General Information
What is a European political party?
A European political party is a political organisation operating transnationally in Europe that finds its formal legal basis in the Treaty Establishing the European Community. Art. 191 of the Treaty states: Political parties at European level are important as a factor for integration within the Union. They contribute to forming a European awareness and to expressing the political will of the citizens of the Union.
In 2003, the Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation (CE) No 2004/2003 laying down the rules for recognition of a European political party, generating entitlement for community funding. To be considered European a political party must fulfil the following conditions:
- It must have legal personality in the Member state in which its seat is located.
- It must be represented in a least one quarter of the Member States.
- It must observe the principles on which the European Union is founded, namely the principle of liberty, democracy, the respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.
- It must have participated in elections to the European parliament or have expressed the intention to do so.
What is a Group in the European Parliament?
Political groups are not to be confused with the above mentioned political parties as the groups are to be found in the European Parliament (EP) whereas the political parties sit outside the EP. The Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC 18 April 1951) did not make provisions for political groups. However, members very soon began grouping themselves according to their political allegiance, and on 16th June 1953 the Assembly decided to add a new article to the Rules of Procedure allowing for the formation of groups.
Political groups play a role in putting forward candidates for the post of President of the European Parliament and for the posts of Vice-Presidents and Quaestors, in determining the composition of committees and delegations, in appointing rapporteurs and in organising parliamentary activities in general. Among the current political groups there are:
- The Independence / Democracy Group (24 seats)
- The Greens/European Free Alliance Group (42 seats)
- The Group of the United Left / Nordic Green Left (41 seats)
- Identity, Tradition and Sovereignty Group (23 seats)
- Group of the Party of the European Socialists (201 seats)
- Group of the European Peoples Party European Democrats (277 seats)
- Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (103 seats)
- Union for Europe of the Nations (44 seats)
What is a European political Foundation?
A European political foundation is a non profit organisation that operates several projects with a political dimension at the European level.
A pilot project on European Political Foundations was introduced by the European Parliament in the 2007 EU budget. In the justification for the budget line, the European Parliament underlined that: given the current crisis of confidence in the European Union, the European political foundations are a tool for the EU to reach out to its citizens. () In a joint endeavour, political foundations serve to promote greater understanding, debate and new thinking, as well constituting a channel through which a greater number of citizens can actively participate in European democracy. Providing a space for debate for national political foundations, think tanks and academics connected to a political movement, European political foundations are as such linked to European political parties.
Political Foundations are yet to be properly established on the EU level, but it is hoped that they will facilitate the European political parties efforts in informing the EU about the EU.
Interconnection Groups-Parties-Foundations
Groups can stand in the European Parliament when they constitute of twenty members of the European Parliament, representing at least one-fifth of the member states. Although they can be affiliated to the Groups, European political parties are a separate entity with their own agendas. They are based outside the Parliament with the objective of preparing for a hypothetic era of EU wide elections with transnational campaigns (until today, one can only vote for a party based in his own country). Nonetheless, European political parties are set to play a bigger role in the near future. Finally, the European Parliament has started a pilot project that aims to set up political foundations affiliated to the parties. By the end of 2007 it is hoped that these foundations will play an important role in educating and attracting people to take an interest in the European project.
