Brussels: The Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) has warned that a sharp reduction in European Union funding has pushed the organization into a serious financial crisis, prompting accusations that the decision reflects ideological discrimination against a Catholic voice in Brussels.
FAFCE said the European Commission rejected all six of its recent funding applications, effectively cutting the organization off from key EU support mechanisms. According to documents reviewed by CNA, the Commission’s evaluations criticised the proposals for insufficient attention to “gender diversity” and for lacking adequate “safeguards against discrimination,” assessments the federation strongly disputes.
The decision has triggered political backlash, with Kinga Gál, a Hungarian Member of the European Parliament and vice president of the Patriots for Europe group, denouncing the move as “the highest form of discrimination.” Writing on social media, Gál argued that the Catholic family association was being targeted solely for defending the family as the basic unit of society.
“Strong families build strong communities, and strong communities build strong nations,” she said. “In Brussels, defending this idea is now treated as unacceptable. We cannot allow core European values to be erased in the name of gender ideology.”
Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Brussels, FAFCE is widely regarded as the only family-focused nongovernmental organization at the EU level that explicitly identifies as Catholic. The federation brings together 33 member organizations from 21 European countries and grounds its advocacy in Catholic social teaching.
The rejected funding applications fell under two major EU programmes Erasmus+ and CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) both designed to support education, civil society initiatives, and projects aligned with European values.
In its evaluation feedback, the European Commission cited what it described as “limited information on gender inequalities” in FAFCE’s proposals, claiming this shortcoming could weaken the depth of gender analysis. The assessments further suggested that the federation’s approach “may contravene EU equality provisions” and referred to “limited safeguards against discrimination or victimization,” though no specific examples were provided to substantiate these claims.
FAFCE has stressed that the rejected projects were focused on child protection and youth welfare, including efforts to prevent children’s exposure to pornography and initiatives aimed at reducing loneliness among young people areas it argues clearly align with the EU’s stated social priorities.
The controversy has reached the European Parliament, where Paolo Borchia and Kinga Gál, both Members of the European Parliament, have submitted written questions to the European Commission. They are seeking clarification on the criteria used in the funding decisions and assurances that all NGOs are treated equally, regardless of their philosophical or religious orientation.
CNA contacted the European Commission for comment on the allegations but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Beyond the political implications, FAFCE says the funding freeze has had immediate and damaging financial consequences. In a recent fundraising appeal, FAFCE President Vincenzo Bassi said the organization urgently needs 150,000 euros (around $157,000) to sustain its ongoing work.
Without new funding, Bassi warned, FAFCE will be forced to lay off staff and significantly scale back its presence at the EU level in 2026, undermining its ability to contribute to policy discussions on family, education, and social cohesion.
“I see this as ideological discrimination,” Bassi said. “How can a federation dedicated to promoting the family be excluded from programmes like Erasmus+ or CERV?”
That FAFCE has consistently promoted dialogue and respect for human dignity, adding that Europe’s strength lies in the pluralism of its civil society a principle enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union.
“No organization should ever be penalised for defending a legitimate position in the public square,” Bassi said, warning that excluding faith-based perspectives risks narrowing democratic debate within the EU.
As FAFCE seeks financial support and answers from EU institutions, the dispute has intensified wider concerns about ideological neutrality, freedom of expression, and the place of religiously inspired organizations in Europe’s public life.