Democracy Under Influence? Even in Europe a flood of U.S.- branded funds for NGOs and “independent” Media.

A transparent, free, and sovereign democracy. That is what the European Union claims to defend through its laws and regulatory packages. But beneath the surface of good intentions, uncomfortable questions are emerging about how the EU itself—together with longtime allies like the United States—is influencing the information sphere and civil society with millions of euros.

The scandal began with a revelation published by WikiLeaks: in 2023 alone, USAID and the U.S. State Department reportedly channeled $472.6 million through the Internews network—an organization that calls itself “independent” but operates in close alignment with Washington and George Soros’ Open Society. Internews claims to have worked with over 4,200 media outlets worldwide, reaching nearly 800 million people, and training more than 9,000 journalists.

A global-scale influence that raises more than a few concerns. If such organizations are actively “training” media and journalists, how genuine is the independence of information in Europe?

European Parliament member Petr Bystron (ESN), who recently spoke on the matter, formally questioned the Commission about whether it is aware of funds being directed by Internews, USAID, the National Endowment for Democracy, and the OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project) to European media. He is particularly interested in whether OCCRP—often cited as a model of investigative journalism—also receives EU funding.

As is often the case, the Commission’s official response was emblematic: “The Commission does not maintain a list of media supported by U.S. organizations.” However, it did acknowledge that OCCRP is part of a European project—Next-level Data and Tools for Investigative Journalism—funded through the Creative Europe program. So yes, the EU does finance some of the same organizations that, according to critics, distort democratic balances in other countries.

Attempting to reassure the public about its own conduct, Brussels went on to list current legislative initiatives aimed at “defending pluralism,” beginning with the Defence of Democracy Package (2023), intended to increase transparency around foreign lobbying activities, and including the Regulation on Political Advertising (set to take effect in October 2025, which should limit electoral ads funded by non-EU entities in the three months before elections or referendums), and the Media Freedom Act (effective as of August 2025), which will impose transparency obligations on media ownership and public funding, including from third countries.

Finally, the Commission announced the upcoming launch of a new instrument called the European Democracy Shield, aimed at “increasing Europe’s resilience” against disinformation and external influences. But as recent investigative reporting has revealed, the Commission has already disbursed over €140 million to European media outlets in a non-transparent manner.

The paradox is striking: while the EU declares war on “information manipulation” by external actors, it is itself funding, directly or indirectly, media networks with a clear ideological and geopolitical slant.

Just as has been the case for years in Moldova or Georgia—where USAID and Western NGOs openly shape media narratives and public debate—a crucial question now arises within the EU: Is the democratic sovereignty of member states truly secure, or is it becoming a target of geopolitical strategy?

In the name of fighting disinformation, the EU appears to be delivering the European public sphere into a new form of influence: silent, but heavily financed.

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