The European Union is developing a law on "foreign agents"

Under the new law EU about “foreign agents” non-governmental organizations will be required to disclose information about any funding received from outside the European Union. The rules will be similar to those currently in force in the US and Australia.

On the development of a law that will oblige to disclose information about the funding of NGOs, consulting and scientific institutions, the publication reported on Tuesday, March 14 Politicociting their own sources. The bill is currently at an early stage of approval.

It is expected that it will be similar to the laws already in force in the US and Australia. In the United States, lobbyists working for foreign governments have been required to register since 1938. According to Politico sources, the law being developed in the European Union is unlikely to affect ordinary citizens, but all commercial and non-profit organizations will be required to report any funds received from abroad, including grants for scientific activities.

As noted by the publication dwthe need for a European law on “foreign agents” may be driven by the EU’s fight against foreign influence, from Russian hacking and attempts to influence election results to Chinese grants to European universities to influence human rights rhetoric.

An illustrative example is “Katargate” – corruption scandal, which included deputies of the European Parliament. According to the publication, it was after Catargate that work began on the bill under the leadership of the EC Vice-President for Justice Vera Yurova, and the corresponding background was created back in September by the head of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, who announced a package of measures to “defend democracy.”

However, critics say it is inappropriate to develop legislation on “foreign agents” amid turbulent protests in Georgia against attempts to pass a similar law through parliament. The document, seen by many in Georgia as an attempt to tighten control along the lines of Russia, was eventually withdrawn – amid sharp criticism from the US, the EU and riots in Georgia itself.

But, as Politico writes, questionnaires have already been sent to a number of non-governmental organizations in the European Union, asking respondents to indicate in detail the sources of their funding outside the EU. The same questionnaire was received by the international anti-corruption organization Transparency International.

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