Verordening 2014/1141 - Statuut en de financiering van Europese politieke partijen en Europese politieke stichtingen - Hoofdinhoud

Transparent funding of EU political parties

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

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  It aims to create a specific legal, financial and regulatory system for European political parties* and European political foundations*. It increases their visibility, recognition and effectiveness by giving them a European legal personality* and greater funding flexibility.
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  In 2018, Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/673 which amends the 2014 regulation was adopted. It tightens up a number of the rules, for example, with regard to registration of political parties and foundations, and transparency regarding political programmes and party logos. It came into force on 4 May 2018.

KEY POINTS

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  The regulation creates the independent Authority for European Political Parties that registers, verifies and may impose penalties on European political parties and foundations. Information concerning the parties and foundations is contained in a publicly accessible online register.
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  To register with the authority as a European political party, a political alliance* has to satisfy certain conditions. These include:

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    having a seat in an EU country as indicated in its statutes;
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    having member parties represented , in at least one quarter of the EU countries, by members of the European Parliament, of national parliaments, of regional parliaments or of regional assemblies (a stipulation in Regulation (EU) 2018/673); or
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    it or its member parties having received, in at least one quarter of the EU countries, at least 3% of the votes cast in each of those countries at the most recent elections to the European Parliament;
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    its member parties cannot be members of another European political party (to avoid individual members of a national party formingmore than one European party in order to maximise access to public funds).

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  If a European party and its affiliated foundation fail to meet the conditions, or provide false information when registering, the authority can de-register it; parties may also be fined or removed from the register for certain breaches of the rules.
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  Parties may use the EU funding they receive to finance European Parliament election campaigns; spending linked to campaigns must be clearly identified as such by the parties in their annual financial statements.
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  A registered European political party that has at least one Member of the European Parliament (MEP) may apply for EU funding.
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  National parties must display the logo and political manifesto of their affiliated European party on their websites as a condition to access funds. This must be done by member parties at least 12 months before the funding applications are submitted.
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  Regulation (EU) 2018/673 ensures that 10% of the annual EU funding is allocated equally between the eligible parties. The remaining 90% is distributed according to their number of MEPs. The same distribution key is used for political foundations, which may have 90% of their annual costs reimbursed.
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  Strict rules apply to individual annual donations that parties and foundations may accept. These must not exceed €18,000. Any donations above €12,000 have to be immediately reported to the authority. The names of donors of individual donations not exceeding €1,500 do not need to be published. Anonymous donations may not be accepted.
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  The European Parliament can recover amounts unduly paid, and individuals guilty of fraud must pay back misspent funds. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office will be called on to investigate alleged abuses in the future.
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  Rules on contributions from the EU’s budget to European political parties are included in Regulation (EU) 2018/1046, the EU’s Financial Regulation.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 January 2017.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

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  European political parties and foundations (European Parliament).

KEY TERMS

European political party: an association of citizens:

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  which pursues political objectives, and
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  which is either recognised by, or established in accordance with, the legal order of at least one EU country.

European political foundation: an entity which is formally affiliated with a European political party, which is registered with the authority and which, through its activities, within the aims and fundamental values pursued by the EU, underpins and complements the objectives of the European political party by performing one or more of the following tasks:

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  observing, analysing and contributing to the debate on European public policy issues and on the process of European integration;
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  developing activities linked to European public policy issues, such as organising and supporting seminars, training, conferences and studies on such issues between relevant stakeholders, including youth organisations and other representatives of civil society;
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  developing cooperation in order to promote democracy, including in non-EU countries;
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  serving as a framework for national political foundations, academics, and other relevant actors to work together at European level.

Legal personality: having legal rights and duties, such as to enter into contracts, sue, and be sued.

Political alliance: structured cooperation between political parties and/or citizens.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations (OJ L 317, 4.11.2014, pp. 1-27)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 28 May 2018 laying down the procedures for implementing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations, (OJ C 225, 28.6.2018, pp. 4-48)

European Parliament resolution of 15 June 2017 on the funding of political parties and political foundations at European level (2017/2733(RSP)), (OJ C 331, 18.9.2018, p. 150)

Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 of 12 October 2017 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (‘the EPPO’) (OJ L 283, 31.10.2017, pp. 1-71)

Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union and repealing Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 (OJ L 298, 26.10.2012, pp. 1-96)

See consolidated version.

last update 11.01.2019

Deze samenvatting is overgenomen van EUR-Lex.