29/01/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday, 29 January, MEPs on the European Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) approved – by 20 votes and one abstention – the interinstitutional agreement reached in mid-January (see EUROPE 12173) regarding the targeted amendment of the 2014 Regulation on the financing of European political parties to include the possibility of imposing sanctions in the event of deliberate violations of data protection rules in order to influence the results of European elections (see EUROPE 12094). Fines will amount to 5% of the European Party’s annual budget, sanctioned by the Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations. The entire Parliament will vote on the text in March before the EU Council (see EUROPE 12180) formally adopts the new rules in April. They will be applicable from the European elections in May. (MF)