According to the publication, some non-governmental organizations are concerned that politicians such as the Hungarian prime minister may use the law to suppress democratic forces in Europe.
The European Union is working on legislation that would force non-governmental groups, advisory and academic institutions to disclose any non-EU funding as part of the fight against foreign influence within the bloc. This was reported on March 13 by the American edition of Politico, citing its sources.
The planned legislation, which is at a very early stage, replicates similar laws in Australia and the US. In the US, the Foreign Agents Registration Act requires lobbyists working on behalf of foreign governments to register with the federal government since 1938.
According to anonymous sources, the law may be adopted at the end of May. The publication notes that it is unlikely to be directed against individuals, but will force commercial and non-profit organizations throughout the bloc to disclose funding information from countries outside the bloc in relation to transactions such as academic tuition fees.
After European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a “democracy defense” package in September last year, work on a foreign influence bill was reportedly led by Justice Commission vice-president Vera Yourova.
Notably, the European Commission has sent out an “impact assessment” survey to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which is due to be completed in April as part of the drafting of the law. According to American journalists, respondents are already being asked to describe in detail sources of non-EU funding.
Some NGOs have expressed concern that if Europe adopts its own version of the foreign agent registration law, it could be used by politicians such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to suppress pro-democracy forces in their country.
Protests against the law on foreign agents in Georgia
Recall that last week Georgia was swept by a wave of protests against the law on foreign agents, following the example of a similar Russian document that would force organizations to register as “agents of foreign influence” if more than 20 percent of their funding comes from abroad. After massive protests, this bill was withdrawn.
On March 12, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other representatives of the Ukrainian authorities of supporting protests that took place in Tbilisi in connection with the adoption of the law on foreign agents.
In turn, the speaker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleg Nikolenko noted that the statements of Georgian politicians are unfounded and cannot interfere with the friendship of the Ukrainian and Georgian peoples.
