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EU's deregulation agenda will undermine protections against surveillance and snooping

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09 September 2025

The EU's so-called war on red tape risks undermining, sidelining or eliminating a vast number of rules designed to protect people from toxic pollution, corporate wrong-doing, exploitation, and misuse of data and surveillance powers. A statement signed by almost 500 organisations, including Statewatch, demands a change of direction.

Image: Enrique Alarcon, Unsplash

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470 civil society, trade unions and public interest groups tell President von der Leyen, European Com- missioners and EU Member States that our rights, planet, health and justice are not for sale.

The EU risks a new race to the bottom. Under President Ursula  von  der  Leyen,  the  European  Commission plans an unprecedented wave of drastic cuts to regulations that protect labour and social rights, human rights, digital rights, and the environment. The Commission and EU Member States might spend the next four years dismantling rules for companies operating in the EU.

Rules designed to ensure that we can live fair, just and healthy lives are already poorly-enforced. Despite clear warnings, they’re now being withdrawn, weakened or gutted of meaning at a truly unprecedented rate.

Nine months into its term, it’s clear that the Commission’s new “unprecedented simplification effort” really means ‘deregulation’. Regulations that protect us all from the excesses of corporate greed, that ensure we can breathe clean air and put a healthy meal on our family’s table are on the chopping block. Rules that ensure we can work in fair and safe conditions, protect nature, fight discrimination, tackle corruption, have access to fair and safe financial products, and stop corporations from violating our digital privacy – that keep us all safe for today and tomorrow – are being slashed.

The Commission’s insistence that this is about removing ‘superfluous red tape’ is not backed up by reality. They claim that trusting companies to do the right thing will  make  the bloc  more “competitive”  and that  slashing rules is needed to boost “innovation” for EU companies. But plenty of sad affairs from EU history tell another story, including the financial crisis and Dieselgate.

EU rules are being cut so that shareholders can exploit people and the planet with fewer limits. Our protection is being sold out for profit, and our trust in democracy eroded.

New measures give corporations a seat at the top table of EU law-making [1], while those acting in the public interest are excluded by decision-makers. Flawed consultation methods further privilege corporate access. Meanwhile, civil society organisations representing diverse, societal interests risk being marginalized by decision-makers. Making the situation worse, enforcement agencies and bodies are being hamstrung by austerity policies which cut their budgets and staff.

The Commission and Council of EU member states are trying to cut our protections on an almost daily basis. Several major proposals have been rushed through without the Commission performing their duty in producing vital Impact Assessments. This is worsened by the use of the ‘urgent procedure’ which leaves no space for a democratic debate in the European Parliament.

Principles of rulemaking are vital to democracy. By taking shortcuts, the Commission silences critical voices, and reopens legislation which already resulted from a democratic process and therefore a compromise among political forces in the EU.

This perfect storm of deregulation runs the risk of empowering the far right and anti-democratic forces, enabling corruption, increasing inequalities, slow down the urgently needed climate action and environment protection, and depriving communities and workers of essential protections and services. The ‘simplification’ agenda has already gone too far:

→ Corporate accountability and justice are further away than ever: The Commission and Council propose to drastically undermined climate action, environmental protections and human rights obligations in supply chains, by thoroughly weakening the Corporate Sustainability  Due Diligence Directive. Transparency on companies’ sustainability  level  and efforts is on the brink of being slashed by significantly reducing the scope of reporting companies in the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the EU Taxonomy.

→ Our habitats and biodiversity may lose essential protections, while chemicals threaten public health: The Commission has proposed to remove environmental obligations from its Common Agricultural Policy, including measures to protect wetlands and peatlands. EU chemical laws over cosmetics and labelling rules for hazardous chemicals are being targeted, while there are worrying indications that the proposed comprehensive ban on ‘forever chemicals’ (PFAS) will be weakened.

→ Pressure is taken off polluters: Delays in mandatory transformation plans to make polluting industrial sites cleaner, more circular, and climate-friendly are undermining public transparency and corporate accountability in the industrial transformation.

→ Weakened climate targets serve corporate wishes instead of planetary needs: the EC, with strong backing from EU Member States, has proposed a 2040 target to reduce emissions by 90% compared to 1990, that includes plans to weaken the policy architecture established through the climate law by introducing several forms of flexibility. Introducing international credits within the EU climate targets would weaken EU’s level of ambition compared to a purely domestic target, which already lags behind its global fair share.

→ A decade of digital rights progress could be undone: the reopening of the backbone of the EU digital rulebook – the General Data Protection Regulation – means people’s sensitive data could be processed without protections. Further attacks on rights-based rules such as the AI Act, and the planned Digital Package, could undermine rules that protect all our digital lives against AI harms and surveillance from state and corporate actors.

→ A race to the bottom for workers: Cuts to social rights and protections loom, as the envisaged proposal for a ‘28th regime’ would offer companies a more lenient set of European rules. This is an open door for circumvention of national labour laws and trade union rights.

→ More poverty: The Commission aims to redirect anti-poverty funds to support corporations and industries including tech and defence.

→ The path to a just and equitable society is eroding in front of our eyes: The attempted withdrawal of the Horizontal Anti-Discrimination Directive clearly indicates that people and rights are not a priority for the European Commission (although  there are reports that the Commission  has rightly reconsidered due to civil society and political pressure). The only area where new rules are increasing are those for the punishment and surveillance of marginalised communities, in a context of increased spending, legislation and policies centred on criminalisation, surveillance and militarisation.

→ Financial reforms rolled back, paving the way for another crisis: Delays and numerous carve-outs are being introduced to the bank prudential capital rules agreed internationally after the global financial crisis 2007-2009. These rules are aimed at ensuring that banks manage their risks with sufficient buffers to cushion losses. In parallel, measures intended to support sustainable finance practices could be removed.

With these steps – a small selection of the many deregulation proposals, initiatives and strategies – the Commission claims to be making Europe friendlier for  businesses  and  more  competitive  internationally. In doing so, they are creating a toxic and less equal world for workers, families, and vulnerable communities, and an uneven playing field for companies that want to conduct their business responsibly. In the long-term, the falsehood that it is too costly to protect people and the environment today will have an irreversible cost on our health, safety, rights, equality and freedoms tomorrow.

Instead of deregulation, we call on EU and national lawmakers to protect and promote the rights enshrined in the EU Charter and international human rights law:

1. Pass laws for stronger protections for social welfare, workers, consumers, anti-discrimination, justice, climate and environmental justice, privacy and data protection, and against toxic chemicals;
2. Demand more transparency for and accountability on companies, as well as access to justice for those harmed;
3. Take responsibility for the negative impact of EU activities, such as mining, insufficient climate targets and toxic chemicals, on other regions and communities;
4. Enable the implementation and enforcement of laws protecting rights, justice and public interests. By providing more resources for enforcement authorities and implementation guidance and support for digital rules;
5. Reinforce protections for civil society organisations, trade unions, human rights defenders, journalists and activists
6. Guarantee that civil society, trade unions, impacted communities and other representative public interest actors are meaningfully consulted, included and respected in EU and national law-making.

In a time of extreme inequality, including wealth inequality, social and financial exclusion, climate destruction, democratic backsliding, surveillance capitalism, worker exploitation, deeply-embedded structural harms and discrimination and broad human rights violations: we call for more protections, not fewer!

Signed [2]

→ EU #DiasporaVote! Access Now ACT Alliance EU

Animal Advocacy & Food Transition Biofuelwatch

CAN Europe CEE Bankwacth ChemSec ClientEarth

Compassion in World Farming CONCORD

Cool Heating Coalition Corporate Europe Observatory Counter Balance

Defend Democracy Earth Thrive Earthsight ECOnGOOD

EFFAT — the European Federation of Food, Agricul- ture, and Tourism Trade Unions.

Emmaus Europe End FGM EU

Environmental Justice Foundation Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice EU-LAT Network

European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare) European Center for Not-for-Profit Law European Civic Forum

European Coalition for Corporate Justice European Digita Rights (EDRi)

European Disability Forum European Environmental Bureau

European Grandparents for Climate - Europäische Großeltern für das Klima

European  Heart Network

European Network Against Arms Trade

European Network of Scientists for Social and Envi- ronmental Responsibility (ENSSER)

European Public Health Alliance European Public Service Union (EPSU) European Trade Justice Coalition

European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) European Youth Forum

Fern

foodwatch International Fossil Free Politics

Friends of the Earth Europe Global Witness

Greenpeace European Unit IFOAM Organics Europe ILGA-Europe

JEF Europe Just Shift

Partnership for Policy Integrity People vs Big Tech

Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe Plastic Change

Red europea Oficina Internacional de Derechos Hu- manos Acción Colombia (OIDHACO)

Red Europea OIDHACO (Oficina Internacional Dere- chos Humanos Acción Colombia)

REScoop.eu

SAFE – Safe Food Advocacy Europe SHARE Foundation

Slow Food Statewatch

Surfrider Foundation Europe

The European Institute for  Animal  Law & Policy Union Syndicale Fédérale Service public européen et international

WeMove Europe

Wetlands International Europe Zero Waste Europe

→ Global

350.org

ActionAid

Balanced Economy Project

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)

Clean Clothes Campaign / Schone Kleren Campagne Climate+Tech AI Think-tank for Resilience

Ekō

EKOenergy ecolabel

Environmental Investigation Agency

Fair Finance International

International Federation for Human Rights Mondiaal FNV

Naturfreunde Internationale

Oil Change International

Oxfam

Public Services International Rainforest Alliance

Stichting Solidaridad Transnational Institute WECF International

Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF)

→Rest of the World

Action pour la Justice Environnementale AJE (Sene- gal)

Alliance pour les droits des femmes mauritaniennes ADFM (Mauritanie)

ALTSEAN-Burma (Myanmar)

ARRCC (Australian Religious Response to Climate Change) (Oceania)

Association Marocaine des Droits Humains (Morocco) Association Mauritanienne des droits de l’Homme (Mauritanie)

ASSOCIATION SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INKIN-

GI (Uganda)

California Nature Friends (USA)

Centro de Investigación y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos (CIPRODEH) (Honduras)

Centro de Políticas Públicas y Derechos Humanos (Perú EQUIDAD) (Peru)

Centro Hondureño de Promocion Para El Desarrollo Comunitario (Honduras)

DERECHO, AMBIENTE Y RECURSOS NATU- RALES-DAR (Peru)

Derechos Humanos y Medio Ambiente - DHUMA (Peru)

Forest Watch Indonesia (Indonesia) Global Justice Ecology Project (USA)

Institute for Reasearch and Advovacy / Lingkaran Advokasi & Riset (Link-AR Borneo) (Indonesia) ITEKA INITIATIVE (Uganda)

Lebanese Center for human Rights (Lebanon) Les Mêmes Droits pour Tous (Guinea)

Ligue Burundaise des droits de l’homme Iteka (Bu- rundi)

OpenMedia (Canada)

Red de Acción por los Derechos Ambientales (Chile)

Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Af- rique Centrale (REDHAC) (Cameroun)

Snow Alliance (China)

Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) (Taiwan) The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) (USA)

Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (Vietnam)

→ Albania

Albanian Human Rights Group

Environmental center for Development Education and Networking (EDEN)

Trade Union Federation of Building, Wood and Public Services of Albania, TUBWPSA

TUFDCWA

→ Armenia

Health Workers Trade Organization of Armenia HWUA

Union of State, Local Government and Public Service Employees of Armenia - USLGPSEA

→ Austria

AK EUROPA

Anders Handeln Austria ARCHE NOAH

ARGE (Arbeitsgemeinschaft) Weltläden Österreich Attac Austria

Austrian Alliance for Climate Justice Austrian Trade Union Federation

Co-ordination Office of the Austrian Bishops’ Con- ference for International Development and Mission (KOO)

Degrowth Vienna EU-Umweltbüro fair sorgen!

Global 2000 NeSoVe

ÖBV - Via Campesina Austria

ÖKOBÜRO - Alliance of the Austrian Environmental Movement

Protect Our Winters Austria Südwind, Austria transform! Europe Umweltdachverband Volkshilfe Österreich

younion _ Die Daseinsgewerkschaft

→ Belgium

11.11.11

ACV Puls

ACV-CSC Belgium

Alliance Nationale des Mutualités Chrétiennes - Landsbond der christelijke mutualiteiten BeeLife European Beekeeping Coordination Biodynamic Federation Demeter International BOS+

Broederlijk Delen Carbon Market Watch

Centre tricontinental - CETRI CNCD-11.11.11

De Landgenoten Entraide & Fraternité Eurogroup for Animals

European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW)

FIAN Belgium Finance Watch

Fonds pour la Chirurgie Cardiaque Food & Water Action Europe

FOS

Grands-Parents pour le Climat

Grootouders voor het Klimaat: Grandparents for Climate

Humundi

Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC) Les Amis de la Terre - Belgique asbl Oxfam Belgie/Belgizue

Rise for Climate Belgium Rise For Climate Belgium ShareAction

Solidair met Guatemala SOLIDAR

Univers santé ASBL Voedsel Anders Vlaanderen Vredesactie

vzw Climaxi

WSM - We Social Movements

→ Bulgaria

AGROLINK Association

Environmental Association Za Zemiata, FoE Bulgaria National federation Culture Podkrepa

Trade Union Federation of the Employees in the Min- istry of Interior (TUFEMI)

→ Croatia

ACT Grupa

Assiciation Shift/Pomak Association “Tatavaka” Association BIOM

Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development Sunce

Association Hyla Association Žmergo

Centre for Civil Initiatves Porec Centre for Peace Studies

Centre for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights - Osijek

Community Foundation Slagalica

Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity (CROSOL)

Croatian Youth Network DEŠA Dubrovnik

Documenta-Center for Dealing with the Past Domino

Dugine obitelji Eco Hvar

Forum for Freedom in Education Gong

kolekTIRV | For the rights of trans, intersex, and gen- der variant persons

Life Quality Improvement Organisation FLIGHT Politiscope

Rehabilitation Centre for Stress and Trauma Roditelji u akciji - Roda (Parents in Action) Terra Hub

Udruga Zelena Istra Zagreb Pride

Zelena akcija, Friends of the Earth Croatia

→ Cyprus

Friends of the Earth Cyprus

→ Czechia

Centre for Transport and Energy

Hnutí DUHA, Friends of the Earth Czech Republic Limity jsme my

Odborový svaz zdravotnictví a sociální péče ČR (Trade Union of Health Service and Social Care of the Czech Republic)

Society for Sustainable Living

→ Denmark

Bedsteforældrenes KlimaAktion - Danmark Global Aktion - People and Planet before profit NOAH - Friends of the Earth Denmark

→ Estonia

Association of Estonian Energetics Workers’ Trane Unions

Estonian Green Movement

→ Finland

Attac Finland

Climate Grandparents Finland

CRASH - Coalition for Research and Action for Social Justice and Human Dignity

Fingo - Finnish development NGOs

Finnish Association for Nature Conservation Finnish League for Human Rights International Solidarity Foundation

Pro Ethical Trade Finland, Eetti

The Finnish Union of Practical Nurses

Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL

→ France

Adéquations

Amis de la Terre France Association Addictions France ATTAC France

AVICENN @VeilleNanos Canopée

Cgt santé action sociale CGT Collectif Ethique sur l’Etiquette fédération CFDT Santé-Sociaux

Fédération Française des Apiculteurs Professionnels Fédération Interco CFDT

Federation SEPANSO Aquitaine France Nature Environnement Generations Futures

GIET (groupe international d’études transdisci- plinaires)

Global Health Advocates

LDH (Ligue des droits de l’Homme) No plastic in my sea

Notre Affaire à Tous OGM dangers

Quê Me: Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR)

Reclaim Finance Réseau Action Climat réseau Cler

ritimo

Sciences Citoyennes Sherpa

SNICS-FSU Syndicat National des Infirmières conseil- lières de Santé -FSU

Syndicat national d´apiculture

Union Nationale de l’Apiculture Française Zero Waste France

→ Georgia

Georgian Health Promotion and Education Foundation

→ Germany

Aktionsgemeinschaft Solidarische Welt (ASW) e.V. AlgorithmWatch

Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany bend not break

Breaking the Ice

Bund für Umwelt- und Naturschutz (BUND) e.V. BUNDjugend

Bündnis für eine enkeltaugliche Landwirtschaft e.V Coordination gegen BAYER-Gefahren

CorA-Netzwerk für Unternehmensverantwortung D64 – Zentrum für Digitalen Fortschritt Democracy International e.V.

Deutscher Imkerbund

Deutscher Naturschutzring e.V. Die Bürokratiemonster

Digitale Gesellschaft FIAN Deutschland e.V Finanzwende

Forum Ökologie & Papier

Foundation on Future Farming / Zukunftsstiftung Landwirtschaft

Global Policy Forum Europe Goliathwatch

Health and Environment Justice Support (HEJSup- port)

Informationsstelle Peru e.V. Initiative Lieferkettengesetz

Kampagne für Saubere Kleidung / Clean Clothes Campaign Germany

Kulturland-Genossenschaft LobbyControl

NaturFreunde Deutschlands e.V. Neuer Imkerbund  e.V. PowerShift e.V.

Shifting Advocacy

Unverpackt e.V. - Verband der Unverpacktläden ver.di

World Economy, Ecology and Development

→ Greece

ENA Institute for Alternative Policies ECOCITY

Electra Energy

European Economists for an Alternative Economic Policy in Europe EuroMemo Group

Homo Digitalis Naturefriends Greece

→ Hungary

Clean Air Action Group EVDSZ

Nagy Tavak és Vizes Élőhelyek Szövetsége (Great Lakes and Wetlands Association)

National Society of Conservationists - Friends of the Earth Hungary

Szakszervezetek Együttműködési Fóruma (SZEF)

→ Ireland

Energy Services Union Fórsa

Friends of the Earth Ireland Karan O Loughlin

SIPTU

Trócaire

Zero Waste Alliance Ireland

→ Italy

Attac Italia

FAIR

Fairwatch FLAEI  - Cisl

Forum Disuguaglianze e Diversità (Forum DD) https://www.forumdisuguaglianzediversita.org/ our-project/

FP CGIL

Hermes Center

ISDE, International Society of Doctors for Environ- ment Italy

LEGAMBIENTE

ReCommon

UIL PA (Unione Italiana dei Lavoratori Pubblica Am- ministrazione)

Union Syndicale Federale Ispra WeWorld

→ Latvia

Green Liberty

Latvian Fund for Nature (LDF)

→ Lithuania

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’ FEDERATION OF LITHUANIA

Lithuanian Industry Trade Union Federation VšĮ “Žiedinė ekonomika”

→Luxembourg

Action Solidarité Tiers Monde (ASTM) ASTI asbl

Initiative pour un devoir de vigilance Luxembourg Mouvement Ecologique

OGBL

→ Malta

Friends of the Earth Malta General Workers’ Union

→ Moldova

Ecodigital NGO

ECO-TIRAS International Association of River Keepers

→ Netherlands

75inQ

Bits of Freedom Comité Schone Lucht

Dutch Institute of Alcohol Policy STAP FNV Overheid

Foodrise

Grootouders voor het Klimaat Handel Anders!

Leefmilieu

Milieudefensie - Friends of the Earth Netherlands Plastic Soup Foundation

Simavi

Stichting Demeter Voedsel Anders NL

WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform Working group Foodjustice

→ North Macedonia

Independent Trade Union of workers from energy and economy from Macedonia-SSESM

→ Norway

AVYO Vocational Union for Work and Welfare employ- ees

Naturvernforbundet

Norwegian Nurses Organisation

The Norwegian Grandparents’ Climate Campaign, District of Agder

→ Poland

Fundacja Kupuj Odpowiedzialnie ( Buy Responsibly Foundation)

Fundacja Zielone Światło Koalicja Klimatyczna Living Earth Coalition Moc Korzeni Panoptykon Foundation Polish Ecological Club

Rodzice dla Klimatu - Parents For Future Poland Stowarzyszenie Pracownia na rzecz Wszystkich Istot

→ Portugal

Academia Cidadã Campo Aberto

FAPAS - Associação Portuguesa para a Conservação da Biodiversidade

GAIA - Environmental Action and Intervention Group Malha Cooperativa

Palombar - Associação de Conservação da Natureza e do Património Rural

Plataforma Transgenicos Fora

proTEJO - Movimento pelo Tejo

Quercus - Associação Nacional de Conservação da Natureza

STE-Sindicato dos Quadros Técnicos do Estado

TROCA - Plataforma por um Comércio Internacional Justo

ZERO - Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável

→ Romania

Asociația Mai bine

Asociația pentru Tehnologie și Internet Ecoteca

LEAGUE FOR DEFENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ROMA- NIA

ROMAPIS

→ Serbia

SHARE Foundation

Sindikat zaposlenih u zdravstvu i socijalnoj zaštiti Srbije

UGS NEZAVISNOST

→ Slovakia

Druživa, o.z.

občianska iniciatíva Slovensko bez GMO/citizens initiative Slovakia without GMO

Občianske združenie Vidiecky parlament na Sloven- sku

OZ Vidiecky parlament na Slovensku

→ Slovenia

Danes je nov dan, Inštitut za druga vprašanja Društvo Bodi svetloba

Društvo Ekologi brez meja

Društvo Humanitas - Center za globalno učenje in sodelovanje

Društvo Šolski ekovrtovi - AOGE

Focus Association for Sustainable Development

Institute Circle

Institute for climate solutions

Institute for Health and Environment

KSS PERGAM

Morigenos – Slovenian Marine Mammal Society

Peace Institute

PIC - Legal Center for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment

Policy Lab (Slovenia)

Povod Slovenia

Slovenian NCD Alliance

Slovenska filantropija

Trade Union of Professional Firefighters of Slovenia

Umanotera, The Slovenian Foundation for Sustainable Development

→ Spain

Algorights

Asociación Manuel Azaña

Associació Internacional d’Enginyeria Sense Fronteres

ASSOCIACIO RAUXA

Associació SUDS

ATAEC. Arts, Cultures & Climates glocal association

ATTAC España

CGT - Confederación General del Trabajo

CICrA Justicia Ambiental

Confederación Intersindical

Ecologistas en Acción

ELA

Entrepueblos Entrepobles Entrepobos Herriarte FSS-CCOO

Fundación Ecología y Desarrollo-ECODES

Fundación Salud y Comunidad (Health and Community Fundation)

Hogar sin Tóxicos

International Association for Engineering Without Borders

IZQUIERDA UNIDA

JUSTICIA ALIMENTARIA

La Coordinadora de Organizaciones para el Desarrollo

Lafede - Justícia Global

Lurgatz Talde Feminista

Observatori del Deute en la Globalització

Observatori DESCA

Permacultura ATTA

Reds - Red de solidaridad para la transformación social

Sare Antifaxista

UGT SERVICIOS PUBLICOS

→ Sweden

Act Church of Sweden

Akademikerförbundet SSR

BirdLife Sverige

Civil Rights Defenders

Fackförbundet ST

Friends of the Earth Sweden

IM Swedish Development Partner

Swedish Municipal Worker’s Union

Vårdförbundet

Vision

→ Switzerland

Association Noé21

Bruno Manser Fonds

Gallifrey Foundation

→ Turkey

Alternatif Bilisim

İNSAN HAKLARI DERNEĞİ

Türkiye Sağlık ve Sosyal Hizmet İşçileri Sendi- kası(Turkey Health and Social Worker’s Union)

→ UK

Child Rights International Network (CRIN)

Earthsight

Fresh and Balance

GM Freeze

Mothers Rise Up

Truth About Plastic

Notes

[1] Measures such as ‘Implementation Dialogues, ‘Targeted Consultations’ and ‘Reality Checks’.

[2] Not all signatories work on all topics in Signing this letter does not mean that all these organisations share the same priorities.