GRANTS TO EUROPEAN POLITICAL PARTIES (2015)

In order to receive a grant from the Parliament, a party must satisfy certain conditions:

• the party must have legal personality in the Member State in which its seat is located,
• it must be represented, in at least one quarter of Member States, by Members of the European Parliament or by Members of national or regional Parliaments or Members of regional assemblies,
• it must observe the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law,
• it must have participated in elections to the European Parliament, or expressed the intention to do so.

Any party meeting the above-mentioned conditions may apply for funding, by sending its application by 30 September each year to the Parliament, together with its work programme and budget for the following year.

Once the applications are evaluated and approved, the funds are distributed among these parties according to a set scale:

• 15% are distributed in equal shares,
• 85% are distributed among those which have elected Members in the European Parliament, in proportion to the number of those Members.

A first instalment, representing 80% of the total awarded grant, is paid in principle by the end of the first quarter of each year. The balance is paid the following year after approval of final reports of the parties by the Bureau of the European Parliament. The final report mainly consists of:

• a final report on the implementation of the programme of activities;
• a final financial statement of the eligible expenditure actually incurred, based on the structure of the provisional budget,
• a comprehensive summary of revenue and expenditure corresponding to the accounts for the period of eligibility covered by the grant decision,
• a report on an external audit of the accounts carried out by an independent auditor, certifying that the grant has been used in compliance with the rules.

Recipients

1. Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe: Grant € 1.241.725 plus € 730.053 for its affiliated political foundation, the Initiative for Direct Democracy
2. Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists: Grant € 1.951.521
3. Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party: (ALDE): Grant € 2.083.480
4. Europe Alliance for Freedom: Grant € 496. 440
5. European Alliance of National Movements: Grant € 354.480
6. Europeans United for Democracy: Grant € 389.970
7. European Christian Political Movement: Grant € 460.850
8. European Democratic Party: Grant € 651.850
9. European Free Alliance: Grant € 709.378
10. European Green Party: Grant € 1.703.093
11. European People’s Party: Grant € 8.091.256
12. Mouvement pour une Europe des Nations et des Libertés: Grant € 1.170.746
13. Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy : Grant € 425.460
14. Party of European Socialists: Grant € 6.541.317
15. Party of the European Left: Grant € 1.632.113