Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

|  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 29.6.2018 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 228/13 |

---

Call for contributions No IX-2019/01 — ‘Contributions to European political parties’

(2018/C 228/04)

A.   INTRODUCTION AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 1. | Under Article 10(4) of the Treaty on European Union ‘political parties at European level contribute to forming European political awareness and to expressing the will of citizens of the Union’. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 2. | In accordance with Article 224 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the European Parliament and the Council lay down the regulations governing political parties at European level and in particular the rules regarding their funding. These rules are laid down in 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 [(1)](#ntr1-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0001) as amended by Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/673 of the European Parliament and of the Council [(2)](#ntr2-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0002). |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 3. | Pursuant to Article 17(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, a European political party which is registered in accordance with the conditions and procedures of the regulation and represented in the European Parliament by at least one of its members, and is not in one of the situations of exclusion referred to in Article 106(1) of the Financial Regulation, may apply for funding from the general budget of the European Union, in accordance with the terms and conditions published by the Authorising Officer of the European Parliament in a call for contributions. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 4. | Hence, the European Parliament is launching this call for contributions with a view to awarding contributions to European political parties (‘call’). |

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | 5. | The basic legal framework is defined in the following legal acts:  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (a) | Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (b) | 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 [(3)](#ntr3-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0003); |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (c) | 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 [(4)](#ntr4-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0004) (‘Financial Regulation’); |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (d) | Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012 of 29 October 2012 on the rules of application of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the financial rules applicable to the general budget of the Union [(5)](#ntr5-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0005) (‘Rules of Application of the Financial Regulation’); |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (e) | Commission Delegated Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2015/2401 of 2 October 2015 on the content and functioning of the Register of European political parties and foundations [(6)](#ntr6-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0006); |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (f) | Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/2246 of 3 December 2015 on detailed provisions for the registration number system applicable to the register of European political parties and European political foundations and information provided by standard extracts from the register [(7)](#ntr7-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0007); |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (g) | European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure [(8)](#ntr8-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0008). | |

B.   OBJECTIVE OF THE CALL

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 6. | The objective of this call is to invite registered European political parties to submit applications for funding from the Union budget (‘funding applications’). |

C.   PURPOSE, CATEGORY AND FORM OF FUNDING

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 7. | The purpose of the funding is to support the European political party’s statutory activities and objectives for the financial year from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019 under the terms and conditions set out in the contribution decision by the responsible authorising officer. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 8. | The category of the funding is the contribution to European political parties, pursuant to Title VIII of Part II of the Financial Regulation (‘contribution’). The contribution takes the form of a reimbursement of a percentage of reimbursable expenditure actually incurred. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 9. | The maximum amount paid to the beneficiary by the European Parliament may not exceed 90 % of the reimbursable expenditure actually incurred. |

D.   BUDGET AVAILABLE

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 10. | The foreseen funding for the financial year 2019 under Article 402 of Parliament’s budget ‘Funding of European political parties’ amounts to EUR 50 000 000. The final available appropriations are subject to approval by the budgetary authority. |

E.   ADMISSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR FUNDING APPLICATIONS

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | 11. | Funding applications will be admissible if they  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (a) | are submitted in writing on the application form as annexed to this call, including all supporting documents required therein; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (b) | contain the commitment, expressed in writing by signing the declaration form which is annexed to the present call, that the applicant agrees to the terms and conditions specified in Annex 1a to the Bureau Decision specified in paragraph 5(b) of this call; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (c) | contain a letter of a legal representative certifying the authorisation to undertake legal obligations on behalf of the applicant; |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | (d) | are forwarded to the President of the European Parliament by 30 September 2018 to the following address:   |  |  |  |  |  |  | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | |  | | --- | | President of the European Parliament | | Attn. Mr Didier Kléthi, Director-General of Finance | | SCH 05B031 | | L-2929 Luxembourg | | LUXEMBOURG | | | |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 12. | Applications assessed as incomplete may be rejected. |

F.   CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF FUNDING APPLICATIONS

F.1   Exclusion criteria

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | 13. | Applicants shall be excluded from the funding procedure, if they are:  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (a) | in one of the situations of exclusion referred to in Article 106(1), 107 or 108 of the Financial Regulation. |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (b) | subject of any of the sanctions provided for in Article 27(1) and in points (v) and (vi) of Article 27(2)(a) of the Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014. | |

F.2   Eligibility criteria

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | 14. | In order to be eligible for Union funding, applicants must satisfy the conditions laid down in Articles 17 and 18 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, i.e. the applicant  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (a) | must be registered with the Authority for European political parties and European political foundations (the ‘Authority’) in accordance with Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (b) | must be represented in the European Parliament by at least one Member of the European Parliament; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (c) | must comply with the obligations listed in Article 23 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, i.e. it must have submitted the annual financial statements [(9)](#ntr9-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0009), external audit report and the list of donors and contributors, as specified therein; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (d) | must comply with the obligations listed in Article 18(2a) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 together with the relevant transitional provision pursuant to Article 40a(2) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, i.e. must have submitted the evidence demonstrating that its EU member parties have, as a rule, published on their websites, in a clearly visible and user-friendly manner, the political programme and logo of the European political party for the period between 5 July 2018 and 30 September 2018. | |

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | 15. | Moreover, in accordance with Article 17(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, a multiple individual membership of a Member of the European Parliament in several European political parties will result in considering the Member concerned as a member of only one European political party, which shall, where relevant, be the one to which his or her national or regional political party is affiliated on the final date for the submission of funding applications, excluding the member concerned for the purpose of:  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (a) | evaluating the eligibility of the funding application; and |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (b) | calculating the funding amount pursuant to Article 19 of the Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014. | |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 16. | Member parties of European political parties are encouraged to include information on gender balance on their websites. |

F.3   Award criteria and distribution of funding

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | 17. | In accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, the respective available appropriations shall be distributed annually. They shall be distributed among the European political parties whose applications for funding have been approved in the light of the eligibility and exclusion criteria, on the basis of the following distribution key:  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (a) | 10 % will be distributed in equal shares among the beneficiary European political parties; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (b) | 90 % will be distributed among the beneficiary European political parties in proportion to their share of elected members of the European Parliament; pursuant to Article 17(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, a Member of the European Parliament shall be considered as a member of only one European political party, which shall, where relevant, be the one to which his or her national or regional political party is affiliated on the final date for the submission of funding applications. | |

G.   SHARED CONTROL BY EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND AUTHORITY

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 18. | Article 24(1) and (2) [(10)](#ntr10-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0010), of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 foresee shared control between the European Parliament and the Authority for European political parties and European political foundations [(11)](#ntr11-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0011) (‘Authority’). |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 19. | Where, pursuant to Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, the Authority is competent for controlling compliance with the provisions of that Regulation, the European Parliament shall forward the relevant documentation to the Authority. The Authority will communicate to the European Parliament the result of its controls and verifications. |

H.   TERMS AND CONDITIONS

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 20. | Applicants are obliged to notify the European Parliament of any changes as regards the documents submitted or any information referred to in the application within two weeks of such a change. Failing such notification, the authorising officer may decide on the basis of the information available, notwithstanding any information provided at a later stage. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 21. | In respect to the condition that the applicant continues to fulfil the criteria for funding, the burden of proof rests with the applicant. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 22. | The terms and conditions as regards Union funding to be awarded under this call are laid down in Annex 1a to the Bureau Decision specified in paragraph 5(b) of this call. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 23. | Each applicant shall accept the terms and conditions referred to in paragraph 22 of this call, by signing the declaration form which is annexed to the present call. These terms and conditions bind the beneficiary to whom the funding is awarded and are stipulated in the contribution decision. |

I.   TIMING

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 24. | The deadline for submitting the funding applications is 30 September 2018. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 25. | The Authorising Officer of the European Parliament shall adopt a decision within three months after the closure of the call for contributions. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 26. | It is foreseen that successful applicants will receive the contribution decision in January 2019 and that rejected applicants will be informed at the same time. The payment of the pre-financing shall take place within 30 days of the notification of the contribution decision. |

J.   DISCLOSURE AND PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 27. | The European Parliament shall publish, including on the internet, information pursuant to Article 32 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 28. | Any personal data collected in the context of the present call shall be processed in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data [(12)](#ntr12-C_2018228EN.01001301-E0012) pursuant to Article 33 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 29. | Such data shall be processed for the purpose of evaluating the funding applications and safeguarding the financial interests of the Union. This is without prejudice to the possible transfer of this data to the bodies responsible for carrying out verification and audit tasks in accordance with Union law, such as internal audit services of the European Parliament, the Authority, the European Court of Auditors, or the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF). |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 30. | On the basis of a written request, the beneficiary may obtain access to its personal data and rectify any inaccurate or incomplete data. The beneficiary may submit any request concerning the processing of its personal data to the European Parliament’s Directorate-General for Finance or the European Parliament’s Personal Data Protection Unit. The beneficiary may, at any time, lodge a complaint to the European Data Protection Supervisor concerning the processing of its personal data. |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 31. | Personal data may be registered in the Early Detection and Exclusion System by the European Parliament, should the beneficiary be in one of the situations mentioned in Article 106(1) and 107 of the Financial Regulation. |

K.   OTHER INFORMATION

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 32. | Any questions relating to this call should be sent by email, quoting the publication reference, to the following address: fin.part.fond.pol@europarl.europa.eu |

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | 33. | The basic legislation specified in paragraph 5(b) of this call and the funding application form annexed to this call are available on the European Parliament’s internet site (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/tenders/invitations.htm). |

Annex: Funding application form, including the financial identification form, the declaration on the terms and conditions as well as the exclusion criteria, and the model of estimated budget

---

[Top](#document1)