Regulation (EC) No 1524/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2007 amending Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding
Date: 2007-12-18
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: EU financing, legal status, party financing, political parties

27.12.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

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REGULATION (EC) No 1524/2007 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 18 December 2007

amending Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 on the regulations governing political parties at European
level and the rules regarding their funding

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

(5)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu-
nity, and in particular Article 191 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251
of the Treaty (1),

Whereas:

(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 appro-
priate — possible amendments to be made to the funding
system.

(2)

(3)

(4)

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
those
political parties and the foundations affiliated with them.

improving the funding situation of

support

to provide financial

Provisions
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
including by acting as
and on European integration,
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.

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.

(1) Opinion of the European Parliament of 29 November 2007 (not yet
Journal) and Council Decision of

published in the Official
17 December 2007.

(2) OJ L 297, 15.11.2003, p. 1.
(3) OJ C 292 E, 1.12.2006, p. 127.

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.

elections

(6) With a view to further enhancing and promoting the
European nature of
to the European
the
Parliament, it should be established clearly that appropria-
tions 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,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Amendments to Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003

Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 is hereby amended as follows:

1.

the following points shall be added to Article 2:

‘4.

entities which has

foundation at European level” means an
“political
legal
entity or network of
personality in a Member State,
is affiliated with a
political party at European level, and which through
its activities, within the aims and fundamental values
pursued by the European Union, underpins and
complements the objectives of the political party at
European level by performing,
the
following tasks:

in particular,

— observing, analysing and contributing to the
debate on European public policy issues and on
the process of European integration,

(4) OJ L 278, 8.10.1976, p. 1. Decision as amended by Decision

2002/772/EC, Euratom (OJ L 283, 21.10.2002, p. 1).

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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 repre-
sentatives of civil society,

in
define the specific modalities for their relationship,
accordance with national
including an appropriate
law,
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.’;

— developing cooperation with entities of the same

kind in order to promote democracy,

3.

Article 4 shall be amended as follows:

5.

(*)

— serving as a framework for national political
relevant

foundations,
actors to work together at European level;

and other

academics,

“funding from the general budget of the European
Union” means a grant within the meaning of
Euratom)
of Regulation
Article
No 1605/2002 (*)
referred to as the
(hereinafter
Financial Regulation).

108(1)

(EC,

Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of
25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable
to the general budget of the European Communities
(OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1). Regulation as last
amended by Regulation (EC) No 1525/2007 (OJ
L 343, 27.12.2007, p. 9).’;

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:

(a)

(b)

(c)

it must be affiliated with one of the political parties at
European level recognised in accordance with para-
graph 1, as certified by that party;

it must have legal personality in the Member State in
which its seat is located. This legal personality shall be
separate from that of the political party at European
level with which the foundation is affiliated;

it must observe, in particular in its programme and in
its activities, the principles on which the European
Union is founded, namely the principles of liberty,
democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms, and the rule of law;

(d)

it shall not promote profit goals;

(e)

its governing body shall have a geographically
balanced composition.

3. Within the framework of this Regulation, it remains for
each political party and foundation at European level to

(a)

paragraph 2(a) shall be replaced by the following:

‘(a) documents proving that the applicant satisfies

the conditions laid down in Articles 2 and 3;’

(b)

the following paragraphs shall be added:

‘4. A political foundation at European level may
apply for funding from the general budget of the
European Union only through the political party at
European level with which it is affiliated.

5.
Funding for a political foundation at European
level shall be allocated on the basis of its affiliation
with a political party at European level, subject to
Article 10(1). Articles 9 and 9a shall apply to the
funds thus allocated.

Funding allocated to a political

6.
foundation at
European level shall only be used for the purpose of
financing its activities in accordance with Article 2(4).
On no account may it be used to finance elections or
referenda campaigns.

Paragraphs 1 and 3 shall apply mutatis mutandis to
7.
the political
foundations at European level when
assessing applications for funding from the general
budget of the European Union.’;

4.

the following paragraphs shall be added to Article 5:

Paragraph 2 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the political

‘4.
foundations at European level.

If the political party at European level with which a
5.
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.

If

the European Parliament

6.
the
conditions referred to in Article 3(2)(c) are no longer
in
satisfied,
this
question shall be excluded from funding under
Regulation.’;

foundation at European level

finds that any of

the political

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5.

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

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

‘Article 6

Obligations linked to funding

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

(a)

(b)

publish its revenue and expenditure and a statement
of its assets and liabilities annually;

funding by providing a list
declare its sources of
specifying the donors and the donations received from
each donor, with the exception of donations not
exceeding EUR 500 per year and per donor.

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

(a)

anonymous donations;

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

donations from the budgets of political groups in the
European Parliament;

donations from any undertaking over which the
public authorities may exercise directly or indirectly a
dominant influence by virtue of their ownership of it,
their financial participation therein, or the rules which
govern it;

donations exceeding EUR 12 000 per year and per
donor from any natural or legal person other than the
undertakings referred to in point (c) and without
prejudice to paragraphs 3 and 4;

donations from any public authority from a third
country, including from any undertaking over which
the public authorities may exercise directly or
indirectly a dominant influence by virtue of their
ownership of it, their financial participation therein,
or the rules which govern it.

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.

from national political

4. Contributions to a political foundation at European
level
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.

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
in which they participate as
the European Parliament,
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.

the Act
in accordance with Article 8 of
However,
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.

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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
to the European
Parliament.’;

the financial year concerned,

7.

the following Article shall be inserted:

‘Article 9a

Transparency

The European Parliament shall publish jointly in a section
of
the purpose the following
documents:

its website created for

— an annual report with a table of the amounts paid to
each political party and each political foundation at
European level,
for each financial year for which
grants have been paid,

— the report of
application of
funded, as referred to in Article 12,

the European Parliament on the
this Regulation and the activities

— the provisions
Regulation.’;

for

the

implementation of

this

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 appro-
priate, possible amendments to be made to the funding
system.’

Article 2

Transitional provisions

The provisions laid down by this Regulation shall apply to grants
awarded to political parties at European level as from the
financial year 2008.

For the financial year 2008, any applications for funding of
political foundations at European level pursuant to Article 4(4)
of Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 shall relate exclusively to
eligible costs incurred after 1 September 2008.

Political parties at European level that have duly submitted their
applications for grants for 2008 may, by 28 March 2008, submit
a supplementary application for funding based on the modifica-
tions introduced by this Regulation and, where appropriate, an
application for a grant for the political foundation at European
level affiliated to that political party. The European Parliament
shall adopt appropriate implementation measures.

8.

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

Article 3

Entry into force

‘2.
Funding charged to the general budget of the European
Union shall not exceed 85 % of those costs of a political

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following its
publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 18 December 2007.

For the European Parliament

The President

H.-G. PÖTTERING

For the Council

The President

M. LOBO ANTUNES