European Ombudswoman Teresa Anjinho has asked the European Commission to explain why it did not give civil society organisations timely, transparent information about how EU4Health budget cuts would affect funding opportunities.
Several health-sector NGOs signed Framework Partnership Agreements (FPAs) with the Commission under the EU4Health programme in 2024, expecting calls to be published for operating grants in 2025, the office of the European Ombudsman said in a statement on Wednesday.
FPAs are formal agreements that set the basis for co-operation and potential funding, but do not automatically guarantee a grant.
After the Council revised the EU’s long-term budget for 2021–2027 and reduced funding affecting EU4Health, the Commission decided not to publish any calls for operating grants in 2025, according to the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman said the Commission did not inform organisations that had signed FPAs about the decision.
The complainant and other affected NGOs contacted the Commission several times in 2024 and 2025 seeking clarification but said they did not receive an answer.
The Commission responded to the complainant after the Ombudswoman intervened.
Ombudsman cites duty to communicate
Based on the Commission’s reply, Anjinho said the Commission was not legally required to publish calls for operating grants in 2025 even where FPAs existed.
She declared the Commission still has a duty to communicate in a timely and transparent way with stakeholders about decisions that directly affect them, and that failing to do so is not in line with principles of good administration.
The Ombudsman said the Commission knew about the budget cuts affecting EU4Health as early as December 2023. Despite this, it signed FPAs with NGOs in October 2024 without indicating whether the cuts could affect grant provision.
It also said FPA holders were asked in April 2025 to amend their agreements to reflect new institutional guidance, again without mention of how operating grants might be affected.
The Ombudswoman asked the Commission to provide a written reply to her assessment by 15 May 2026.
