A message from Vincenzo Bassi, President of FAFCE :

Monday, 8th of December 2025 

As the Year 2025 is coming to an end, I need to share with you the difficult times that the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) is living at the moment.

One month ago, after having applied for six EU Projects promoting youth and child protection, FAFCE was excluded from all funding by the European Commission, for alleged violations of equality measures and EU values. 

As the President of FAFCE, I consider this as ideological discrimination.

The art. 33 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantees the protection of the family in economic, legal, and social matters. Therefore, can a Federation of associations whose primary mission is the promotion of the family be excluded from EU-funded projects such as CERV or Erasmus+ ?

  • One assessment of the EU Commission indicates that “The limited information on gender disparities in civil society organizations participation may constrain the depth of the gender analysis and the understanding of how barriers to participation are addressed in different demographic groups.”
  • The same assessment indicates that “The approach may contravene EU equality provisions.” These two categorical judgments result in a 30% penalty on the scores.
  • Another answer from the EU Commission was that “although EU values are appropriately integrated, the proposal should provide clearer explanations on how principles such as human dignity, democracy, and equality are operationalized.”
  • The EU Commission also explains that “Gender-sensitive language and accessibility measures are referenced. However, there are limited safeguards against discrimination or victimization.”

This is an ideological discrimination to civil society mediators like FAFCE that has consistently promoted dialogue and upheld the dignity of each person. I deplore the fact that a “family-centered” model is penalized, because the FAFCE proposals presented families as an instrument of social inclusion and of protection; an entire project was even devoted to the digital education of minors. The richness of European civil society is its pluralism, a principle enshrined in art. 2 of the Treaty on the European Union. No organisation should ever be penalised for defending a legitimate position in the public square.

The Commission criticizes family networks based on alleged “anti-discrimination guarantees” and even goes so far as to demand “family neutrality“, thus denying its fundamental role in society. The Commission, as the ‘Guardian of the Treaties’, must on the contrary be extremely attentive and careful not to cause any discrimination whatsoever among any organisation, including on access to funding.

Founded in 1997, FAFCE is the only entity accredited to the Council of Europe representing  families and remains the only family-NGO at the EU-level to include the term “Catholic” in its official name.

Today, we count on 33 member associations from 21 countries. Despite our limited resources, our impactful advocacy work ranges on issues such as the demographic winter, work-family balance, protection of children, the harms of pornography, and matters of life and human dignity. Our Federation does constructively contribute to the Common Good in Europe.

With these harsh rejections of requests of support, one can wonder what has become of the great European values. If families are left behind, then society as a whole is left behind. 

Without the family, fundamental principles such as equality, freedom, solidarity are not fully understood. They remain abstract and empty concepts. And these principles are not only explained in words, they are lived, embodied in daily experience. This is precisely what we as FAFCE do: bring the example of the family to the centre of political and civil debate.

This is why I am asking each one of you to help FAFCE to remain in this mission to promote your family. Our Federation needs 150.000 € to continue its current projects; otherwise in 2026 we will be forced to dismiss our devoted employees and reduce our presence, the presence of the voice of the family at the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations.

I am faithful that the providence and your meaningful contribution will help FAFCE in these challenging times.

Yours sincerely,

Vincenzo Bassi

President of FAFCE