The EU referendum vote in June 2016 has created a lot of uncertainty for the voluntary sector as the exact terms of the UK’s relationship with Europe are worked upon. However, a number of charitable organisations are already planning ahead. For some, the motivation for establishing an EU presence is because they wish to remain able to access grants from the EU, on which they are heavily reliant. Others wish to remain engaged in EU-led debates and processes. Some of the most popular destinations which NGOs are considering include Germany, Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands. Advocates for International Development has recently published a short guide to registering in each of these jurisdictions.

Eligibility for EU funding

EU grants commonly require that the recipient be “established in a member state” of the EU (or sometimes in another eligible country, such as the country where the funded project is to be delivered). The UK is still currently a member state of the EU but it will cease to be so within two years of article 50 being triggered, unless the UK and every other member state agrees an extension to this timeframe.