In 2011, Friends of Europe's total revenue was €2,277,121. That money was contributed through membership fees, project-related partnerships, institutional and governmental subsidies, and contributions to costs of events, reports or structural support to our activities.
The breakdown per source of funding is as follows:
- European and international institutions (EU, OECD, IMF, World Bank, etc.): €490,349 (21.5%)
- Diplomatic missions, national, regional and local authorities: €259,337 (11.4%)
- Corporate sector (companies and trade associations): €1,300,205 (57.1%)
- Private non-corporate (foundations and NGOs): €227,230 (10.0%)
Membership fees are the lowest in Brussels so as to stimulate as wide and heterogeneous membership as possible. Memberships are not “personal”, so any person employed by a member organisation can attend our debates and receive hard copies of our major reports. NGOs pay €500 per year; SMEs, trade associations, chambers of commerce, international organisations and diplomatic missions of G20 and European Economic Area (EEA) countries pay €950. Diplomatic missions of non-G20/EEA countries, regional offices and foundations pay €750 a year, while corporations pay €2,050.
VIP members receive visibility in our reports and at our debates, and are invited to smaller discussions for reduced audiences. VIP members also benefit from reduced rates if they choose to partner specific activities. Corporate VIP membership costs €6,850 per year, or €9,500 for our exclusive President's Network.
For project-related partnerships (debates or reports),
Friends of Europe has opted from the beginning for a transparent and open communication. All partners are systematically credited on invitations, on the website and in our reports. Project-related partners receive two key advantages: visibility in the communications campaign surrounding a debate or a report, and an opportunity to speak out in them. So although
Friends of Europe of course offers a platform to people from all backgrounds and opinion, including lobbyists of all shapes and colours,
Friends of Europe itself does not push for or against particular policies and most certainly does not represent any interests.
Friends of Europe is solely responsible for the intellectual balance and quality of any project: we write balanced reports or debate programmes, and bring in voices that disagree with one another. It is only by confronting ideas that Europe will find the best solutions for the challenges of our times.