Dr Carolei, a lecturer in public international law and public law, spoke last week at the event, entitled NGO Regulation and Accountability: normative proposals for the EU Parliament.

Various policy proposals were discussed, including the creation of an international ombudsman for NGO accountability and the subjecting of NGOs to corporate accountability standards, such as the OECD Guidelines for multinational enterprises.

The proposals are outlined in the report Transparency and Accountability of EU Funding for NGOs Active in EU Policy Areas within EU Territory, prepared by the Committee on Budgetary Control of the EU Parliament. Dr Carolei’s academic work was cited in the report.

Dr Carolei said: “My research focuses on the regulation and accountability of NGOs, specifically examining how they can be held accountable for incidents such as the 2018 Oxfam scandal in Haiti.

“There’s a growing consensus among policymakers and academics that stronger international regulation for NGOs is necessary, including the establishment of new accountability institutions like an international ombudsman.

“During the EU Parliament event, I discussed the advantages and disadvantages of establishing an international ombudsman to enhance NGO accountability and transparency. Given that the EU is one of the largest funders of NGOs globally, a proposal of this nature from EU institutions would carry significant weight.”