After two years of deadlock, negotiators from the European Parliament and the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union reached a provisional political agreement in Strasbourg on Tuesday 17 June on the reform of European political parties and their political foundations (see EUROPE 13659/19).
Poland’s Minister for European Affairs, Adam Szłapka, described the agreement as a “major step” towards greater accountability of European political parties “in terms of transparency, funding, and compliance with EU values”, in a press release.
Charles Goerens (Renew Europe, Luxembourgian), the European Parliament’s co-rapporteur on this issue, described it as a “typical agreement” at European level, where no-one gets everything they want. “We have clarified the status of parties from non-European countries” - they will be able to become “associate members” of European parties and take part in votes without their vote contributing to a majority, he told Agence Europe.
In addition, these parties from non-EU countries will not be authorised to make financial contributions to European parties, even in the form of subscriptions.
For the Member States, solid guarantees were needed to “ensure that there is no foreign interference” within European political parties, commented a European diplomatic source, noting that recent geopolitical developments had helped to create the conditions for an Interinstitutional Agreement.
While the Council had initially refused any participation from non-EU parties, the agreement reached would pave the way for the participation of political parties from: - EU candidate countries; - EFTA countries; - of countries that have left the EU; - European countries with which the EU has concluded association agreements including a free trade agreement. Broadly speaking, these would be the countries of the Council of Europe, with the exception of Azerbaijan and Armenia. Similarly, countries, such as Russia, and individuals subject to EU sanctions will not be able to join a European political party.
It should also be noted that a European political party will have to sign a written declaration affirming its respect for the fundamental values of the EU. And any change in the membership of a European party will require a new declaration to be signed.
On the question of funding, the agreement reached stipulates that the EU will be able to co-finance a European political party and its political foundation up to 95%. Self-generated income (book sales, speaking at conferences, etc.) may amount to 3% of the budget of a European political party and 5% for a foundation.
According to Mr Goerens, the funding of political foundations was discussed by the EU’s co-legislators right up until the last moment, with the foundations alerting them very late on to an issue that was nonetheless existential for them. In the end, Parliament and Council negotiators asked for a specific evaluation and, on this basis, for the conditions governing the funding of foundations to be revised as soon as possible.
“We’re going to have to legislate once again”, said the MEP, believing that Parliament had not been entirely successful on this issue.
Finally, contrary to Parliament’s request, European political parties will not be authorised to finance national referendum campaigns. According to the Council, the agreement nevertheless specifies the type of activities that the European parties and their national members will be able to organise jointly to help raise awareness of European issues among voters. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)