Study Shows EU Funds Were Used for Radical Gender Identity Agenda

A major new report from MCC Brussels has revealed that over €221 million in EU funds have been used to advance a radical gender identity agenda, promoting controversial policies that undermine women’s rights, child safeguarding, and national sovereignty — all without meaningful democratic debate. The initial findings were published on the institution’s website.

The report, “Mission Creeps: How EU Funding and Activist NGOs Captured the Gender Agenda,” authored by sociologist Ashley Frawley, is the first comprehensive investigation into how a small but powerful network of NGOs has shaped EU gender policy under the radar of public scrutiny.

Frank Furedi, Executive Director of MCC Brussels, commenting on the new report, said,

What we are seeing from our research is the corruption of political processes.

There is a two-way-process where civil society is systematically bought off to provide the EU with legitimacy, whilst the EU becomes increasingly radicalized by ideologues claiming to represent civil society. This is an increasingly secretive political process where power is rendered invisible to ordinary people.”

The report found that the EU has allocated at least €221 million to NGOs promoting gender identity ideology over the last decade. Of this money, €40.5 million has gone to the most radical transgender advocacy groups, and €64.95 million was allocated solely to ILGA worldwide, a leading gender identity advocacy group. Among the major beneficiaries, we can find Transgender Europe (€4.6 million) and the EuroCentralAsianLesbian*Community (€6.2 million)

MCC Brussels pointed out that

at least €26 million has been used to fund activist-driven research promoting gender identity ideology.

The EU’s €220 MILLION EURO plot to push radical gender ideology

Advance release of our new report from @AshleyAFrawley reveals that over €221 million in EU funds have been funnelled into promoting a radical gender identity agenda —undermining women’s rights, child… pic.twitter.com/RZIQlYye5L

— MCC Brussels (@MCC_Brussels) March 17, 2025

The institution also found that NGOs have played a direct role in drafting EU gender policies, frequently operating without public transparency. They recalled that ILGA urged politicians to keep their activities “out of the public eye whenever necessary,” with over 1,000 candidates signing a 2024 European Election pledge to support this strategy. Furthermore, the organization’s members had 42 meetings with Commissioners, 14 public consultations, 16 roadmap contributions, 10 European Parliament meetings, and three expert groups. Transgender Europe had seven Commissioner meetings and eight public consultations.

MCC Brussels pointed out that NGOs use EU funding to pressure national governments into adopting gender identity laws, bypassing national sovereignty. The proposed EU Certificate of Parenthood could override national definitions of family law, forcing Member States to recognize legal parenthood definitions imposed by Brussels. Moreover, NGO campaigners push for gender transitions in children to be hidden from parents, and for parents to be forced into compliance through the courts if necessary. There is also the fact that the EU has officially adopted a strategy calling for self-ID for children.

Reports indicate that in Portugal, schools can facilitate child social transitioning without parental knowledge, and parental opposition may lead to state intervention.

Mandatory LGBTQI-inclusive curricula are also being implemented despite parental concerns.

By redefining gender to mean gender identity, they accuse critics of being “against gender” and “against women’s rights”.

But their idea of gender has nothing to do with women’s rights. @AshleyAFrawley pic.twitter.com/jZVAvb7pqr

— MCC Brussels (@MCC_Brussels) March 17, 2025

As it turns out, EU-funded research is being used as an advocacy tool to justify policy changes rather than for neutral academic inquiry, the report states.

As an example, they cited the Horizon Europe grants which fund ideological projects, including “Challenging the gender binary” (€2.4 million) and “MEN4DEM,” a €3 million study treating traditional masculinity as a threat to democracy.

MCC Brussels’s study shows that there are serious consequences, such as the erosion of women’s rights: policies originally designed to protect women and girls have been reshaped to prioritize gender identity. Another problem is the redefinition of legal terms: the shift from “violence against women” to “gender-based violence” dilutes protections specifically for biological females. Furthermore, the push for gender self-identification raises concerns over privacy, safety, and the integrity of women’s rights.

As a result, the report concludes that there is a need for transparency and oversight. They demand democratic accountability and urge the EU to ensure policy decisions are subject to public debate rather than activist lobbying. Greater scrutiny of EU funding allocation is needed to prevent ideological capture, and safeguards must be implemented to respect national sovereignty, parental rights, and the safety of women and children.

The findings were publicly presented and debated at a Brussels event hosted by MCC Brussels Monday evening, bringing together experts to assess the profound social, political, and legal implications of this agenda.

Via MCC Brussels, Featured photo via Pixabay