Commission risks legal breach over NGO funding cliff, MEPs warn von der Leyen

The European Commission may be breaking the law by withholding funds from health NGOs without explanation, 12 MEPs have warned President Ursula von der Leyen in a letter obtained by POLITICO.

European health NGOs say they signed partnership agreements with the Commission last year, outlining their planned activities with the understanding that they would receive operating grants for the following financial year. These payments cover daily overhead costs, such as salaries. But the Commission failed to issue a call for grants as expected, while officials informally told NGOs to expect no funding.

“Withholding funds, especially without explanation, undermines trust, possibly breaches legal obligations, and weakens the fabric of European cooperation in health policy. The status quo is unacceptable and cannot be allowed to continue,” said the letter, sent July 17 and signed by MEPs from the Socialists and Democrats, Renew and the Greens.

“Civil society and patient organisations signed agreements with the Commission in good faith, planned their activities accordingly, and have now been left without the operating support on which they rely,” the MEPs wrote.

Several health NGOs have already made staff redundant due to the lack of expected funds.

The Commission’s failure to agree on its 2026 work program and subsequent withholding of grants threatens Europe’s “democratic integrity,” the letter continued. “If these key stakeholders, the very voice of patients, citizens, and public health advocates, are weakened or silenced in Brussels, private commercial interests will fill the vacuum.”

POLITICO contacted the Commission for a response to the letter. A Commission spokesperson responded on July 17 that the final EU4Health work program is expected to be “adopted and published very soon.”

Several health NGOs have already made staff redundant due to the lack of expected funds. | Pool Photo by Andreas Arnold/EPA

“The Commission values the contribution of civil society and many of the funded actions in the forthcoming work programme will involve NGOs’ participation, as well as certain actions which will be specifically directed to NGOs,” the spokesperson said.

CORRECTION: This article has been updated to clarify when the letter was sent.