On Monday 21 November, the European Parliament’s Bureau (its President and Vice-Presidents) has ascertained that a total sum of €500,615.55 from the 2015 expenditure of the European political party ADDE (Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe, including Eurosceptic party UKIP) was not eligible for a grant given by the European Parliament.
The activities of the ADDE which were found by an external audit and Parliament's administration to breach the rules for European party financing included nine opinion polls held in the UK ahead of the 2015 general election as well as ahead of the EU referendum in 2016, financing for the Belgian popular party, financing of advertising in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf canvassing voters ahead of the referendum in the Netherlands on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, and a report on the aforementioned polls.
The financial impact totalling €500,615.55 is comprised as follow: - €172,655 from the 80% advance payment received by the party; - €248,345, the remaining 20% of the allowance; - €59,301.30 for non-eligible activities in Belgium; - €33,863.50 for other non-eligible activities of the IDDE foundation affiliated to the ADDE party (such as advertising in the De Telegraaf newspaper). (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)