Question for written answer E-002104/2021 to the Council Rule 138 (ID), (ID), (ID), (ID), (ID), (ID), Jean-Lin Lacapelle (ID), (ID), Jean- Paul Garraud (ID), Herve Juvin (ID), Mazaly Aguilar (ECR), Hermann Tertsch (ECR)

Subject: Difference in treatment between liberal NGOs related to Open Society and conservative NGOs

In April 2020, Maximilian Krah MEP submitted a question to the Council about conflicts of interest between ECHR judges and NGOs1. The facts were revealed in a report from the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), a conservative NGO. The Council’s response was: ‘It is not for the Council to comment on reports issued by non-governmental organisations’. Mr Krah did not receive a satisfactory answer on the nub of the issue.

However, when some of our colleagues ask questions based on reports from liberal NGOs, the Council’s answer is very different. For example, when a former MEP asked the Council for its opinion on the Human Rights Watch world report in 20112, the Council replied by saying that it took ‘note of the report by the organisation “Human Rights Watch”’, before proceeding to answer the nub of the question.

It would seem that members of conservative NGOs are treated as second-class citizens. Worse, liberal NGOs seem to be protected by the Council despite the conflicts of interest that they create at the ECHR.

How does the Council explain the difference in treatment between liberal NGOs related to Open Society and conservative NGOs?

Supporters3

1 Written Question E-002327/2020. 2 Written Question E-000878/2011. 3 This question is supported by Members other than the authors: (ID), (ID)

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