Students' organisations cut off from EU funding 

A slight change in the eligibility criteria for EU funding granted to International Youth NGOs has decreased the number of grants to student NGOs by seventy-five per cent within one year (from 2002-2003), a new report shows.

The new requirement of having at least one paid member of staff in order to qualify for EU financial support has "influenced the diversity of supported organisations by removing all organisations that are not linked to political parties or religious groups from the scope of EC funding", the report says. It shows that, of the four student organisations being funded, one is from a political party and three are from religious groups.

The twelve organisations affected by cuts in funding, including the European students' forum (AEGEE) representing 17,000 students, will have to dramatically scale down their activities. They will have to reallocate most of their work towards finding resources from the private sector, which could have side-effects on their independence.

The organisations hit by the cuts wonder why the Commission is repeatedly pushing for more recognition for volunteering work by the Member States and then punishing them on the grounds that they are run by volunteers.

They have warned that, if they change their structures to fulfil the criteria of having one employee, the money they will be given by the EU will be used solely to pay that person rather than carrying out the activities for which they were established.

The report concludes with a set of recommendations to help the European Commission become more coherent in supporting international youth organisations. Asked to comment on the concerns expressed by students' organisations, the EU executive has said that it wants funding to be more qualitative and will keep the criteria of having paid staff as it usually ensures that funds are better managed. The Commission will however meet with the organisations before publishing its next call for proposals.