Romanian MEP Nicolae Ștefănuță (Verts/ALE) has asked the European Commission to examine whether a Romanian legislative proposal on associations and foundations violates EU data protection and fundamental rights rules, following a complaint from over 700 non-governmental organisations. The bill, adopted by the Romanian Senate on 18 May 2026 and now before the Chamber of Deputies, would require public disclosure of donor identities and introduce automatic suspension and dissolution provisions that critics say echo measures already struck down by the Court of Justice of the EU.
The parliamentary question, submitted on 22 May 2026, is a written question under Rule 144 of the European Parliament's rules of procedure. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal the EU executive's stance on the compatibility of the Romanian bill with EU law.
What the MEP is asking
Ștefănuță's question contains three concrete requests. First, he asks whether the automatic suspension and dissolution clauses are compatible with Articles 12 (freedom of assembly) and 7 (respect for private life) of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and whether the mandatory public disclosure of donor identities constitutes disproportionate data processing under Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation. Second, he asks what steps the Commission plans to take to ensure the bill aligns with the European Democracy Shield and the EU Civil Society Strategy. Third, he requests recommendations to the Romanian authorities should the bill risk incompatibility with EU standards.
Policy orientation and ambition
The question reflects a push to uphold EU data protection and civil society protections against a national measure that NGOs and the MEP view as restrictive. By invoking the GDPR and the Charter, Ștefănuță frames the issue as a matter of EU law compliance rather than domestic policy choice. The reference to Case C-78/18 (CJEU, 2020), which concerned disproportionate sanctions on associations, signals that the MEP expects the Commission to apply the same legal reasoning to the Romanian bill.
Expected follow-up
The Commission must reply in writing within about six weeks. Its answer will clarify whether it sees grounds for infringement proceedings or other corrective action. If the Commission deems the bill incompatible, it could issue a formal notice to Romania or recommend amendments before the law is finalised. The reply will also indicate how the Commission interprets the European Democracy Shield and Civil Society Strategy in practice.
Stakeholder impact
Romanian civil society organisations would be directly affected: mandatory donor disclosure could deter funding and expose supporters to scrutiny, while automatic suspension powers could chill advocacy. EU data protection authorities would see a potential precedent on the limits of GDPR consent and transparency. The Romanian government faces pressure to align with EU standards or risk legal challenge. EU-level civil society networks, which backed the 700-NGO letter, would gain a test case for defending associational freedoms across the bloc.
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