Civil society organisations concerned over a draft EU directive that could undermine their work

EU Foreign Interference Law: Is Civil Society at Risk?

Why we are against an EU FARA law

Civil Society Europe is bringing together 230 civil society organisations from across Europe to express concern and opposition to a proposed ‘foreign interference’ directive which would create a register of Foreign Funded organisations. This legislation could have unintended negative consequences, hindering CSOs’ ability to fulfil their role as defenders of democracy in Europe and beyond. It will also limit the EU’s capacity to support civil society at risk and human rights defenders globally.

Civil society plays an essential role in vibrant, democratic societies. Civil society organisations (including philanthropy) are key actors in addressing different societal issues and in moving the green, digital and social agendas forward as well as defending rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights. Yet, while an enabling space for civil society is essential, experience across Europe shows how fragile that space can be. Deliberate, or inadvertent steps, can put civil society at risk and destroy the very essence of an essential democratic pillar.

The European Union has played an important role in standing up for civil society, setting standards and calling out threats to civic space. In May 2023 the European Commission will propose a new Defence of Democracy Package – including welcome proposals to further enhance democratic participation and protect civic space. Yet, some elements of that package threaten to undermine existing and future efforts.

A New Legal Instrument

A call for evidence makes the case for a new ‘legal instrument (directive) to introduce common transparency and accountability standards for interest representation services paid for or directed from outside the EU, to contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market, and to protect the EU democratic sphere from covert outside interference’. While focusing on transparency and accountability, this proposal appears to mirror so-called ‘foreign influence legislation’ while also emboldening repressive leaders and undercutting the EU’s credibility to speak out about restrictive laws in non-EU countries. These laws have significantly curtailed the space for independent civil society and been deployed as a tool to silence critical voices.

Such a proposal seems to echo some debates in the European Parliament and to arguments put forth by some governments to justify harsh restrictions on foreign funding and ‘foreign agents’. This approach is very risky as it can lead to significant restrictions on civic space in the European Union and globally.

Civil society has been a strong and consistent supporter of transparency reforms and continues to welcome any initiative that builds upon transparency while preserving space for the activities of independent civil society.

As civil society organisations, with extensive experience working on civic freedoms, we call on the European Commission to observe three key factors ahead of any proposal:

1. The Requirement for a Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment
The European Union requires an impact assessment ahead of any legislation that is expected to have significant economic, social or environmental impacts. In addition the strategy on the effective implementation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights requires that the rights and principles enshrined in the Charter are correctly taken into account at every step of the EU legislative process. This includes a checklist that identifies what fundamental rights are affected and whether any limitation of those rights would be necessary and proportionate to achieve the desired aim.

The call for evidence indicates that no impact assessment is planned. Based on the EU’s own requirements, and the experience of the detrimental fundamental rights impact of similar laws, it is essential that an impact assessment be carried out ahead of any proposal on the basis of EU Treaties, the Charter and in compliance with international human rights.

The Better Regulation framework is also aimed at reducing unnecessary red tape and ensuring subsidiarity and proportionality. These principles must be respected when evaluating the need for legislation.

2. Clarity and Purpose
The call for evidence fails to identify the specific need that new legislation would address and why an EU directive is a necessary or appropriate instrument. It also does not define ‘interest representation services’ or ‘covert outside interference’.

In a contentious environment, where several EU member states have already adopted or proposed legislation and policy that purposely or unintentionally restrict civic space, we need a risk based approach and a careful assessment of unintended consequences anc clear wording. A lack of legal clarity and purpose risks creating legislation that firstly fails to address the perceived risk and secondly opens the space for abuse and disproportionate and discriminatory restrictions on civil society organisations.

3. Fundamental Rights Obligations
From a legal perspective and as part of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, the European Union must comply with, and actively promote, the rights that underpin vibrant and healthy democracies. Three references are of particular note:

• Last month the European Council adopted, for the first time, Council Conclusions on civic space, echoing the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and stating that ‘the freedom to seek, receive and use...resources is an integral part of the right to freedom of association’.
• In 2020 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in the precedent setting case of the European Commission v Hungary (C-78/18) that freedom of association, enshrined in Article 12(1) of the Charter, ‘constitutes one of the essential bases of a democratic and pluralist society’. It identified the right to access funding as a substantive element of freedom of association and recognised the chilling effect of such laws, that can foster a climate of distrust in the work of associations. In sum the judgement found that Hungary had introduced discriminatory, unjustified and unnecessary restrictions on foreign donations to civil society.
• The OSCE/Venice Commission Guidelines on Freedom of Association state that ‘the right to freedom of association would be deprived of meaning if groups wanting to associate did not have the ability to access resources of different types, including financial, in-kind, material and human resources, and from different sources, including public or private, domestic, foreign or international.’

These three elements point strongly towards the need for exceptionally careful consideration and a formal impact assessment – to determine whether such a legislative instrument is a necessary and proportionate response, to what is currently a very undefined aim.

The signatories of this statement underline the importance of the EC upholding and being consistent with the proposal for a directive on covert foreign interference risks inconsistency with international and EU human rights law, and in particular the exercise of civic freedoms.

• We demand to the European Commission that: on the basis of the information published, the proposal for “a legal instrument introducing common transparency and accountability standards for interest representation services directed or paid for from outside the EU” should not be pursued;
• A fundamental rights impact assessment should be considered ahead of any legislative proposal; and
• An open and structured dialogue must be ensured with all stakeholders, in particular all proposals or review of legislation affecting civil society must be prepared in close dialogue with civil society.

ENDORSEMENTS

European and International Civil Society Organisations

1. Civil Society Europe
2. Transparency International EU
3. European Civic Forum
4. CONCORD Europe
5. Human Rights Watch
6. Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association
7. Open Society Europe and Central Asia
8. Amnesty International European Institutions Office
9. European Partnership for Democracy
10. European Environmental Bureau
11. Caritas Europa
12. ALDA - Association for Local Democracy in Europe
13. Alliance 2015
14. Civil Liberties Union for Europe
15. Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)
16. ILGA-Europe
17. ACT Alliance EU
18. CARE International
19. Centre for European Volunteering
20. European Center for Not-for-Profit Law
21. Eurochild
22. European Youth Forum
23. Lifelong Learning Platform
24. Front Line Defenders
25. International Commission of Jurists
26. Social Platform
27. JEF Europe
28. FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
29. Solidar
30. Balkan Civil Society Development Network
31. Citizens Take Over Europe
32. Democracy International
33. Democracy Reporting International
34. ECIT Foundation on European citizenship
35. European Students' Union (ESU)
36. The Good Lobby
37. European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
38. European Network on Religion and Belief
    
39. Friends of the Earth
40. Free Press Unlimited
41. European Alternatives
42. Human Rights House Foundation
43. Human Security Collective
44. Access Info Europe
45. Civil Rights Defenders
46. Coalition For Women In Journalism
47. Araminta
48. International Partnership for Human Rights
49. International Planned Parenthood Federation, European Network
50. La Strada International
51. Eurogroup for Animals
52. Lobby Control
53. New Europeans
54. PICUM Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants
55. Protection International
56. Terre des Hommes International Federation
57. World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
58. RECLAIM
59. Volonteurope
60. WAVE Network (Women Against Violence Europe)

National Organisations

1. Academia Cidadã,Portugal
2. ACCEPT Association, Romania
3. ADRA, Croatia
4. ADRA Europe
5. Advocates Abroad
6. ADDP - Association Défense de la Démocratie en Pologne
7. African Initiative of Women human rights Defenders
8. Aktionsgemeinschaft Solidarische Welt e.V.
9. Arci - Associazione Ricreativa Culturale Italiana
10. Asociación Española de Fundaciones
11. Association for Civil Society Development SMART, Croatia
12. Association Défense de la Démocratie en Pologne
13. Association for Legal Intervention (Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej), Poland
14. BBE National Network for Civil Society, Germany
15. Belarusian Youth Hub Association
16. Brot für die Welt, Germany
17. Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law
18. Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives Foundation
19. Bulgarian Helsinki Committee
20. Calla - Sdružení pro záchranu prostředí - Association for Saving the Environment, Czechia
21. Centar za promociju civilnog drustva (CPCD) - Centre for Promotion of Civil Society, Bosnia
22. Center for Public Innovation, Romania
23. Centre for Social and Gender Research "New Life", Ukraine
24. Centre for Peace Studies, Croatia
25. CESI - Center for Education, Counselling and Research, Croatia
26. Česká rada dětí a mládeže (Czech council of Children and Youth)
27. Citizens Network Watchdog Poland
28. Cives Foundation, Liga Española de la Educación
29. Civic Alliance-Latvia
30. Civic Initiatives, Serbia
31. Civic Radauti Association, Romania
32. CIVICA Association, Romania
33. Civil Rights Project Sisak, Croatia
34. Civil Society Development Foundation, Poland
35. Civil Society Development Foundation, Romania
36. Clean Air Action Group
37. CNVOS Slovenia
38. Collegium Artium
39. Comhlámh, Ireland
40. Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ, Northern Ireland)
41. Committee for the Defence of Democracy (KOD), Poland
42. Coordination SUD, coordination nationale des ONG françaises de solidarité Internationale
43. CROSOL - Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity
44. Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
45. DEMAS - Association for Democracy Assistance and Human Rights, Czechia
46. Diakonia, Sweden
47. DKolektiv - organisation for social development
48. ECPI Euroregional Center for Public Initiatives
49. Education Human Rights House Chernihiv
50. Education in Action
51. E*LC Eurocentralasian Lesbian Community
52. European Movement Italy
53. EUROSOLAR, Czechia
54. Federation for Education Initiatives
55. FILIA Center, Romania
56. FINGO - Finnish Development NGOs
57. Fundacja Akceptacja, Poland
58. Fundacja Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę (Empowering Children Foundation), Poland
59. Fundacja Edukacji Zdrowotnej Lepsze Jutro, Poland
60. Fundacja My Pacjenci, PolandFundacja Ośrodka KARTA, Poland
61. Fundacja Phan Bde, PolandFundacja Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę (Empowering Children Foundation), Poland
62. Fundacja Edukacji Zdrowotnej Lepsze Jutro (Better Tomorrow Foundation for Health Education), Poland
63. Fundacja Ośrodka KARTA, Poland
64. Fundacja Pole Dialogu - Field of Dialogue Foundation, Poland
65. Fundacja Polksiedzieci, Poland
66. Fundacja Szkoła z Klasą (School with Class Foundation), Poland
67. Fundacja Sztetl Mszana Dolna, Poland
68. Fundacja Sztuki, Przygody i Przyjemności ARTS, Poland
69. Fundacja trzeci - Third Foundation, Poland
70. Fundacja TVN, Poland
71. Fundacja Wiedzy i Dialogu Społecznego AGERE AUDE, Poland
72. Fundacja Wolności - Freedom Foundation, Poland
73. Funky Citizens, Romania
74. GENTIUM, Spain
75. German Fundraising Association
76. Germanwatch
77. GLAS Bulgaria
78. Glopolis, Czech Republic NGO Platform
79. Greek Forum Of Refugees
80. Green REV Institute
81. Greenways Poland Association
82. Háttér Society, Hungary
83. Heks/Eper Bread for All, Switzerland
84. Hellenic League for Human Rights
85. Help - Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V., Germany
86. Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland
87. HESTIA - Centrum pro dobrovolnictví, Czechia
88. Human Rights House ZagrebHungarian Civil Liberties Union
89. Hungarian Helsinki Committee
90. Independent Social Ecological Movement - NESEHNUTÍ, Czechia
91. Information Society Development Foundation, Poland
92. Initiative for Development and Cooperation, Serbia
93. Inklusive House BELL, Croatia
94. Instrat Foundation, Poland
95. International Youth Association TIP, Georgia
96. Iskorak, Croatia
97. Juniper Foundation
98. Kampania Przeciw Homofobii -Campaign Against Homophobia, Poland
99. Klon/Jawor Association, Poland
100. Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation
101. Legebrita, Slovenia
102. Leroy Merlin Foundation, Poland
103. LDH (Ligue des droits de l'Homme), France
104. LGBT Komiteen, Denmark
105. LGBTI Organisation Deystvie
106. Ligue de l'enseignement, Belgium
107. Ligue des droits humains (Belgium)
108. Local Democracy Agency Sisak, Croatia
109. Maecenata Foundation, Germany
110. Mazovia Federation, Poland
111. Mreža mladih Hrvatske, Croatia
112. #MyBrainMyChoice Initiative, Germany
113. National Federation of Polish NGOs (OFOP)
114. National LGBT* Organisation LGL, Italy
115. National NGO Coalition Lithuania
116. National Volunteer Association, Czechia
117. Netherlands Helsinki Committee
118. Network of Estonian Non-Governmental Organisations
119. NGO BE ACTIVE 16
120. Norwegian Helsinki Committee
121. Novact - International Institute for Nonviolent Action
122. Nyt Europa, Denmark
123. ÖH - Austrian Students' Union
124. Ökotárs - Hungarian Environmental Partnership
125. Foundation Okraslovaci Spolek Celakovicky, Czech Republic
126. Open Estonia Foundation
127. Open Lithuania Foundation
128. Open Republic - Association against Anti-Semitism andXenophobia
129. Open Society Fund Prague
130. Otevřená společnost - Open Society, Czechia
131. Panoptykon Foundation, Poland
132. Partin, Netherlands
133. Partners Albania for Change and Development
134. Peace Institute Ljubljana, Slovenia
135. PILnet
136. Platform for Social Housing, Czechia
137. Polish Donors Forum
138. Polska Fundacja im Roberta Schumana
139. Power of Humanity Foundation (Emberség Erejével), Hungary
140. Projekt: Polska
141. Resource Center for Public Participation
142. RFSL, Sweden
143. Rural Development Foundation, Poland
144. SMES-Europa - Mental Health and Social Exclusion
145. Society for All, z.s. , Czech Republic
146. SODI - Solidaritätsdienst International e.V.
147. Spiralis, Czech Republic
148. ŠRVŠ, Slovakia
149. Stefan Batory Foundation, Poland
150. Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeit, Germany
151. Stowarzyszenie Kłodzka Wstęga Sudetów - Lokalna Grupa Działania, Poland
152. Terra Hub Croatia
153. Terre des Hommes Germany
154. The Field of Dialogue Foundation, Poland
155. The Good Lobby Italia
156. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties
157. The Wheel, Ireland
158. The Wiktor Osiatyński Archive, Poland
159. Transparency International Czech Republic
160. Transparency International Nederland
161. UEF Hungary
162. Volies, Spain
163. Voluntare, Spain
164. Vouliwatch, Greece
165. We are Europe!
166. Xnet, Spain
167. Ženska udruga 'IZVOR', Croatia