By adopting on Wednesday 13 July the draft report by Charles Goerens (Renew Europe, Luxembourgian) and Rainer Wieland (EPP, German), the European Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs does not prohibit the possibility for political parties from Council of Europe Member States to be members of a European political party or to finance it, contrary to the position of the Council of the EU (see EUROPE 12916/23).
MEPs set out a number of provisions to allow ‘like-minded parties’ from third countries to belong to European political parties and their foundations without jeopardising the EU’s fundamental values. Thus, these parties will have to respect values equivalent to those enshrined in Article 2 of the EU Treaty. And they must be from third countries that are full members of the Council of Europe. This provision takes into account, inter alia, the exclusion of Russia from the Strasbourg Assembly because of its military invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Goerens believes that the agreed text will “strengthen citizens’ representation at EU-level, also for people outside of it”, according to a Parliament press release. Mr Wieland believes that important changes have been introduced with the creation of a new category to clearly distinguish between financial contributions to European parties from political parties from inside and outside the EU. However, he expressed the EPP Group’s reservations about removing the co-financing requirement for European political parties in an election year.
It should be noted that the parliamentary committee also believes that European political parties will be able to co-finance national referendums on any issue directly related to the EU.
Trilogue negotiations will start after the summer, with a view of reaching an agreement by spring 2023, so that the reform will be in place for the 2024 European elections.
See the compromise amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/2md (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)