 Articles
36 Articles
Zeit Online
watson.ch/Non-governmental organisations and the European Commission are said to have put pressure on German companies through secret contracts, which is due to the accusations.
The EU seems to have paid environmental organisations to sue German companies and to conduct campaigns.
In Brussels, according to a media report, the Commission is supposed to have paid associations for lawsuits and campaigns against companies. Thus, the public should be convinced of climate policy.
According to a media report, the EU Commission paid environmental associations for lawsuits and campaigns against companies, including German ones. The aim of the secret agreements was to convince the public of the EU's climate policy.
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