{ "activities": [ { "date": "2003-02-19T00:00:00", "docs": [ { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2003&nu_doc=0077", "text": [ "
\n
PURPOSE : to establish a framework for the European political\nparties and their financing from the Community budget.
\nCONTENT : Article 191 of the Treaty recognises the important role\nthat European political parties can play in developing political\ndebate at the European level, thereby enhancing the quality of\ndemocracy and improving the functioning of the institutions of the\nUnion. It also recognises that in order to perform the role that\nthe Treaty wishes to assign to them, it will be necessary that they\nshould be at least partially financed from the Community budget.\nThe main points of the proposal are as follows:
\n1) The Commission considers that it would be inappropriate to\nestablish intrusive or over prescriptive political requirements for\nthe registration of European political parties, but considers it\nessential to lay down minimum standards of democratic conduct for\nsuch parties. Accordingly, the proposal states that to be that to\nbe registered by the European Parliament a party must:
\n- have participated or declared their intention to participate in\nelections to the European Parliament;
\n- have clearly defined bodies responsible for financial\nmanagement;
\n- ensure that the statute and activities of the European political\nparty respect the basic purposes of the Union with regard to\nfreedom, democracy, human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule\nof law.
\n2) The proposal establishes a procedure for verification of respect\nfor the basic values of the EU. The European Parliament can\nderegister a party which no longer satisfies the conditions for\nregistration.
\n3) To ensure transparency, the Statutes must be published.
\n4) The registration procedure represents a first, necessary but not\nsufficient step to obtain financing. A party must first register\nits statute and then meet the specific additional conditions set\nout in the proposal before it can obtain financing. Registered\nparties would make application for funding to the Parliament which\nwould decide within two months.
\n5) Community financing is given to parties that are reasonably\nrepresentative, either in the European Parliament or in a number of\nMember States. A European political party:
\n- must have elected members in the European Parliament or national\nor regional Parliaments in at least one third of the Member States,\nor
\n-it must have obtained at least five percent of the votes at the\nmost recent European elections in at least one third of the Member\nStates of the Community. The parties must also commit themselves\nnot to accept certain kinds of donations defined in the proposal.\nParties would then be eligible for financing from the Union budget.\nThis financing is not intended to replace the autonomous financing\nof the European parties, which must represent at least 25% of the\nbudget of each party.
\n6) Each party would receive a flat-rate basic grant plus a second\ncomponent based on the number of elected representatives in the\nEuropean Parliament. The two components would account for 15% and\n85% of the appropriations respectively.
\n7) European political parties must publish their accounts and\ndeclare their sources of finance (excluding donations not exceeding\nÇ 100) from whatever source. Standard reporting, accounting\nand audit procedures are laid down in accordance withthe Financial\nRegulation.
\n8) There is provision for an external and independent auditing of\nthe accounts of the parties.
\n9) This proposal will be financed by specific administrative\nexpenditure of the Parliament (section I of the budget), in\naccordance with the provision for an article entitled \"Contribution\nto European Political Parties\" made by the Budgetary Authority in\nthe Parliament's budget for 2002 and 2003.
\n
\n" ], "title": "COM(2003)0077", "type": "Legislative proposal published", "celexid": "CELEX:52003PC0077:EN" } ], "type": "Legislative proposal", "body": "EC", "commission": [ { "DG": "Secretariat General" } ] }, { "date": "2003-03-10T00:00:00", "body": "EP", "type": "Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading", "committees": [ { "body": "EP", "responsible": true, "committee": "AFCO", "date": "2003-02-17T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Constitutional Affairs", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "PSE", "name": "LEINEN Jo" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "BUDG", "date": "2003-03-25T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Budgets", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "ELDR", "name": "MULDER Jan" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "CONT", "date": "2003-03-18T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Budgetary Control", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "PSE", "name": "KUHNE Helmut" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "JURI", "date": "2003-03-18T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Legal Affairs and Internal Market", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "ELDR", "name": "DE CLERCQ Willy C.E.H." } ] } ] }, { "date": "2003-04-15T00:00:00", "docs": [ { "type": "Committee draft report", "title": "PE323.576" } ], "body": "EP", "type": "Committee draft report" }, { "body": "EP", "committees": [ { "body": "EP", "responsible": true, "committee": "AFCO", "date": "2003-02-17T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Constitutional Affairs", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "PSE", "name": "LEINEN Jo" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "BUDG", "date": "2003-03-25T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Budgets", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "ELDR", "name": "MULDER Jan" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "CONT", "date": "2003-03-18T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Budgetary Control", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "PSE", "name": "KUHNE Helmut" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "JURI", "date": "2003-03-18T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Legal Affairs and Internal Market", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "ELDR", "name": "DE CLERCQ Willy C.E.H." } ] } ], "docs": [ { "url": "http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A5-2003-0170&language=EN", "type": "Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading", "title": "A5-0170/2003" } ], "text": [ "
\n
The committee adopted the report by Jo LEINEN (PES, D)\namending the Commission proposal under the 1st reading of the\ncodecision procedure. To avoid creating false expectations, MEPs\ndecided that the regulation should simply lay down the rules on\nfunding and not establish a statute as such for European parties.\nIt was felt, following criticism by the Court of Auditors in 2000,\nthat the issue of financing must be dealt with as a matter of\nurgency.
\nThe committee also amended the definition of \"European political\nparty\" as laid down in the regulation, specifying that it meant \"an\nassociation of citizens, or federation of political parties from\nMember States, recognised by or established in accordance with the\nlegal order of at least one Member State and contributing at\nEuropean level to forming and expressing the political will of the\ncitizens of the Union while being represented in, or seeking to be\nrepresented in, the European Parliament\".
\nOn the most controversial issue, namely, who should be responsible\nfor managing the funding available (EUR 8.4 million per year), MEPs\ndisagreed with the Commission's proposal that these funds should be\nregarded as special expenditure of Parliament and should therefore\nbe placed under Parliament's responsibility. Instead, they wanted\nthe Commission to take on this task.
\nThe Commission had proposed that, to qualify for funding, a\nEuropean political party must be represented in the European\nParliament or in legislative assemblies at national or regional\nlevel in at least one third of the Member States, or must have\nreceived at least 5% of the votes cast at the most recent European\nelections in at least one third of the Member States. However, MEPs\nwanted to set thresholds of one quarter of the Member States in\nthese cases. Moreover, they did not believe that separate,\npreliminary registration with Parliament, as proposed by the\nCommission, was needed.
\nIn other amendments, the committee said that a European political\nparty which receives funding must specify donors and donations\nexceeding EUR 1 000 (rather than EUR 100 as proposed by the\nCommission). It also raised to EUR 15 000 per year the threshold\nbeyond which donations from individuals or organisations should not\nbe accepted (the Commission had proposed a threshold of EUR 5 000).\nMEPs also proposed that European political parties should be\nallowed to charge membership fees.
\nAlthough the proposal stipulated that funds provided to European\npolitical parties from the EU budget must not be used for direct\nfinancing of national or regional political parties, the committee\nwanted to allow two exceptions: the funding of European Parliament\nelection campaigns and \"party activity at any level that is\ndirectly associated with the politics of the European Union\".
\nLastly, to enable existing European parties to adapt to the new\nrules, MEPs called for the regulation to apply as of the start of\nParliament's next term of office rather than three months after it\nhas been published in the Official Journal, as the Commission had\nproposed.
\n
\n" ], "date": "2003-05-20T00:00:00", "type": "Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading" }, { "date": "2003-06-16T00:00:00", "body": "CSL", "type": "Council Meeting", "council": "General Affairs", "meeting_id": "2519" }, { "date": "2003-06-18T00:00:00", "body": "EP", "type": "Debate in Parliament" }, { "date": "2003-06-19T00:00:00", "docs": [ { "url": "http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P5-TA-2003-0289", "text": [ "
\n
The European Parliament adopted a resolution, which was based\non the report by Jo LEINEN (PES, Germany) but differed in some\nrespects by the report adopted by the committee. The main\namendments to the Commission's proposal were as follows:
\n- \"European political party\" is changed to \"political party at\nEuropean level\";
\n- Such a party must meet the following conditions:
\n1) It must have legal personality in the Member State in which its\nseat is located;
\n2) It must be represented, in at least one quarter of the Member\nStates, by Members of the European Parliament, in the national\nparliaments or regional parliaments or regional assemblies, or must\nhave received, in at least one quarter of the Member States, at\nleast three per cent of the votes cast in each of those Member\nStates at the most recent European elections;
\n3) It must observe, in particular in its programme and through its\nactions, the principles on which the EU is founded: the principles\nof liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental\nfreedoms, and the rule of law;
\n4) It must have participated in elections to the European\nParliament or expressed its intention to do so.
\n- In order to receive funding, a political party at European level\nmust file an application with the European Parliament each year.\nThe latter will take a decision within three months. The first\napplication has to be filed with a number of specified documents.\nIf the relevant conditions are no longer met, the party will be\nexcluded from financing under the Regulation.
\n- The party must declare its sources of finance by providing a list\nspecifying donors and donations exceeding EUR 500 (the Commission\nproposed that all donations above EUR 100 should be\ndeclared.)
\n- The party may not accept donations from any undertaking over\nwhich the public authorities directly or indirectly may exert a\ndominant influence by dint of ownership, a financial holding or the\nrules by which it is governed. This clause replaces the Commission\nproposal to ban donations from bodies in which the State holds over\n50% of the capital.
\n- Donations exceeding EUR 12000 are also banned (this figure\nreplaces the Commission's proposal of EUR 5000)
\n- Dues from political parties which are members of a political\nparty at European level are admissible so long as they do not\nexceed 40% of that party's annual budget.
\n- The European Parliament will publish details of the technical\nsupport given to each political party at European level in an\nannual report.
\n- Financing under this Regulation will apply from the opening of\nthe first session following the 2004 European Parliament\nelections.
\n
\n" ], "type": "Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading", "title": "T5-0289/2003" } ], "body": "EP", "type": "Text adopted by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading" }, { "date": "2003-09-29T00:00:00", "body": "", "type": "Act adopted by Council after Parliament's 1st reading" }, { "date": "2003-09-29T00:00:00", "body": "CSL", "type": "Council Meeting", "council": "General Affairs", "meeting_id": "X019" }, { "date": "2003-11-04T00:00:00", "body": "", "type": "Final act signed" }, { "date": "2003-11-04T00:00:00", "body": "EP", "type": "End of procedure in Parliament" }, { "date": "2003-11-15T00:00:00", "text": [ "
\n
PURPOSE : to establish a framework for the European political\nparties and their financing from the Community budget.
\nLEGISLATIVE ACT : Regulation 2004/2003/EC of the European\nParliament and of the Council on the regulations governing\npolitical parties at European level and the rules regarding their\nfunding.
\nCONTENT : this Regulation establishes rules on the regulations\ngoverning political parties at European level and rules regarding\ntheir funding.
\nThis Regulation stipulates that for the purposes of this\nRegulation:
\n1) \"political party\" means an association of citizens:
\n- which pursues political objectives, and
\n- which is either recognised by, or established in accordance with,\nthe legal order of at least one Member State;
\n2) \"alliance of political parties\" means structured cooperation\nbetween at least two political parties;
\n3) \"political party at European level\" means a political party or\nan alliance of political parties which satisfies specific\nconditions.
\nA political party at European level shall satisfy the following\nconditions:
\na) it must have legal personality in the Member State in which its\nseat is located;
\nb) it must be represented, in at least one quarter of Member\nStates, by Members of the European Parliament or in the national\nParliaments or regional Parliaments or in the regional assemblies,\nor it must have received, in at least one quarter of the Member\nStates, at least 3% of the votes cast in each of those Member\nStates at the most recent European Parliament elections;
\nc) it must observe, in particular in its programme and in its\nactivities, the principles on which the European Union is founded,\nnamely the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human\nrights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law;
\nd) it must have participated in elections to the European\nParliament, or have expressed the intention to do so.
\nIn order to receive funding from the general budget of the European\nUnion, a political party at European level shall file an\napplication with the European Parliament each year.
\nThe European Parliament shall adopt a decision within three months\nand authorise and manage the corresponding appropriations.
\nThe first application shall be accompanied by the following\ndocuments: documents proving that the applicant satisfies specific\nconditions; a political programme setting out the objectives of the\npolitical party at European level; a statute defining in particular\nthe bodies responsible for political and financial management as\nwell as the bodies or natural persons holding, in each of the\nMember States concerned, the power of legal representation, in\nparticular for the purposes of the acquisition or disposal of\nmovable and immovable property and of being a party to legal\nproceedings.
\nThe Regulation states that a political party at European level\nshall:
\na) publish its revenue and expenditure and a statement of its\nassets and liabilities annually;
\nb) declare its sources of funding by providing a list specifying\nthe donors and the donations received from each donor, with\ntheexception of donations not exceeding EUR 500;
\nc) not accept:
\n- anonymous donations,
\n- donations from the budgets of political groups in the European\nParliament,
\n- donations from any undertaking over which the public authorities\nmay exercise directly or indirectly a dominant influence by virtue\nof their ownership of it, their financial participation therein, or\nthe rules which govern it,
\n- donations exceeding EUR 12000 per year and per donor from any\nnatural or legal person other than the undertakings referred to in\nthe third indent and without prejudice to the second\nsubparagraph.
\nContributions from political parties which are members of a\npolitical party at European level shall be admissible. They may not\nexceed 40 % of that party's annual budget.
\nThe funding of political parties at European level from the general\nbudget of the European Union or from any other source may not be\nused for the direct or indirect funding of other political parties,\nand in particular national political parties, which shall continue\nto be governed by national rules.
\nAppropriations for funding political parties at European level\nshall be determined under the annual budgetary procedure and shall\nbe implemented in accordance with the Financial Regulation\napplicable to the general budget of the European Communities.
\nThe valuation of movable and immovable property and its\ndepreciation shall be carried out in accordance with Commission\nRegulation (EC) No 2909/2000 of 29 December 2000 on the accounting\nmanagement of the European Communities' non-financial fixed\nassets.
\nControl of funding granted under this Regulation shall be exercised\nin accordance with the Financial Regulation and the implementing\nrules thereto.
\nControl shall also be exercised on the basis of annual\ncertification by an external and independent audit. This\ncertification shall be transmitted, within six months of the end of\nthe financial year concerned, to the European Parliament.
\nFurther to application of this Regulation, any funds improperly\nreceived by political parties at European level from the general\nbudget of the European Union shall be refunded to that\nbudget.
\nAny document or information required by the Court of Auditors in\norder to carry out its task shall be supplied to it at its request\nby the political parties at European level receiving funding\ngranted under this Regulation.
\nWhere expenditure is committed by political parties at European\nlevel jointly with national political parties and other\norganisations, evidence of the expenditure incurred by the\npolitical parties at European level shall be made available to the\nCourt of Auditors.
\nFunding of political parties at European level in their capacity as\nbodies pursuing an objective of general European interest shall not\nbe subject to the provisions of Article 113 of the Financial\nRegulation relating to the decreasing of the funding.
\nAvailable appropriations shall be distributed annually as follows\namong the political parties at European level which have obtained a\npositive decision on their application for funding : 15 % shall be\ndistributed in equal shares and 85 % shall be distributed among\nthose which have elected members in the EuropeanParliament, in\nproportion to the number of elected members.
\nFor the application of these provisions, a Member of the European\nParliament may be a member of only one political party at European\nlevel.
\nFunding charged to the general budget of the European Union shall\nnot exceed 75 % of the budget of a political party at European\nlevel. The burden of proof shall rest with the relevant political\nparty at European level.
\nThe European Parliament shall publish a report not later than 15\nFebruary 2006 on the application of this Regulation and the\nactivities funded. The report shall indicate, where appropriate,\npossible amendments to be made to the funding system.
\nENTRY INTO FORCE : 15 February 2004.
\n
\n" ], "type": "Final act published in Official Journal", "docs": [ { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32003R2004", "title": "Regulation 2003/2004" }, { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:L:2003:297:SOM:EN:HTML", "title": "OJ\u00a0L 297 15.11.2003, p. 0001-0004" } ] }, { "date": "2004-03-29T00:00:00", "docs": [ { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&model=guicheti&numdoc=32004D0612(01)", "text": [ "
\n

PURPOSE:  The establishment of procedures\ngoverning political parties at European level and the rules\nregarding their funding. The implementation of Regulation\n2004/2003.

\n

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision of the Bureau of the\nEuropean Parliament laying down the procedures for implementing\nRegulation No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the\nCouncil on the Regulations governing political parties at European\nlevel and the rules regarding their funding.

\n

CONTENT: The rules laid out in this Decision create\nthe procedures governing the political parties at European level\nand the rules regarding their funding. The rules are as\nfollows:

\n

\n-        \nThe European Parliament will\npublish annual calls for proposals with a view to awarding grants\nto fund political parties at European level

\n

\n-        \nAny political party wishing to\nreceive a grant from the general budget of the EU must submit a\nwritten application prior to the 15 November.

\n

\n-        \nThe Bureau will be responsible\nfor assessing funding applications. Before the 15 February, the\nBureau must draw up a list of beneficiaries and the amounts of the\ngrants awarded. The President shall inform applicants of the action\ntaken on their applications.

\n

\n-        \nA grant awarded to a political\nparty must be the subject of a written agreement between the\nEuropean Parliament and the beneficiary.

\n

\n-        \nGrants will be paid in the form\nof pre-financing in two instalments. The first must not be more\nthan 50% of the maximum amount of the grant, to be paid within 15\ndays following the signing of the agreement. The second brings the\ntotal pre-financing to no more than 80% of the maximum amount of\nthe grants and is to be paid to the beneficiary upon request. The\nbalance should be paid once the period of eligibility for Community\nfunding has come to an end and will be based on the expenditure\nactually incurred by the beneficiary. If the total amount exceeds\nthe figure of the final grant, then the European Parliament will\nrecover the sums unduly paid.

\n

\n-        \nAt least six months before the\nend of the financial year, the beneficiary must submit a final\nreport, a financial statement, a comprehensive summary of revenue\nand expenditure and a report on an external audit of the accounts\ncarried out by an independent body or expert. If not satisfied, the\nBureau may reject both the final report and the financial statement\nand call for a fresh report.

\n

\n-        \nIn terms of determining the\nfinal grant, the Bureau will determine the amount of the final\ngrant to be awarded based on the documentation received and\noutlined above.

\n

\n-        \nUnder no circumstances may the\ntotal amount paid by Parliament exceed the maximum amount of the\ngrants laid down in the grant award agreement or 75% of the\neligible expenditure actually incurred. The grant shall be limited\nto the amount needed to balance revenue and eligible expenditure in\nthe operating budget of the beneficiary.

\n

\n-        \nOn a proposal from the Secretary\nGeneral, the Bureau can suspend payments and reduce the grant and\nunder certain conditions it may decide to terminate the grant award\nagreement.

\n

\n-        \nIn cases where amounts have been\nunduly paid to the beneficiary then there are procedures allowing\nthe money to be recovered.

\n

\n-        \nChecks and audit provisions have\nbeen put in place. These provisions include, inter alia, that all\nrelevant documentation is kept for a period of five\nyears.

\n

\n-        \nThe Bureau has the authority, on\na proposal from the Secretary General, to grant political parties\ntechnical assistance.

\n

\n-        \nDetails of all the grants\nawarded by Parliament during a given financial year will be\npublished on the internet. Details include the name and address of\nthe beneficiary, the purpose for which the grant was awarded, the\namount awarded and the proportion of the beneficiary's total\noperating budget covered by the funding.

\n

\n-        \nProvisions for a right of appeal\nhave been put in place as well as transitional rules for the\nfinancial year 2004.

\n

\n-        \nLastly, a report on the\nimplementation of the rules must be submitted by the Secretary\nGeneral before the 30 September 2005. The report should, if\nnecessary, include any proposed changed that may need to be\nmade.

\n

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 13 June 2004.

\n
\n" ], "celexid": "CELEX:32004D0612(01):EN", "type": "Implementing legislative act", "title": "32004D0612(01)" }, { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:C:2004:155:SOM:EN:HTML", "type": "Implementing legislative act", "title": "OJ C 155 12.06.2004, p. 0001-0025" } ], "body": "CSL", "type": "Implementing legislative act" }, { "date": "2004-03-29T00:00:00", "docs": [ { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&model=guicheti&numdoc=32004D0612(01)", "text": [ "
\n

PURPOSE:  The establishment of procedures\ngoverning political parties at European level and the rules\nregarding their funding. The implementation of Regulation\n2004/2003.

\n

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision of the Bureau of the\nEuropean Parliament laying down the procedures for implementing\nRegulation No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the\nCouncil on the Regulations governing political parties at European\nlevel and the rules regarding their funding.

\n

CONTENT: The rules laid out in this Decision create\nthe procedures governing the political parties at European level\nand the rules regarding their funding. The rules are as\nfollows:

\n

\n-        \nThe European Parliament will\npublish annual calls for proposals with a view to awarding grants\nto fund political parties at European level

\n

\n-        \nAny political party wishing to\nreceive a grant from the general budget of the EU must submit a\nwritten application prior to the 15 November.

\n

\n-        \nThe Bureau will be responsible\nfor assessing funding applications. Before the 15 February, the\nBureau must draw up a list of beneficiaries and the amounts of the\ngrants awarded. The President shall inform applicants of the action\ntaken on their applications.

\n

\n-        \nA grant awarded to a political\nparty must be the subject of a written agreement between the\nEuropean Parliament and the beneficiary.

\n

\n-        \nGrants will be paid in the form\nof pre-financing in two instalments. The first must not be more\nthan 50% of the maximum amount of the grant, to be paid within 15\ndays following the signing of the agreement. The second brings the\ntotal pre-financing to no more than 80% of the maximum amount of\nthe grants and is to be paid to the beneficiary upon request. The\nbalance should be paid once the period of eligibility for Community\nfunding has come to an end and will be based on the expenditure\nactually incurred by the beneficiary. If the total amount exceeds\nthe figure of the final grant, then the European Parliament will\nrecover the sums unduly paid.

\n

\n-        \nAt least six months before the\nend of the financial year, the beneficiary must submit a final\nreport, a financial statement, a comprehensive summary of revenue\nand expenditure and a report on an external audit of the accounts\ncarried out by an independent body or expert. If not satisfied, the\nBureau may reject both the final report and the financial statement\nand call for a fresh report.

\n

\n-        \nIn terms of determining the\nfinal grant, the Bureau will determine the amount of the final\ngrant to be awarded based on the documentation received and\noutlined above.

\n

\n-        \nUnder no circumstances may the\ntotal amount paid by Parliament exceed the maximum amount of the\ngrants laid down in the grant award agreement or 75% of the\neligible expenditure actually incurred. The grant shall be limited\nto the amount needed to balance revenue and eligible expenditure in\nthe operating budget of the beneficiary.

\n

\n-        \nOn a proposal from the Secretary\nGeneral, the Bureau can suspend payments and reduce the grant and\nunder certain conditions it may decide to terminate the grant award\nagreement.

\n

\n-        \nIn cases where amounts have been\nunduly paid to the beneficiary then there are procedures allowing\nthe money to be recovered.

\n

\n-        \nChecks and audit provisions have\nbeen put in place. These provisions include, inter alia, that all\nrelevant documentation is kept for a period of five\nyears.

\n

\n-        \nThe Bureau has the authority, on\na proposal from the Secretary General, to grant political parties\ntechnical assistance.

\n

\n-        \nDetails of all the grants\nawarded by Parliament during a given financial year will be\npublished on the internet. Details include the name and address of\nthe beneficiary, the purpose for which the grant was awarded, the\namount awarded and the proportion of the beneficiary's total\noperating budget covered by the funding.

\n

\n-        \nProvisions for a right of appeal\nhave been put in place as well as transitional rules for the\nfinancial year 2004.

\n

\n-        \nLastly, a report on the\nimplementation of the rules must be submitted by the Secretary\nGeneral before the 30 September 2005. The report should, if\nnecessary, include any proposed changed that may need to be\nmade.

\n

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 13 June 2004.

\n
\n" ], "celexid": "CELEX:32004D0612(01):EN", "type": "Implementing legislative act", "title": "32004D0612(01)" }, { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:C:2004:155:SOM:EN:HTML", "type": "Implementing legislative act", "title": "OJ C 155 12.06.2004, p. 0001-0025" } ], "type": "Implementing legislative act", "body": "EC", "commission": [ { "DG": "Secretariat General" } ] } ], "votes": [], "committees": [ { "body": "EP", "responsible": true, "committee": "AFCO", "date": "2003-02-17T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Constitutional Affairs", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "PSE", "name": "LEINEN Jo" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "BUDG", "date": "2003-03-25T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Budgets", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "ELDR", "name": "MULDER Jan" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "CONT", "date": "2003-03-18T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Budgetary Control", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "PSE", "name": "KUHNE Helmut" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "JURI", "date": "2003-03-18T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Legal Affairs and Internal Market", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "ELDR", "name": "DE CLERCQ Willy C.E.H." } ] } ], "links": { "European Commission": { "url": "http://ec.europa.eu/prelex/liste_resultats.cfm?CL=en&ReqId=0&DocType=COD&DocYear=2003&DocNum=0039", "title": "PreLex" } }, "comeets": [], "meta": { "source": "http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2003/0039(COD)", "created": "2012-02-09T22:03:45.260000" }, "changes": { "2012-02-09T22:03:45": [ { "data": [ { "date": "2003-02-19T00:00:00", "docs": [ { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!DocNumber&lg=EN&type_doc=COMfinal&an_doc=2003&nu_doc=0077", "text": [ "
\n
PURPOSE : to establish a framework for the European political\nparties and their financing from the Community budget.
\nCONTENT : Article 191 of the Treaty recognises the important role\nthat European political parties can play in developing political\ndebate at the European level, thereby enhancing the quality of\ndemocracy and improving the functioning of the institutions of the\nUnion. It also recognises that in order to perform the role that\nthe Treaty wishes to assign to them, it will be necessary that they\nshould be at least partially financed from the Community budget.\nThe main points of the proposal are as follows:
\n1) The Commission considers that it would be inappropriate to\nestablish intrusive or over prescriptive political requirements for\nthe registration of European political parties, but considers it\nessential to lay down minimum standards of democratic conduct for\nsuch parties. Accordingly, the proposal states that to be that to\nbe registered by the European Parliament a party must:
\n- have participated or declared their intention to participate in\nelections to the European Parliament;
\n- have clearly defined bodies responsible for financial\nmanagement;
\n- ensure that the statute and activities of the European political\nparty respect the basic purposes of the Union with regard to\nfreedom, democracy, human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule\nof law.
\n2) The proposal establishes a procedure for verification of respect\nfor the basic values of the EU. The European Parliament can\nderegister a party which no longer satisfies the conditions for\nregistration.
\n3) To ensure transparency, the Statutes must be published.
\n4) The registration procedure represents a first, necessary but not\nsufficient step to obtain financing. A party must first register\nits statute and then meet the specific additional conditions set\nout in the proposal before it can obtain financing. Registered\nparties would make application for funding to the Parliament which\nwould decide within two months.
\n5) Community financing is given to parties that are reasonably\nrepresentative, either in the European Parliament or in a number of\nMember States. A European political party:
\n- must have elected members in the European Parliament or national\nor regional Parliaments in at least one third of the Member States,\nor
\n-it must have obtained at least five percent of the votes at the\nmost recent European elections in at least one third of the Member\nStates of the Community. The parties must also commit themselves\nnot to accept certain kinds of donations defined in the proposal.\nParties would then be eligible for financing from the Union budget.\nThis financing is not intended to replace the autonomous financing\nof the European parties, which must represent at least 25% of the\nbudget of each party.
\n6) Each party would receive a flat-rate basic grant plus a second\ncomponent based on the number of elected representatives in the\nEuropean Parliament. The two components would account for 15% and\n85% of the appropriations respectively.
\n7) European political parties must publish their accounts and\ndeclare their sources of finance (excluding donations not exceeding\nÇ 100) from whatever source. Standard reporting, accounting\nand audit procedures are laid down in accordance withthe Financial\nRegulation.
\n8) There is provision for an external and independent auditing of\nthe accounts of the parties.
\n9) This proposal will be financed by specific administrative\nexpenditure of the Parliament (section I of the budget), in\naccordance with the provision for an article entitled \"Contribution\nto European Political Parties\" made by the Budgetary Authority in\nthe Parliament's budget for 2002 and 2003.
\n
\n" ], "title": "COM(2003)0077", "type": "Legislative proposal published", "celexid": "CELEX:52003PC0077:EN" } ], "type": "Legislative proposal", "body": "EC", "commission": [ { "DG": "Secretariat General" } ] }, { "date": "2003-03-10T00:00:00", "body": "EP", "type": "Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading", "committees": [ { "body": "EP", "responsible": true, "committee": "AFCO", "date": "2003-02-17T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Constitutional Affairs", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "PSE", "name": "LEINEN Jo" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "BUDG", "date": "2003-03-25T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Budgets", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "ELDR", "name": "MULDER Jan" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "CONT", "date": "2003-03-18T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Budgetary Control", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "PSE", "name": "KUHNE Helmut" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "JURI", "date": "2003-03-18T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Legal Affairs and Internal Market", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "ELDR", "name": "DE CLERCQ Willy C.E.H." } ] } ] }, { "date": "2003-04-15T00:00:00", "docs": [ { "type": "Committee draft report", "title": "PE323.576" } ], "body": "EP", "type": "Committee draft report" }, { "body": "EP", "committees": [ { "body": "EP", "responsible": true, "committee": "AFCO", "date": "2003-02-17T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Constitutional Affairs", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "PSE", "name": "LEINEN Jo" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "BUDG", "date": "2003-03-25T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Budgets", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "ELDR", "name": "MULDER Jan" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "CONT", "date": "2003-03-18T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Budgetary Control", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "PSE", "name": "KUHNE Helmut" } ] }, { "body": "EP", "responsible": false, "committee": "JURI", "date": "2003-03-18T00:00:00", "committee_full": "Legal Affairs and Internal Market", "rapporteur": [ { "group": "ELDR", "name": "DE CLERCQ Willy C.E.H." } ] } ], "docs": [ { "url": "http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A5-2003-0170&language=EN", "type": "Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading", "title": "A5-0170/2003" } ], "text": [ "
\n
The committee adopted the report by Jo LEINEN (PES, D)\namending the Commission proposal under the 1st reading of the\ncodecision procedure. To avoid creating false expectations, MEPs\ndecided that the regulation should simply lay down the rules on\nfunding and not establish a statute as such for European parties.\nIt was felt, following criticism by the Court of Auditors in 2000,\nthat the issue of financing must be dealt with as a matter of\nurgency.
\nThe committee also amended the definition of \"European political\nparty\" as laid down in the regulation, specifying that it meant \"an\nassociation of citizens, or federation of political parties from\nMember States, recognised by or established in accordance with the\nlegal order of at least one Member State and contributing at\nEuropean level to forming and expressing the political will of the\ncitizens of the Union while being represented in, or seeking to be\nrepresented in, the European Parliament\".
\nOn the most controversial issue, namely, who should be responsible\nfor managing the funding available (EUR 8.4 million per year), MEPs\ndisagreed with the Commission's proposal that these funds should be\nregarded as special expenditure of Parliament and should therefore\nbe placed under Parliament's responsibility. Instead, they wanted\nthe Commission to take on this task.
\nThe Commission had proposed that, to qualify for funding, a\nEuropean political party must be represented in the European\nParliament or in legislative assemblies at national or regional\nlevel in at least one third of the Member States, or must have\nreceived at least 5% of the votes cast at the most recent European\nelections in at least one third of the Member States. However, MEPs\nwanted to set thresholds of one quarter of the Member States in\nthese cases. Moreover, they did not believe that separate,\npreliminary registration with Parliament, as proposed by the\nCommission, was needed.
\nIn other amendments, the committee said that a European political\nparty which receives funding must specify donors and donations\nexceeding EUR 1 000 (rather than EUR 100 as proposed by the\nCommission). It also raised to EUR 15 000 per year the threshold\nbeyond which donations from individuals or organisations should not\nbe accepted (the Commission had proposed a threshold of EUR 5 000).\nMEPs also proposed that European political parties should be\nallowed to charge membership fees.
\nAlthough the proposal stipulated that funds provided to European\npolitical parties from the EU budget must not be used for direct\nfinancing of national or regional political parties, the committee\nwanted to allow two exceptions: the funding of European Parliament\nelection campaigns and \"party activity at any level that is\ndirectly associated with the politics of the European Union\".
\nLastly, to enable existing European parties to adapt to the new\nrules, MEPs called for the regulation to apply as of the start of\nParliament's next term of office rather than three months after it\nhas been published in the Official Journal, as the Commission had\nproposed.
\n
\n" ], "date": "2003-05-20T00:00:00", "type": "Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading" }, { "date": "2003-06-16T00:00:00", "body": "CSL", "type": "Council Meeting", "council": "General Affairs", "meeting_id": "2519" }, { "date": "2003-06-18T00:00:00", "body": "EP", "type": "Debate in Parliament" }, { "date": "2003-06-19T00:00:00", "docs": [ { "url": "http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P5-TA-2003-0289", "text": [ "
\n
The European Parliament adopted a resolution, which was based\non the report by Jo LEINEN (PES, Germany) but differed in some\nrespects by the report adopted by the committee. The main\namendments to the Commission's proposal were as follows:
\n- \"European political party\" is changed to \"political party at\nEuropean level\";
\n- Such a party must meet the following conditions:
\n1) It must have legal personality in the Member State in which its\nseat is located;
\n2) It must be represented, in at least one quarter of the Member\nStates, by Members of the European Parliament, in the national\nparliaments or regional parliaments or regional assemblies, or must\nhave received, in at least one quarter of the Member States, at\nleast three per cent of the votes cast in each of those Member\nStates at the most recent European elections;
\n3) It must observe, in particular in its programme and through its\nactions, the principles on which the EU is founded: the principles\nof liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental\nfreedoms, and the rule of law;
\n4) It must have participated in elections to the European\nParliament or expressed its intention to do so.
\n- In order to receive funding, a political party at European level\nmust file an application with the European Parliament each year.\nThe latter will take a decision within three months. The first\napplication has to be filed with a number of specified documents.\nIf the relevant conditions are no longer met, the party will be\nexcluded from financing under the Regulation.
\n- The party must declare its sources of finance by providing a list\nspecifying donors and donations exceeding EUR 500 (the Commission\nproposed that all donations above EUR 100 should be\ndeclared.)
\n- The party may not accept donations from any undertaking over\nwhich the public authorities directly or indirectly may exert a\ndominant influence by dint of ownership, a financial holding or the\nrules by which it is governed. This clause replaces the Commission\nproposal to ban donations from bodies in which the State holds over\n50% of the capital.
\n- Donations exceeding EUR 12000 are also banned (this figure\nreplaces the Commission's proposal of EUR 5000)
\n- Dues from political parties which are members of a political\nparty at European level are admissible so long as they do not\nexceed 40% of that party's annual budget.
\n- The European Parliament will publish details of the technical\nsupport given to each political party at European level in an\nannual report.
\n- Financing under this Regulation will apply from the opening of\nthe first session following the 2004 European Parliament\nelections.
\n
\n" ], "type": "Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading", "title": "T5-0289/2003" } ], "body": "EP", "type": "Text adopted by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading" }, { "date": "2003-09-29T00:00:00", "body": "", "type": "Act adopted by Council after Parliament's 1st reading" }, { "date": "2003-09-29T00:00:00", "body": "CSL", "type": "Council Meeting", "council": "General Affairs", "meeting_id": "X019" }, { "date": "2003-11-04T00:00:00", "body": "", "type": "Final act signed" }, { "date": "2003-11-04T00:00:00", "body": "EP", "type": "End of procedure in Parliament" }, { "date": "2003-11-15T00:00:00", "text": [ "
\n
PURPOSE : to establish a framework for the European political\nparties and their financing from the Community budget.
\nLEGISLATIVE ACT : Regulation 2004/2003/EC of the European\nParliament and of the Council on the regulations governing\npolitical parties at European level and the rules regarding their\nfunding.
\nCONTENT : this Regulation establishes rules on the regulations\ngoverning political parties at European level and rules regarding\ntheir funding.
\nThis Regulation stipulates that for the purposes of this\nRegulation:
\n1) \"political party\" means an association of citizens:
\n- which pursues political objectives, and
\n- which is either recognised by, or established in accordance with,\nthe legal order of at least one Member State;
\n2) \"alliance of political parties\" means structured cooperation\nbetween at least two political parties;
\n3) \"political party at European level\" means a political party or\nan alliance of political parties which satisfies specific\nconditions.
\nA political party at European level shall satisfy the following\nconditions:
\na) it must have legal personality in the Member State in which its\nseat is located;
\nb) it must be represented, in at least one quarter of Member\nStates, by Members of the European Parliament or in the national\nParliaments or regional Parliaments or in the regional assemblies,\nor it must have received, in at least one quarter of the Member\nStates, at least 3% of the votes cast in each of those Member\nStates at the most recent European Parliament elections;
\nc) it must observe, in particular in its programme and in its\nactivities, the principles on which the European Union is founded,\nnamely the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human\nrights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law;
\nd) it must have participated in elections to the European\nParliament, or have expressed the intention to do so.
\nIn order to receive funding from the general budget of the European\nUnion, a political party at European level shall file an\napplication with the European Parliament each year.
\nThe European Parliament shall adopt a decision within three months\nand authorise and manage the corresponding appropriations.
\nThe first application shall be accompanied by the following\ndocuments: documents proving that the applicant satisfies specific\nconditions; a political programme setting out the objectives of the\npolitical party at European level; a statute defining in particular\nthe bodies responsible for political and financial management as\nwell as the bodies or natural persons holding, in each of the\nMember States concerned, the power of legal representation, in\nparticular for the purposes of the acquisition or disposal of\nmovable and immovable property and of being a party to legal\nproceedings.
\nThe Regulation states that a political party at European level\nshall:
\na) publish its revenue and expenditure and a statement of its\nassets and liabilities annually;
\nb) declare its sources of funding by providing a list specifying\nthe donors and the donations received from each donor, with\ntheexception of donations not exceeding EUR 500;
\nc) not accept:
\n- anonymous donations,
\n- donations from the budgets of political groups in the European\nParliament,
\n- donations from any undertaking over which the public authorities\nmay exercise directly or indirectly a dominant influence by virtue\nof their ownership of it, their financial participation therein, or\nthe rules which govern it,
\n- donations exceeding EUR 12000 per year and per donor from any\nnatural or legal person other than the undertakings referred to in\nthe third indent and without prejudice to the second\nsubparagraph.
\nContributions from political parties which are members of a\npolitical party at European level shall be admissible. They may not\nexceed 40 % of that party's annual budget.
\nThe funding of political parties at European level from the general\nbudget of the European Union or from any other source may not be\nused for the direct or indirect funding of other political parties,\nand in particular national political parties, which shall continue\nto be governed by national rules.
\nAppropriations for funding political parties at European level\nshall be determined under the annual budgetary procedure and shall\nbe implemented in accordance with the Financial Regulation\napplicable to the general budget of the European Communities.
\nThe valuation of movable and immovable property and its\ndepreciation shall be carried out in accordance with Commission\nRegulation (EC) No 2909/2000 of 29 December 2000 on the accounting\nmanagement of the European Communities' non-financial fixed\nassets.
\nControl of funding granted under this Regulation shall be exercised\nin accordance with the Financial Regulation and the implementing\nrules thereto.
\nControl shall also be exercised on the basis of annual\ncertification by an external and independent audit. This\ncertification shall be transmitted, within six months of the end of\nthe financial year concerned, to the European Parliament.
\nFurther to application of this Regulation, any funds improperly\nreceived by political parties at European level from the general\nbudget of the European Union shall be refunded to that\nbudget.
\nAny document or information required by the Court of Auditors in\norder to carry out its task shall be supplied to it at its request\nby the political parties at European level receiving funding\ngranted under this Regulation.
\nWhere expenditure is committed by political parties at European\nlevel jointly with national political parties and other\norganisations, evidence of the expenditure incurred by the\npolitical parties at European level shall be made available to the\nCourt of Auditors.
\nFunding of political parties at European level in their capacity as\nbodies pursuing an objective of general European interest shall not\nbe subject to the provisions of Article 113 of the Financial\nRegulation relating to the decreasing of the funding.
\nAvailable appropriations shall be distributed annually as follows\namong the political parties at European level which have obtained a\npositive decision on their application for funding : 15 % shall be\ndistributed in equal shares and 85 % shall be distributed among\nthose which have elected members in the EuropeanParliament, in\nproportion to the number of elected members.
\nFor the application of these provisions, a Member of the European\nParliament may be a member of only one political party at European\nlevel.
\nFunding charged to the general budget of the European Union shall\nnot exceed 75 % of the budget of a political party at European\nlevel. The burden of proof shall rest with the relevant political\nparty at European level.
\nThe European Parliament shall publish a report not later than 15\nFebruary 2006 on the application of this Regulation and the\nactivities funded. The report shall indicate, where appropriate,\npossible amendments to be made to the funding system.
\nENTRY INTO FORCE : 15 February 2004.
\n
\n" ], "type": "Final act published in Official Journal", "docs": [ { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexplus!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&numdoc=32003R2004", "title": "Regulation 2003/2004" }, { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:L:2003:297:SOM:EN:HTML", "title": "OJ\u00a0L 297 15.11.2003, p. 0001-0004" } ] }, { "date": "2004-03-29T00:00:00", "docs": [ { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&model=guicheti&numdoc=32004D0612(01)", "text": [ "
\n

PURPOSE:  The establishment of procedures\ngoverning political parties at European level and the rules\nregarding their funding. The implementation of Regulation\n2004/2003.

\n

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision of the Bureau of the\nEuropean Parliament laying down the procedures for implementing\nRegulation No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the\nCouncil on the Regulations governing political parties at European\nlevel and the rules regarding their funding.

\n

CONTENT: The rules laid out in this Decision create\nthe procedures governing the political parties at European level\nand the rules regarding their funding. The rules are as\nfollows:

\n

\n-        \nThe European Parliament will\npublish annual calls for proposals with a view to awarding grants\nto fund political parties at European level

\n

\n-        \nAny political party wishing to\nreceive a grant from the general budget of the EU must submit a\nwritten application prior to the 15 November.

\n

\n-        \nThe Bureau will be responsible\nfor assessing funding applications. Before the 15 February, the\nBureau must draw up a list of beneficiaries and the amounts of the\ngrants awarded. The President shall inform applicants of the action\ntaken on their applications.

\n

\n-        \nA grant awarded to a political\nparty must be the subject of a written agreement between the\nEuropean Parliament and the beneficiary.

\n

\n-        \nGrants will be paid in the form\nof pre-financing in two instalments. The first must not be more\nthan 50% of the maximum amount of the grant, to be paid within 15\ndays following the signing of the agreement. The second brings the\ntotal pre-financing to no more than 80% of the maximum amount of\nthe grants and is to be paid to the beneficiary upon request. The\nbalance should be paid once the period of eligibility for Community\nfunding has come to an end and will be based on the expenditure\nactually incurred by the beneficiary. If the total amount exceeds\nthe figure of the final grant, then the European Parliament will\nrecover the sums unduly paid.

\n

\n-        \nAt least six months before the\nend of the financial year, the beneficiary must submit a final\nreport, a financial statement, a comprehensive summary of revenue\nand expenditure and a report on an external audit of the accounts\ncarried out by an independent body or expert. If not satisfied, the\nBureau may reject both the final report and the financial statement\nand call for a fresh report.

\n

\n-        \nIn terms of determining the\nfinal grant, the Bureau will determine the amount of the final\ngrant to be awarded based on the documentation received and\noutlined above.

\n

\n-        \nUnder no circumstances may the\ntotal amount paid by Parliament exceed the maximum amount of the\ngrants laid down in the grant award agreement or 75% of the\neligible expenditure actually incurred. The grant shall be limited\nto the amount needed to balance revenue and eligible expenditure in\nthe operating budget of the beneficiary.

\n

\n-        \nOn a proposal from the Secretary\nGeneral, the Bureau can suspend payments and reduce the grant and\nunder certain conditions it may decide to terminate the grant award\nagreement.

\n

\n-        \nIn cases where amounts have been\nunduly paid to the beneficiary then there are procedures allowing\nthe money to be recovered.

\n

\n-        \nChecks and audit provisions have\nbeen put in place. These provisions include, inter alia, that all\nrelevant documentation is kept for a period of five\nyears.

\n

\n-        \nThe Bureau has the authority, on\na proposal from the Secretary General, to grant political parties\ntechnical assistance.

\n

\n-        \nDetails of all the grants\nawarded by Parliament during a given financial year will be\npublished on the internet. Details include the name and address of\nthe beneficiary, the purpose for which the grant was awarded, the\namount awarded and the proportion of the beneficiary's total\noperating budget covered by the funding.

\n

\n-        \nProvisions for a right of appeal\nhave been put in place as well as transitional rules for the\nfinancial year 2004.

\n

\n-        \nLastly, a report on the\nimplementation of the rules must be submitted by the Secretary\nGeneral before the 30 September 2005. The report should, if\nnecessary, include any proposed changed that may need to be\nmade.

\n

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 13 June 2004.

\n
\n" ], "celexid": "CELEX:32004D0612(01):EN", "type": "Implementing legislative act", "title": "32004D0612(01)" }, { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:C:2004:155:SOM:EN:HTML", "type": "Implementing legislative act", "title": "OJ C 155 12.06.2004, p. 0001-0025" } ], "body": "CSL", "type": "Implementing legislative act" }, { "date": "2004-03-29T00:00:00", "docs": [ { "url": "http://eur-lex.europa.eu/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=EN&model=guicheti&numdoc=32004D0612(01)", "text": [ "
\n

PURPOSE:  The establishment of procedures\ngoverning political parties at European level and the rules\nregarding their funding. The implementation of Regulation\n2004/2003.

\n

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision of the Bureau of the\nEuropean Parliament laying down the procedures for implementing\nRegulation No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the\nCouncil on the Regulations governing political parties at European\nlevel and the rules regarding their funding.

\n

CONTENT: The rules laid out in this Decision create\nthe procedures governing the political parties at European level\nand the rules regarding their funding. The rules are as\nfollows:

\n

\n-        \nThe European Parliament will\npublish annual calls for proposals with a view to awarding grants\nto fund political parties at European level

\n

\n-        \nAny political party wishing to\nreceive a grant from the general budget of the EU must submit a\nwritten application prior to the 15 November.

\n

\n-        \nThe Bureau will be responsible\nfor assessing funding applications. Before the 15 February, the\nBureau must draw up a list of beneficiaries and the amounts of the\ngrants awarded. The President shall inform applicants of the action\ntaken on their applications.

\n

\n-        \nA grant awarded to a political\nparty must be the subject of a written agreement between the\nEuropean Parliament and the beneficiary.

\n

\n-        \nGrants will be paid in the form\nof pre-financing in two instalments. The first must not be more\nthan 50% of the maximum amount of the grant, to be paid within 15\ndays following the signing of the agreement. The second brings the\ntotal pre-financing to no more than 80% of the maximum amount of\nthe grants and is to be paid to the beneficiary upon request. The\nbalance should be paid once the period of eligibility for Community\nfunding has come to an end and will be based on the expenditure\nactually incurred by the beneficiary. If the total amount exceeds\nthe figure of the final grant, then the European Parliament will\nrecover the sums unduly paid.

\n

\n-        \nAt least six months before the\nend of the financial year, the beneficiary must submit a final\nreport, a financial statement, a comprehensive summary of revenue\nand expenditure and a report on an external audit of the accounts\ncarried out by an independent body or expert. If not satisfied, the\nBureau may reject both the final report and the financial statement\nand call for a fresh report.

\n

\n-        \nIn terms of determining the\nfinal grant, the Bureau will determine the amount of the final\ngrant to be awarded based on the documentation received and\noutlined above.

\n

\n-        \nUnder no circumstances may the\ntotal amount paid by Parliament exceed the maximum amount of the\ngrants laid down in the grant award agreement or 75% of the\neligible expenditure actually incurred. The grant shall be limited\nto the amount needed to balance revenue and eligible expenditure in\nthe operating budget of the beneficiary.

\n

\n-        \nOn a proposal from the Secretary\nGeneral, the Bureau can suspend payments and reduce the grant and\nunder certain conditions it may decide to terminate the grant award\nagreement.

\n

\n-        \nIn cases where amounts have been\nunduly paid to the beneficiary then there are procedures allowing\nthe money to be recovered.

\n

\n-        \nChecks and audit provisions have\nbeen put in place. These provisions include, inter alia, that all\nrelevant documentation is kept for a period of five\nyears.

\n

\n-        \nThe Bureau has the authority, on\na proposal from the Secretary General, to grant political parties\ntechnical assistance.

\n

\n-        \nDetails of all the grants\nawarded by Parliament during a given financial year will be\npublished on the internet. Details include the name and address of\nthe beneficiary, the purpose for which the grant was awarded, the\namount awarded and the proportion of the beneficiary's total\noperating budget covered by the funding.

\n

\n-        \nProvisions for a right of appeal\nhave been put in place as well as transitional rules for the\nfinancial year 2004.

\n

\n-        \nLastly, a report on the\nimplementation of the rules must be submitted by the Secretary\nGeneral before the 30 September 2005. The report should, if\nnecessary, include any proposed changed that may need to be\nmade.

\n

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 13 June 2004.

\n
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