The European Court of Auditors (ECA) reported that the European Commission's funding of NGOs is 'opaque' and poses a 'reputational risk', but found no evidence of NGOs breaching EU values in a limited audit of 90 contracts. The report comes amid political tensions in Brussels regarding NGO funding, with accusations from the European People's Party that the Commission directed NGOs to lobby for specific policies. However, no concrete proof has been presented. The ECA made recommendations for clarifying NGO definitions and improving financial transparency, which the Commission partially accepted.