EU law must be strengthened to ensure that European political parties and their European foundations, as well as their individual members, respect fundamental European values, says the European Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs in a draft report adopted on Tuesday 19 October by a large majority (23 votes in favour, 2 against and 3 abstentions).
In a compromise amendment, MEPs stress that respect for the fundamental values enshrined in the EU Treaty Article is a condition for eligibility for EU financial assistance. They call for a strengthening of the supervisory powers granted to the Authority for European political parties and European political foundations, which has the ultimate possibility to impose sanctions.
The Authority should also, according to MEPs, make public any donation, regardless of its value, and increase its monitoring of donations with a cumulative value of over €3,000.
“In the face of threats to our fundamental rights from outside and within our Union, and with compliance for European values as its permeating principle, this report is both urgent and necessary”, said co-rapporteur Charles Goerens (Renew Europe, Luxembourg). For the other co-rapporteur, Rainer Wieland (EPP, Germany), the report identifies reforms that will reduce bureaucracy, increase transparency, strengthen European authority and establish a sanction mechanism that works.
European statute. The parliamentary committee also suggests the creation of a specific European statute for European political parties and their foundations. It also advocates giving European parties more flexibility in self-financing and allowing them to contribute to the financing of campaigns in referendums on European issues.
The draft report will be adopted at the November mini-plenary session, with legislative proposals from the European Commission expected later next month.
The previous legislative reform was in 2019 (see EUROPE 11971/3).
See the draft report: https://bit.ly/3lXLlXl
See the adopted compromise amendments: https://bit.ly/3vtAveG (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)