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EU to set up charity guidelines
The EU's Justice and Security Commission, led by Franco Frattini, has decided to create a code of conduct for member states and charitable organisations, on the vulnerability of the latter to financing terrorism. The draft is in the possession of the non-profit making sector's weekly magazine, "Vita" and in today's issue there are some worries expressed by the managers of Italian NGO's. According to "Vita" the draft is already doing damage by associating NGO's with Al Qaeda and suicide bombers. The main problem is seen to be that subscription has been voluntary, but if member states accept the recommendation, the code will become obligatory if you want financing from Brussels. For UK NGO's, the Scottish Scvo, the Welsh Wcva and the Northern Irish Nicva, underline that those who do not sign the code may be associated with financers of terrorism. The draft, in its appendix, has "indicators of danger, which for the European Commission would raise the possibility of collusion with criminal activities and lead to decreased financing. Brussels sees the danger being NGO's that share their offices with other bodies, but also associations that do not update their internet site at least once a year, giving the impression of being inactive, or those who do not cooperate with public institutions to contest political decisions they consider to be mistaken. Edo Patriarca, Voluntary Sector Forum spokesman, writes that it is a terrible error to see NGO's as easily pollutable by international terrorism and why not investigate financiers who are perhaps more involved in the flow of money that goes to the terrorists? General Secretary of Intersos (a landmine removal NGO), Nino Sergi, underlined that this turns on its head the order on which are society is based, so that you are a suspected financer unless you show otherwise. Chairman of Cesvi, one of Italy's most active NGO's, Maurizio Carrara, explained that all other sectors, profit-making and financial have been left out, with only two mentioned and European NGO's have been as a form of terrorist financing. Chairman of Italian NGO's, Sergio Marelli, asked whether this is not the usual face saving operation by Tony Blair's government to cover Iraqi misdeeds and to highlight the struggle against terrorism", and then Marelli asked why only NGO's were under the magnifying glass.Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-09-03 |
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