UK Charities could lose millions

British charities will lose millions of pounds in funding if the government withdraws from European Union (EU) justice and home affairs programme.

Charities warned that the government’s planned withdrawal from an EU regulation which oversees the grants to charities will directly threaten the funding for the organizations.

British ministers have until December 2014 to tell Brussels they intend to opt out.

Fair Trials International, which offers assistance to people facing criminal charges abroad, said its work would be severely curtailed as it will receive a third of its total funding once the plans are implemented.

Jago Russell, the chief executive of the charity, warned earlier this year that it could relocate to another country if the government withdraws from the current funding stream.

The organization has received £1.09 million in EU funding under the justice programme since 2010.

Other charities, including Victim Support, the Fatherhood Institute, and the British Refugee Council, also said they will face significant funding shortfalls unless ministers change their stance on the issue.

Britain’s Justice Secretary Chris Grayling announced earlier last year that the British government would not opt back into the regulation on justice funding.

Critics, however, fear that the genuine work of good causes will be limited by the government’s refusal to opt into the justice measures.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said that although the UK decided not to opt in at the start of negotiations, “it still has the opportunity to consider whether to opt in at a later date”.

MOS/NN

Source Article from http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/12/23/341461/uk-charities-could-lose-millions/

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