European Parliament to probe EU grants to Shell, Volkswagen, migrant NGOs

European lawmakers have expanded their investigation into EU grant contracts, targeting a wide range of recipients, from major corporations like Shell and Volkswagen to migrant NGOs, in a new move that has turned into a broader political battle within the European Parliament.

A letter sent on to the Commissioner for Budget, Piotr Serafin, reveals that political groups in the Parliament’s Committee on Budgetary Control now seek to examine 28 EU grant contracts with a variety of recipients, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The letter notes that these contracts cover a wide spectrum of sectors, with right-wing and center-right groups requesting investigations into grants awarded to NGOs working for the inclusion of LGBTQI+ migrants, including the International Rescue Committee. Meanwhile, left-wing groups are pushing for scrutiny of grants awarded to corporate giants like Shell and Volkswagen, as well as trade association BusinessEurope.

The contracts in question span from 2019 to 2024, totaling €58.2 million, according to data retrieved by POLITICO.

This investigation began after the center-right European People’s Party (EPP) accused the European Commission of using EU funds to pay NGOs to lobby the European Parliament in favor of the Green Deal. The Commission later revised its contracts with some of the NGOs involved. The EPP's request for a review of grants awarded to organizations like Transparency International has prompted left-wing groups to demand that contracts with businesses be examined as well.

The targeted contracts include those related to various EU funding programs, such as the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the LIFE program, the Internal Security Fund Police program, and the Rights, Equality, and Citizenship Program. Investigations are also focusing on projects like the CONNEcting Cities Towards Integration actiON project and the Integrated Projects of the European Social Dialogue.

The companies and industry associations under scrutiny include Shell, Volkswagen, Ramboll Consulting, Ricardo Nederland, BayWa Solar Projects, BusinessEurope, North European Oil Trade Oy, PlantPress, and AgroTV. The probe marks the latest development in an escalating fight over the allocation and oversight of EU funding.

By Vafa Guliyeva