In a written answer on 17 July 2026, Innovation Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva defended EU funding for the NGO European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPS), arguing that projects are selected solely on merit by independent experts. The response addresses a follow-up question from Dutch MEP Auke Zijlstra (Patriots for Europe), who had pressed the Commission on whether it considers 'confronting the rise of populism' a priority worthy of EU financing through ECPS. Zaharieva did not directly answer whether the Commission shares that objective, instead reiterating that funding decisions follow programme objectives set by the European Parliament and Council, implemented via work programmes adopted with member state input. She cited two ECPS-led projects: ENCODE, funded under Horizon Europe's 'Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society' cluster, and UNTOLD Europe, supported by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme. Both were selected through open calls and evaluated by independent experts, with only the highest-ranked proposals receiving funding. The answer contains no new policy commitments or numerical targets, instead restating existing procedures. The exchange reflects ongoing tensions between EU institutions and populist MEPs over the political orientation of EU-funded civil society projects. No immediate institutional follow-up is expected, though the issue may resurface in budget or programme reviews.
Source✉ Open answer ↗
Asked byAuke Zijlstra (PfE)