38 Amendments of Andrew DUFF related to 2012/0237(COD)
Amendment 36 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Truly transnational European political parties and their affiliated European political foundations have a key role to play in articulating the voices of citizens at European level by bridging the gap between politics at national and Union level.
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) As a recognition of the mission attributed to European political parties in the Treaty and in order to facilitate their work, a specific European legal status should be established for European political parties and their affiliated European political foundations, providing them with full legal capacity and recognition in all the Member States. In due course, and after a review period, the Commission should consider the possibility of making proposals to consolidate the independent legal status of the European political parties and foundations.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) To increase the transparency of European political party recognition and funding, and in order to avoid potential abuse of the funding rules, a Member of the European Parliament should, for the purposes of funding only, be considered as a member of only one European political party, which should, where relevant, be the one to which his or her national or regional political party is affiliated on the final date for the submission of applications. (Move this recital to 11a)
Amendment 54 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) European political parties should be able to finance campaigns conducted in the context of elections to the European Parliament, while the funding and limitation of election expenses for parties and candidates at such elections should be governed by the rules applicable in each Member Statelaid down in delegated acts. In order to help raise the European political awareness of citizens of the Union and to promote the transparency of the European electoral process, European political parties should be encouraged to inform citizens during elections to the European Parliament of the ties between them and their affiliated national political parties and candidates.
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17 a (new)
Recital 17 a (new)
(17 a) European political parties should be able to finance campaigns conducted in the context of referenda in one or several Member States which concern directly matters relating to the European Union, while the funding and limitation of election expenses for parties and candidates in such referenda campaigns should be laid down in delegated acts.
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) European political parties should not fund, directly or indirectly, other political parties and in particular national parties or candidates. European political foundations should not fund, directly or indirectly, European or national political parties or candidates. Moreover, European political parties and their affiliated European political foundations should not finance national, regional or local referenda campaigns. These principles reflect Declaration No 11 on Article 191 of the T which do not concern questions relaty establishing the European Community annexed to the Final Act of the Treaty of Niceing to the European Union.
Amendment 59 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) For reasons of transparency, and in order to strengthen the scrutiny and the democratic accountability of European political parties and European political foundations, information considered to be of substantial public interest, related notably to their statutes, membership, financial statements, donors and donations, [contributions] and grants received from the budget of the Union, as well as information related to decisions taken by the European Parliament on registration, funding and penalties, should be published. Establishing a regulatory framework to ensure that this information is publicly available is the most effective means of promoting a level playing field and fair competition between political forces, and of upholding open, transparent and democratic legislative and electoral processes, thereby strengthening the trust of citizens and voters in European representative democracy, and, more broadly, preventing corruption and abuses of power. In compliance with the principle of proportionality, thThe parties should be obligationed to publish the identity of natural persons should not apply to those members of a European political party who have not given their express consent for publication or to donations equal to or belowies of their officers and of their donors who donate sums of EUR 15 000 per year andor above per donoyear. Also in compliance with the principle of proportionality, information on donations should be published annually, except during election campaigns to the European Parliament or for donations exceeding EUR 12 000 where publication should take place expeditiously.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) Specific rules and procedures shall be laid down for distributing the appropriations available each year from the general budget of the European Union, taking into account, on the one hand, the number of beneficiaries and, on the other, the share of elected members in the European Parliament of each beneficiary European political party and, by extension, its respective affiliated European political foundation. These rules shall provide for strict transparency, accounting, auditing and financial control of European political parties and their affiliated European political foundations, and auditing provisions by the European Parliament and the Court of Auditors as well as proportionate sanctions, including in the event of a breach by a European political party or a European political foundation of the values on which the Union is founded. The European Parliament should establish a consultative committee of independent eminent persons.
Amendment 68 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) The European Parliament should verify regularly that the conditions and requirements related to the registration and funding of European political parties or European political foundations continue to be met. This verification should be carried out annually, orregularly, as well as following a motivated request by any natural or legal person. The Parliament should publish its verification along with all relevant documentation submitted to it by the political parties. Decisions related to respect for the values on which the Union is founded should only be taken in accordance with a procedure specifically designed to this effect, and in consultation with a committee of independent eminent persons.
Amendment 76 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3
(3) ‘European political party’ means a ‘political alliance’ which pursues political objectives andby campaigning for votes and seats at elections to the European Parliament, by promoting candidates for the European Commission and by campaigning in referendums on matters related to the European Union. A European political party is registered with the European Parliament in accordance with the conditions and procedures laid down in this Regulation,
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5
(5) ‘regional Parliament’ or ‘regional assembly’ means a body whose members either hold a regional electoral mandate or are politically accountable to an elected assemblyith legislative powers under the constitutional law of a Member State, as notified to the European Parliament,
Amendment 83 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7
(7) ‘donation’ means cash offerings and other donations in kind (goods or services) that constitute an economic financial advantage for the European political party or the European political foundation concerned.
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b – paragraph 1
(b) it must be represented, in at least one quarterthird of the Member States, by Members of the European Parliament or in the national Parliaments, regional Parliaments or regional assemblies, or
Amendment 107 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. A Member of the European Parliament, of State Parliaments or of regional parliaments or regional assemblies shall be considered as a member of only one European political party, which shall, where relevant, be the one to which his or her State or regional political party is affiliated,
Amendment 112 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) the name of the party, which must be clearly distinguishable, also in its short form, from that of any existing European political partyand its emblem or logo,
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) the admission, resignation and exclusion of the party's members, with the list of members annexed to itaffiliate member parties,
Amendment 126 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point a a (new)
(a a) the admission, resignation and exclusion of the individual members of the party,
Amendment 129 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) the democratic election of and democratic decision-making processes for all other governing bodies, specifying for each its powers, responsibilities and composition, and including the modalities for the appointment and dismissal of itsthe members of those bodies, and clear and transparent criteria for the selection of candidates and the election of the leader of the party and other office-holders, whose mandate must be limited in time but may be renewable,
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. The European Parliament shall publish all documentation submitted to it by the political parties and foundations as part of their application.
Amendment 171 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 7
Article 6 – paragraph 7
7. The updated list of memberaffiliate member parties of a European political party, annexed to the party statutes in accordance with Article 4(2)(a), shall be sent to the European Parliament on a yearly basis, but within four weeks of any changes following which the European political party may no longer satisfy the requirement in Article 3(1)(b).
Amendment 179 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
The European Parliament shall verify annualregularly that the conditions and requirements set out in Articles 3, 4 and 5 continue to be met by the European political parties and the European political foundations.
Amendment 183 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 201 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
This committee shall consist of threnine members, with the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission each appointing onthree members within six months after the end of the first session of the European Parliament following elections to the European Parliament. The secretariat and funding of the committee shall be provided by the European Parliament.
Amendment 207 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 3
Article 7 – paragraph 3
3. Any natural or legal person may, at any moment, introduce a motivated request to the European Parliament to verify that one or more of the conditions and requirements referred to in paragraph 1 continue to be met. A breach of the values on which the Union is founded by a European political party, including its members, or a European political foundation can only be established in accordance with paragraph 2of Articles 3, 4 and 5 continue to be met.
Amendment 211 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 4
Article 7 – paragraph 4
4. If the European Parliament, after having consulted the committee of independent eminent persons, finds that any of the conditions or requirements referred to in paragraph 1Articles 3, 4 and 5 are no longer satisfied, the provisions provided for in Article 11 or in Article 22 or in both shall apply, having due regard to the provisions of Article 23.
Amendment 239 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2
Article 11 – paragraph 2
2. The European Parliament, after having consulted the independent committee, shall adopt a decision on the termination of the European legal status and the removal from the Registry.
Amendment 271 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 2
Article 15 – paragraph 2
2. European political parties and European political foundations shall, at the time of the submission of their annual financial statements to the European Parliament in accordance with Article 19, also transmit a list of all donors with their corresponding donationsof donations in excess of EUR 5 000, indicating both the nature and the value of the individual donations. This paragraph shall also apply to the contributions made by members referred to in paragraphs 7 and 8.
Amendment 274 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 4
Article 15 – paragraph 4
Amendment 285 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 7
Article 15 – paragraph 7
7. Contributions to a European political party from its memberaffiliate member parties shall be admissible. These contributions shall not exceed 40 % of the annual budget of that European political party.
Amendment 292 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 17 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Amendment 298 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 17 a (new)
Article 17 a (new)
Article 17 a Financing of campaigns in the context of referenda 1. The funding of European political parties from the general budget of the European Union or from any other source may be used to finance campaigns conducted by the European political parties in the context of referenda in one or several Member States which concern directly matters relating to the European Union. 2. The funding and limitation of campaign expenses for the European political parties in referenda shall be laid down in delegated acts.
Amendment 303 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 3
Article 18 – paragraph 3
3. The funding of European political parties and European political foundations from the general budget of the European Union or from any other source shall not be used to finance national, regional or local referenda campaigns which do not concern questions relating to the European Union.
Amendment 334 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The European Parliament shall impose on a European political party or a European political foundation a fine according to a scale to be determined by iunder a delegated act:
Amendment 354 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2
Article 23 – paragraph 2
2. Before taking a final decision, the European Parliament shall consult the committee of independent eminent persons. If the European Parliament considers it necessary, it may hear other natural or legal persons, including any complainants referred to in Article 7(3).
Amendment 362 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) the names of donors and their corresponding donations reported by the European political parties and European political foundations in accordance with Article 15(2), (3) and (4), with the exception of donations from natural persons not exceeding a value of EUR 1 5000 per year and per donor which shall be reported as ‘minor donations’,
Amendment 365 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – point f
Article 24 – paragraph 1 – point f
(f) the contributions referred to in Article 15(7) and (8) and reported by the European political parties and European political foundations in accordance with Article 15(2), including also the identity of the members who have made the contributions, with the exception of those contributions from natural persons not exceeding a value of EUR 15 000 per year and per member which shall be reported as ‘minor contributions’,
Amendment 373 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2
Article 24 – paragraph 2
2. From the list of memberThe European Parliament shall publish the list of affiliate member parties of a European political party, annexed to the party statutes in accordance with Article 4(2) and updated in accordance with Article 6(7), the European Parliament shall publish the total number of members, the identity of the legal persons that are members, as well as the names of those natural persons who have given their express written consent to their publication. European political parties shall request this consent as a matter of course from all natural persons who are members.
Amendment 378 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 24 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 24 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. The European Parliament shall publish on an annual basis lists of all the Members of the European Parliament, of national parliaments, and of regional parliaments or assemblies who are members of European political parties, along with their respective party affiliation.