27.12.2007   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 343/5

(1)

Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) provides that the European Parliament is to publish a report on the application of that Regulation, including — where appropriate — possible amendments to be made to the funding system.

(2)

In its Resolution of 23 March 2006 on European political parties (3), the European Parliament considered that, in light of experience gained since its entry into force in 2004, Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 should be improved as regards a number of points, all of them with the overriding objective of improving the funding situation of those political parties and the foundations affiliated with them.

(3)

Provisions to provide financial support for political foundations at European level should be laid down, as political foundations at European level affiliated with the political parties at European level may through their activities support and underpin the objectives of the political parties at European level notably in terms of contributing to the debate on European public policy issues and on European integration, including by acting as catalysts for new ideas, analysis and policy options. This financial support should be provided in the section headed ‘Parliament’ of the general budget of the European Union, as is the case for political parties at European level.

(4)

It remains an important objective to ensure the broadest possible participation of citizens in the democratic life of the European Union. In this context, political youth organisations can play a special role in fostering interest in, and concrete knowledge about, the political system of the European Union amongst young people, actively promoting their participation in democratic activities at European level.

(5)

In order to improve the conditions for the funding of political parties at European level, while encouraging them to ensure adequate long-term financial planning, the minimum co-funding requirement should be adjusted. The same level of co-funding should be required for political foundations at European level.

(6)

With a view to further enhancing and promoting the European nature of the elections to the European Parliament, it should be established clearly that appropriations received from the general budget of the European Union may also be used for the financing of campaigns conducted by the political parties at European level in the context of European Parliament elections, provided that this does not constitute a direct or indirect financing of national political parties or candidates. Political parties at European level act in the context of European Parliament elections in particular in order to highlight the European character of those elections. In accordance with Article 8 of the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, annexed to Council Decision 76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom (4), the funding of and limitation of election expenses at European Parliament elections is governed in each Member State by national provision. National law also applies for election expenses at national elections and referenda,

1.

the following points shall be added to Article 2:

2.

in Article 3, the sole paragraph shall become paragraph 1 and the following paragraphs shall be added:

‘2.   A political foundation at European level shall satisfy the following conditions:

3.   Within the framework of this Regulation, it remains for each political party and foundation at European level to define the specific modalities for their relationship, in accordance with national law, including an appropriate degree of separation between the daily management as well as the governing structures of the political foundation at European level, on the one hand, and the political party at European level with which the former is affiliated, on the other hand.’;

3.

Article 4 shall be amended as follows:

4.

the following paragraphs shall be added to Article 5:

‘4.   Paragraph 2 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the political foundations at European level.

5.   If the political party at European level with which a political foundation at European level is affiliated forfeits its status, the political foundation at European level in question shall be excluded from funding under this Regulation.

6.   If the European Parliament finds that any of the conditions referred to in Article 3(2)(c) are no longer satisfied, the political foundation at European level in question shall be excluded from funding under this Regulation.’;

5.

Articles 6, 7 and 8 shall be replaced by the following:

‘Article 6

Obligations linked to funding

1.   A political party at European level as well as a political foundation at European level shall:

2.   A political party at European level as well as a political foundation at European level shall not accept:

3.   Contributions to a political party at European level from national political parties which are members of a political party at European level or from a natural person who is a member of a political party at European level shall be admissible. Contributions to a political party at European level from national political parties or from a natural person shall not exceed 40 % of the annual budget of that political party at European level.

4.   Contributions to a political foundation at European level from national political foundations, which are members of a political foundation at European level, as well as from political parties at European level, shall be admissible. Those contributions shall not exceed 40 % of the annual budget of that political foundation at European level and may not derive from funds received by a political party at European level pursuant to this Regulation from the general budget of the European Union.

The burden of proof shall rest with the political party at European level concerned.

Article 7

Prohibition of funding

1.   The funding of political parties at European level from the general budget of the European Union or from any other source may not be used for the direct or indirect funding of other political parties, and in particular national parties or candidates. These national political parties and candidates shall continue to be governed by national rules.

2.   The funding of political foundations at European level from the general budget of the European Union or from any other source shall not be used for the direct or indirect funding of political parties or candidates either at European or national level or foundations at national level.

Article 8

Nature of expenditure

Without prejudice to the funding of political foundations, appropriations received from the general budget of the European Union in accordance with this Regulation may only be used to meet expenditure directly linked to the objectives set out in the political programme referred to in Article 4(2)(b).

Such expenditure shall include administrative expenditure and expenditure linked to technical assistance, meetings, research, cross-border events, studies, information and publications.

The expenditure of political parties at European level may also include financing campaigns conducted by the political parties at European level in the context of the elections to the European Parliament, in which they participate as required in Article 3(1)(d). In accordance with Article 7, these appropriations shall not be used for the direct or indirect funding of national political parties or candidates.

Such expenditure shall not be used to finance referenda campaigns.

However, in accordance with Article 8 of the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, the funding of and limitation of election expenses for all parties and candidates at European Parliament elections is governed in each Member State by national provision.’;

6.

in Article 9, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 shall be replaced by the following:

‘1.   Appropriations for funding of political parties at European level and political foundations at European level shall be determined under the annual budgetary procedure and shall be implemented in accordance with the Financial Regulation and its implementing provisions.

The implementing procedures of this Regulation shall be laid down by the authorising officer.

2.   The valuation of movable and immovable property and its depreciation shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions applicable to the institutions as laid down in Article 133 of the Financial Regulation.

3.   Control of funding granted under this Regulation shall be exercised in accordance with the Financial Regulation and its implementing provisions.

Control shall also be exercised on the basis of annual certification by an external and independent audit. This certification shall be transmitted, within six months of the end of the financial year concerned, to the European Parliament.’;

7.

the following Article shall be inserted:

‘Article 9a

Transparency

The European Parliament shall publish jointly in a section of its website created for the purpose the following documents:

8.

in Article 10, paragraph 2 shall be replaced by the following:

‘2.   Funding charged to the general budget of the European Union shall not exceed 85 % of those costs of a political party or political foundation at European level which are eligible for funding. The burden of proof shall rest with the relevant political party at European level.’;

9.

Article 12 shall be replaced by the following:

‘Article 12

Evaluation

The European Parliament shall publish, by 15 February 2011, a report on the application of this Regulation and the activities funded. The report shall indicate, where appropriate, possible amendments to be made to the funding system.’