More than 185 civil society organisations across Europe have signed an open letter expressing alarm at the reported withdrawal of European Commission funding from the European Network Against Racism (ENAR), with the Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) among the signatories.
The letter, published on 6 October 2026, warns that the loss of ENAR’s EU operating grant could force the organisation to close by the end of 2026, potentially weakening efforts to promote equality, fundamental rights and an independent civil society across Europe.
Founded in 1998, ENAR is described in the letter as Europe’s largest anti-racism network, bringing together more than 140 organisations across the continent. The network has contributed to the development and implementation of European equality and anti-racism policy, including work connected with the Race Equality Directive, the Employment Equality Directive and the European Commission’s Anti-Racism Strategy. Through its Empowerment and Resilience Fund, ENAR also supports 20 grassroots organisations each year.
The signatories state that they were particularly concerned by the reported decision given ENAR’s longstanding relationship with the European Commission. According to the letter, ENAR was informed in July 2025, alongside other EU grantees, that it had successfully passed the evaluation required to enter into a grant agreement. However, of the 70 organisations that were successful, ENAR was reportedly the only organisation that did not receive a signed agreement and was subsequently notified in July 2026 that its operating grant for 2026 to 2028 had been terminated.
The letter states that ENAR was subjected to ten months of questioning and auditing before being informed that the funding had been terminated, reportedly due to concerns regarding its operational and organisational capacity. ENAR has since launched a legal challenge against the decision.
The signatories express solidarity with ENAR and support its decision to seek legal recourse. They argue that the potential closure of a long-established European anti-racism network raises wider concerns for civil society organisations working to protect equality and fundamental rights.
The letter concludes that the future of ENAR concerns not only the organisation itself, but also the resilience of Europe’s anti-racism movement, representation of racialised communities and the European Union’s commitment to an independent and vibrant civil society.
Click here to view the Open Letter.