View source for European political party

{{Short description|European-level transnational political party}}
{{about|pan-European political parties|groups of legislators in the European Parliament|Political groups of the European Parliament}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Politics of the European Union mini}}

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A '''European political party''', formerly known as a '''political party at European level'''<ref group=note>Article 10.4 of the 2007 Treaty on European Union states that "political parties at European level contribute to forming European political awareness" and Regulation 1524/2007 of December 2007 establishes "the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding". However, Regulation 1141/2014, adopted in October 2014, is "on the statute and funding of European political parties" and its Article 2 establishes a definition of "European political party".</ref> and informally as a '''Europarty''',<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ahrens |first1=Petra |last2=Miller |first2=Cherry |date=2023-05-11 |title=The relationships between Europarties and European political groups: changing formal and informal rules and the Spitzenkandidatur |url=https://jcer.net/index.php/jcer/article/view/1283 |journal=Journal of Contemporary European Research |language=en |volume=19 |issue=1 |doi=10.30950/jcer.v19i1.1283 |issn=1815-347X|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Clasen |first=Patrick |title=Does the Europarty Still not Matter? European Elections 2019 and the Party of European Socialists |date=2020 |work=Die Europawahl 2019: Ringen um die Zukunft Europas |pages=39–51 |editor-last=Kaeding |editor-first=Michael |publisher=Springer |doi=10.1007/978-3-658-29277-5_4 |isbn=978-3-658-29277-5 |s2cid=219478341 |url=https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hbz:465-20220707-135755-6 |editor2-last=Müller|editor2-first=Manuel|editor3-last=Schmälter|editor3-first=Julia|url-access=subscription }}</ref> is a type of [[European political alliances|European political alliance]] recognised as a [[political party]] operating transnationally in Europe and within the [[Institutions of the European Union|institutions]] of the [[European Union]] (EU). They are regulated and funded by EU Regulation 1141/2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations, and their operations are supervised by the [[Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations]] (APPF). 

European political parties – mostly consisting of national member parties, and few individual members – have the right to campaign during the [[Elections in the European Union|European elections]], for which they often adopt manifestos outlining their positions and ambitions. Ahead of the elections, some of them designate their preferred candidate (known as [[Spitzenkandidat]] or lead candidate) to be the next President of the [[European Commission]]. The work of European parties can be supplemented by that of an officially affiliated [[European political foundation]]; foundations are independent from European parties and contribute to the public debate on policy issues and European integration.<ref>{{cite act |type=Regulation (EU, Euratom) |index=1141/2014 |date=22 October 2014 |article=2 |legislature=European Parliament and Council of the European Union |title=Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014R1141 |language=en}}</ref>

European parties' counterparts in the [[European Parliament]] are the Parliament's [[Political groups of the European Parliament|political groups]].<ref>{{cite web|title=European political parties |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/en/political-parties-and-foundations/european-political-parties |website=European Parliament}}</ref> European parties influence the decision-making process of the [[European Council]] through coordination meetings with their affiliated heads of state and government.<ref>{{cite report |date=2022 |title=European political parties and the European Council: A pattern of ever closer coordination? |publisher=European Parliament Research Service |id=PE 699.476 |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_STU(2022)699476 |language=en}}</ref> They also work closely with their members in the European Commission.

In addition to the registered European political parties, many [[European political alliances#Other political entities|other entities]] are politically active at the European level without meeting the criteria for registration or wishing to register.

==History==

===1970s===
The first European political parties formed during the 1970s, in the run-up to the first elections of the European Parliament by direct [[universal suffrage]] (adopted in 1976, and taking place for the [[1979 European Parliament election|first time in 1979]]). In 1973, following the enlargement of the [[European Community]] to Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, the enlarged Socialist congress met in Bonn and inaugurated the ''Confederation of the Socialist Parties of the European Community''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pes.eu/about-us/history/ |title=History |website=Party of the European Socialists |access-date=29 February 2024}}</ref> In March 1976, the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|Federation of Liberal and Democrat Parties in Europe]] was founded in Stuttgart by parties from Denmark, France, Germany Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aldeparty.eu/about_alde |title=About ALDE |website=Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe |access-date=29 February 2024}}</ref> A few months later, in July, party representatives from Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands met in Luxembourg and founded the [[European People's Party]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.epp.eu/who-we-are |title=Who we are |website=European People's Party |access-date=29 February 2024}}</ref>

===1990s===

[[File:GER — BY — Regensburg - Donaumarkt 1 (Museum der Bayerischen Geschichte; Vertrag von Maastricht) (cropped).JPG|thumb|right|upright=1|[[Maastricht Treaty]] (1992), recognising the existence of European political parties]]

In 1992, Section 41 of the [[Maastricht Treaty|Treaty of Maastricht]]<ref>{{cite act |type=Treaty |index=OJ C 191 |date=29 July 1992 |article=Title II, Article G.E.41 |title=Treaty on European Union |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A11992M%2FTXT |language=en}}</ref> added Article 138a to the [[Treaty of Rome]]. Article 138a (the so called ''party article'') stated that "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", thus officially recognising the existence of European political parties.

In 1997, the [[Amsterdam Treaty|Treaty of Amsterdam]]<ref>{{cite act |type=Treaty |index=OJ C 340 |date=10 November 1997 |article=Articles J.18, K.13 |title=Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A11997D%2FTXT |language=en}}</ref> established who should pay for expenditure authorised by the party article (renumbered Article 191). This provided a mechanism whereby European parties could be paid out of the budget of the European Union, and European parties started to spend the money. Such expenditure included the funding of national parties, an outcome not originally intended.

===2000–2003===
In June 2000, the [[European Court of Auditors]] considered that the funding of European political parties should not be carried out using appropriations made for [[Political groups of the European Parliament|political groups in the European Parliament]], as had long been the case.<ref>{{cite report |date=2000 |title=Special Report No 13/2000 on the expenditure of the European Parliament's political groups, together with the European Parliament's replies |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2000:181:0001:0016:EN:PDF |publisher=European Court of Auditors |page=9 |id=2000/C 181/01 |language=en}}</ref> This decision led the 2001 [[Treaty of Nice]] to add a second paragraph to Article 191 of the [[Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union]] (at the time, the "Treaty establishing the European Economic Community") to explicitly allow the funding of European political parties from the budget of the European Union.<ref>{{cite act |type=Treaty |index=OJ C 80 |date=10 March 2001 |article=Article 2.19 |title=Treaty of Nice amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts |page=114 |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:12002E/TXT&from=EN |language=en}}</ref> The new paragraph stated that "the Council, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 251, shall lay down the regulations governing political parties at European level and in particular the rules regarding their funding." The reference to "Article 251" refers to the [[Codecision procedure|co-decision procedure]], which involves both the European Parliament and the [[Council of the European Union|Council]] as co-legislators.

In November 2003, the European Parliament and the [[Council of the European Union]] adopted Regulation 2004/2003 "on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding". Regulation 2004/2003 provided the first official definition of European political parties and created a framework for their public funding.<ref>{{cite act |type=Regulation |index=2004/2003 |date=4 November 2003 |legislature=The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union |title=Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003 on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32003R2004:EN:HTML |language=en}}</ref>

This framework provided that, out of a total envelope for European parties, 15% would be distributed equally (the lump sum), and 85% would be distributed in proportion to each party's number of [[Member of the European Parliament|members of the European Parliament]] (MEP-based funding). Additionally, public funding could not exceed 75% of a European party's reimbursable expenditure (referred to as the "co-financing rate"); this means that European parties were required to raise 25% of their budget from specific private sources ("own resources"), such as donations or member contributions. Regulation 2004/2003 also introduced transparency obligations, limitations on donations, and prohibitions on spending, including a ban on the direct or indirect funding of national parties and candidates.<ref>{{cite act |type=Regulation |index=2004/2003 |date=4 November 2003 |article=Articles 6, 7 |legislature=The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union |title=Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003 on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32003R2004:EN:HTML |language=en}}</ref>

===2004–2007===

The Regulation was later detailed by the Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 29 March 2004<ref>{{cite act |type=Decision |index=PE 339.509/BUR |date=29 March 2004 |legislature=Bureau of the European Parliament |title=The procedures for implementing Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004D0612(01):EN:NOT |language=en}}</ref> and amended by Regulation 1524/2007.<ref>{{cite act |type=Regulation (EC) |index=1524/2007 |date=18 December 2007 |legislature=European Parliament and Council of the European Union |title=Regulation (EC) No 1524/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2007 amending Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32007R1524 |language=en}}</ref>

In particular, Regulation 1524/2007 clarified the funding framework and changed the co-financing rate, allowing public funding from the general budget of the European Union to reach 85% of European parties' reimbursable expenditure. This change meant that European parties were only requested to provide 15% in private co-financing.

Regulation 1524/2007 also allowed European parties to set up affiliated [[European political foundation]]s, separate entities contributing to the debate on European issues, organising conferences, and carrying out research, and linking like-minded national political foundations. Finally, the revised regulation explicitly allows European parties to finance campaigns conducted for elections to the European Parliament.

===2014===

[[File:Meeting of Vĕra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission, and Pascal Schonard, Director of the APPF.jpg|thumb|[[Vera Jourova|Vĕra Jourová]], former Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Values and Transparency, and Pascal Schonard, Director of the APPF]]

In October 2014, the European Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation 1141/2014, which replaced Regulation 2004/2003 and overhauled the framework for European political parties and foundations, including by giving them a European legal status.<ref name="reg1141">{{cite act |type=Regulation (EU, Euratom) |index=1141/2014 |date=22 October 2014 |article=Article 12 |legislature=European Parliament and Council of the European Union |title=Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014R1141 |language=en}}</ref> It also established the Authority for the European political parties and European political foundations (APPF),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://appf.europa.eu/appf/en/home/the-authority|title=The Authority &#124; About us &#124; Authority for European Political Parties andEuropean Political Foundations|website=appf}}</ref> a standalone entity for the purpose of registering, controlling, and imposing sanctions on European parties and foundations.

Regulation 1141/2014 applied as of 1 January 2017, and covered the activities of European parties and foundations starting with the financial year 2018. Since then, applications for public funding are placed with the APPF, but decisions on funding remain with the European Parliament.

===2018–2019===
In May 2018, the European Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation 2018/673, which amended Regulation 1141/2014 by detailing provisions relating to the registration of political parties and foundations, and transparency regarding political programmes and party logos.<ref>{{cite act |type=Regulation (EU, Euratom) |index=2018/673 |date=3 May 2018 |legislature=European Parliament and Council of the European Union |title=Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/673 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 May 2018 amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32018R0673 |language=en}}</ref>

Among others, Regulation 2018/673 introduced a number of changes, including the following:<ref>{{cite act |type=Regulation (EU, Euratom) |index=2018/673 |date=3 May 2018 |article=Articles 1.6, 1.8 |legislature=European Parliament and Council of the European Union |title= Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/673 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 May 2018 amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32018R0673 |language=en}}</ref>
* within the overall amount of public funding available, the shares of the lump sum and of the MEP-based funding were brought, respectively, to 10 and 90% (compared with 15 and 85% before); and
* European parties' co-financing rate was brought down to 10% (compared to 15% before).

In March 2019, the European Parliament and the Council adopted Regulation 2019/493, which further amended Regulation 1141/2014.<ref>{{cite act |type=Regulation (EU, Euratom) |index=2019/493 |date=25 March 2019 |legislature=European Parliament and Council of the European Union |title=Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2019/493 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 March 2019 amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 as regards a verification procedure related to infringements of rules on the protection of personal data in the context of elections to the European Parliament |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32019R0493 |language=en}}</ref> Changes focused mostly on the use of personal data by European political parties and foundations. The modalities of the implementation of the Regulation were later updated by the Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 1 July 2019.<ref name="bureau-decision-2019">{{cite act |type=Decision |index=2019/C 249/0 |date=1 July 2019 |legislature=Bureau of the European Parliament |title=The procedures for implementing Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019D0725(01) |language=en}}</ref>

===2020s===
In June 2021, in line with Article 38 of Regulation 1141/2014, MEPs [[Charles Goerens]] ([[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|ALDE]]) and [[Rainer Wieland]] ([[European People's Party|EPP]]) of the European Parliament's [[European Parliament Committee on Constitutional Affairs|Committee on Constitutional Affairs]] (AFCO) presented a draft report on the implementation of the Regulation. With regards to funding, the draft report called on the Commission and co-legislators to clarify the definition of indirect funding from European political parties and foundations to national member parties, remove the ban on financing referendum campaigns on European issues, allow the funding of European parties from non-EU national parties (which, following Brexit, meant that political parties in the UK could no longer finance European parties), broaden the categories of private funding, decrease European parties' co-financing rate, and simplify accounting procedures.<ref name="afco-implementation-report">{{cite report |last1=Goerens |first1=Charles |last2=Wieland |first2=Rainer |date=21 June 2021 |title=Draft report on the application of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/AFCO-PR-692733_EN.pdf |publisher=Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament |id=2021/2018(INI)}}</ref>

In November 2021, the [[European Commission]] proposed a text for a new regulation aimed at replacing Regulation 1141/2021, using the [[Recasting (EU law)|recast]] procedure.<ref name="recast">{{cite report |date=25 November 2021 |title=Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations (recast) |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52021PC0734 |publisher=European Commission |id=COM/2021/734 final}}</ref> The Commission's document proposes a definition of political advertising, strengthens provisions on gender balance, clarifies the requirements for the display of the logo of the European political party by its member parties, and extends the obligation to comply with EU values to member parties. With regards to funding, this proposal retained the European Parliament's suggestion to lower European parties' co-financing rate (decreasing it from 10% down to 5%, and down to 0% in election years). It also included a new category of "own resources", allowing European parties to raise private funding from specific economic activities, such as seminar fees or publication sales; funding from this new category would be capped at 5% of European parties' budget. Finally, it proposed allowing European parties to receive contributions from national member parties located in non-EU members of the [[Council of Europe]].<ref>{{cite report |date=September 2022 |last=Díaz Crego |first=María  |title=At a glance — Recasting the rules applicable to European political parties and foundations |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2022/733620/EPRS_ATA(2022)733620_EN.pdf |publisher=European Parliament Research Service |id=PE 733.620}}</ref>  The European Parliament's AFCO Committee criticised the decision of the European Commission to opt for the recast method, which effectively limits discussions to the provisions of the Regulation which the Commission has decided to modify and prevents a wider review of the Regulation.<ref name="ep-assess-rules">{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=13 July 2022 |title=European political parties and foundations: MEPs assess draft new rules |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220711IPR35025/european-political-parties-and-foundations-meps-assess-draft-new-rules |work=European Parliament}}</ref>

In March 2022, the [[Council of the European Union]] adopted a political agreement (its own negotiating position).<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=22 March 2022 |title=Council of the EU takes steps towards more transparent funding of European political parties |url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/03/22/the-council-of-the-eu-moves-towards-more-transparent-funding-of-european-political-parties/ |work=Council of the European Union}}</ref> In July 2022, the European Parliament's AFCO Committee adopted its own position, which was endorsed by the Plenary in September 2022.<ref name="ep-assess-rules" /><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=15 September 2022 |title=European political parties and foundations: MEPs ready to negotiate new rules |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220909IPR40141/european-political-parties-and-foundations-meps-ready-to-negotiate-new-rules |work=European Parliament}}</ref> [[European Union legislative procedure#Trilogue|Trilogues]] between the European Parliament, Council of the European Union, and European Commission took place in September, October and November 2022, and in March 2023, but did not reach an agreement.

In October 2024, [[Loránt Vincze]] and Charles Goerens were appointed rapporteurs for the new parliamentary term. In June 2025, the Council and Parliament reached a provisional agreement, to be formally submitted to both institutions for adoption. Among others, the agreed text required national member parties (and not only European parties themselves) to respect EU values and gender balance, allowed associated parties (from specific non-EU countries) to collaborate but not sway decisions or pay membership fees, and amended financing rules by increasing the maximum share of public funding from 90 to 95% and allowing a limited amount of self-generated income. The Parliament approved the agreement in plenary on 21 October, while the [[General Affairs Council]] adopted it on 17 November. Most provisions are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2026.<ref>{{cite news |first=Kamil |last=Baraník |date=2025-10-24 |access-date=2025-11-19 |title=Revision of the Regulation on the statute and funding of the European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-protecting-our-democracy-upholding-our-values/file-statute-and-funding-of-the-european-political-parties-and-foundations |publisher=[[European Parliament]] |website=Legislative Train Schedule}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=2025-11-17 |title=European political parties and foundations: Council signs off new rules to improve transparency of funding and counter foreign interference |url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/11/17/european-political-parties-and-foundations-council-signs-off-new-rules-to-improve-transparency-of-funding-and-counter-foreign-interference/ |publisher=[[Council of the European Union]]}}</ref>

[[File:Timeline of European political parties.png|center|Timeline of European political parties (1973–2025)]]

==Organisation==

===Registration===
Article 3 of Regulation 1141/2014 lists the following criteria for an entity to register as a European political party with the APPF:<ref>{{cite act |type=Regulation (EU, Euratom) |index=1141/2014 |date=22 October 2014 |article=Article 3 |legislature=European Parliament and Council of the European Union |title=Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014R1141 |language=en}}</ref>
* It must be a political alliance, which is defined, in Article 2, as a "structured cooperation between political parties and/or citizens";<ref group=note>In turn, Article 1 defines a political party as "an association of citizens which pursues political objectives, and which is either recognised by, or established in accordance with, the legal order of at least one Member State".</ref> Additionally, in its November 2020 ACRE v Parliament ruling, the General Court of the European Union clarified that "citizen", as used in Regulation 1141/2014, meant "Union citizens", and that political parties outside of the EU could not be regarded as political parties within the meaning of Regulation 1141/2014 because they were not composed of Union citizens.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=ACRE v Parliament |opinion=T-107/19 |court=General Court of the European Union |date=2020 |url=https://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf;jsessionid=3B66B7C1E1A86B59558AEE5D3FF685CA?text=&docid=234334&pageIndex=0&doclang=en&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=1836675}}</ref>
* it must have its seat in a Member State, as indicated in its statutes;
* its member parties must be represented by, in at least one quarter of the Member States, members of the European Parliament, of national parliaments, of regional parliaments or of regional assemblies, or it or its member parties must have received, in at least one quarter of the Member States, at least three per cent of the votes cast in each of those Member States at the most recent elections to the European Parliament;
* its member parties must not be members of another European political party;
* it must observe, in particular in its programme and activities, the values on which the Union is founded, as expressed in Article 2 TEU;<ref>{{cite act |type=Treaty |index=OJ C 202, 7.6.2016 |date=13 December 2007 |article=Article 2  |title= Treaty on European Union |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A12016ME%2FTXT |language=en}}</ref>
* it or its members must have participated in elections to the European Parliament, or have expressed publicly the intention to participate in the next elections to the European Parliament; and
* it must not pursue profit goals.

Additionally, Article 4 imposes the following conditions regarding European parties' governance:<ref>{{cite act |type=Regulation (EU, Euratom) |index=1141/2014 |date=22 October 2014 |article=Article 4 |legislature=European Parliament and Council of the European Union |title=Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014R1141 |language=en}}</ref>
* the statutes must comply with the relevant laws of the Member State in which the party has its seat;
* the statutes must include provisions covering the following:
** the name and logo of the party, which must be clearly distinguishable from those of other European parties and foundations;
** the address of its seat;
** a political programme setting out its purpose and objectives;
** a statement that it does not pursue for-profit goals;
** the name of its affiliated political foundation and a description of the formal relationship between them (if applicable);
** its administrative and financial organisation and procedures, specifying in particular the bodies and offices holding the powers of administrative, financial and legal representation and the rules on the establishment, approval and verification of annual accounts; and
** the internal procedure to be followed in the event of its voluntary dissolution;
* the statutes must also include provisions on internal party organisation covering at least the following:
** the modalities for the admission, resignation and exclusion of its members, the list of its member parties being annexed to the statutes;
** the rights and duties associated with all types of membership and the relevant voting rights;
** the powers, responsibilities and composition of its governing bodies, specifying for each the criteria for the selection of candidates and the modalities for their appointment and dismissal;
** its internal decision-making processes, in particular the voting procedures and quorum requirements;
** its approach to transparency, in particular in relation to bookkeeping, accounts and donations, privacy and the protection of personal data; and
** the internal procedure for amending its statutes.

===Membership===
European political parties are mostly made up of national member parties. Additionally, European citizens can become individual members of some European parties, depending on the provisions of those parties' statutes.

The count of MEPs ''for the purpose of European public funding'' is separate from the question of individual membership, as MEPs are considered "members of a European party" primarily if they are members of a European party's national member parties. As a result, many European parties have more MEPs than they have individual members.

====Member parties====
{{Main|Table of political parties in Europe by pancontinental organisation}}

Member parties are national political parties with some form of membership described in the statutes of the European political party. In its ''November 2020 ACRE v Parliament'' ruling, the General Court of the European Union clarified that political parties outside of the EU could not be regarded as political parties within the meaning of Regulation 1141/2014, because they were not composed of Union citizens.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=ACRE v Parliament |vol= |reporter= |opinion=T-107/19 |pinpoint= |court=General Court of the European Union |date=2020 |url=https://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf;jsessionid=3B66B7C1E1A86B59558AEE5D3FF685CA?text=&docid=234334&pageIndex=0&doclang=en&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=1836675}}</ref>

In its guidance, the APPF that European parties "are free to cooperate with parties or organisations by means of ancillary forms of association (e.g., observers, partners, associates, affiliates)", but only a ''member'' can be claimed to meet the registration criteria, and only they can provide member contributions. Being considered a member "requires a genuine membership link with the European political party", which includes "a full range of rights and obligations [...] in particular voting/participation/access to documents" and "an appropriate membership fee".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.appf.europa.eu/appf/en/guidance/structural-aspects |title=Guidance - Structural aspects  |access-date=26 June 2024 |website=Authority for European political parties and European political foundations |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

====Individual members====
There is no legal definition of what constitutes individual membership, leading European parties to define them differently. A common trait is their absence of, or limited, input in party decision-making; some parties comprise internal bodies representing individual members with a collective vote, others do not provide them with voting rights at all. 

The chart below shows the evolution of individual members per European political party, as reported by the European Parliament.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/en/political-parties-and-foundations/audit-reports-and-donations |title=Audit reports and donations  |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=European Parliament |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

{{#chart:Individual_members_of_European_political_parties.Line.chart}}

===Funding===
{{Pie chart
| caption= Final amounts of public funding to European parties for 2021
| label1 = EPP
| value1 = 30.5
| color1 = {{EUPP data|color|EPP}}
| label2 = PES
| value2 = 20.5
| color2 = {{EUPP data|color|PES}}
| label3 = ALDE
| value3 = 15.1
| color3 = {{EUPP data|color|ALDE}}
| label4 = EGP
| value4 = 12.4
| color4 = {{EUPP data|color|EGP}}
| label5 = ECR
| value5 = 5.6
| color5 = {{EUPP data|color|ECR}}
| label6 = EL
| value6 = 5.2
| color6 = {{EUPP data|color|EL}}
| label7 = Patriots
| value7 = 3.4
| color7 = {{EUPP data|color|Patriots}}
| label8 = EFA
| value8 = 2.6
| color8 = {{EUPP data|color|EFA}}
| label9 = EDP
| value9 = 2.6
| color9 = {{EUPP data|color|EDP}}
| label10 = ECPP
| value10 = 2.1
| color10 = {{EUPP data|color|ECPP}}
}}

{{Main|Funding of European political parties}}

European parties use public and private funding to finance their activities; public funding refers exclusively to funding from the [[Budget of the European Union|general budget of the European Union]], and cannot directly come from Member States or third countries, or entities under their control.

With regards to public funding, each year, the European Parliament allocates a total amount of money to fund European political parties qualifying for European public funding: 10% of this amount is distributed via a lump sum, allocated equally to all qualifying European parties, while 90% is distributed in proportion to each party's share MEPs.

For the financial year 2025, European political parties were allocated a total of €46 million.<ref>{{cite act |type=Document |index=C/2024/3258 |date=24 June 2024 |legislature=European Parliament, Director General for Finance |title=Call for contributions (No IX-2025/01), Contributions to European political parties |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3AC%2F2024%2F03258 |language=en}}</ref> Depending on their own application for European public funding and on their amount of "reimbursable expenses", European parties may eventually receive less than their maximum allocation. European public funding accounts for the vast majority of European parties' income.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://epfo.eu |title=Overall funding |website=European Party Funding Observatory |publisher=European Democracy Consulting Stiftung |access-date=26 June 2024}}</ref>

For instance, the comparison of maximum allocations and final amounts of public funding for the year 2021 was as follows:<ref>{{cite report |author=Secretary-General of the European Parliament |date=9 January 2023 |title=2021 final reports of European political parties and foundations, Annex 2 |publisher=European Parliament |via=European Party Funding Observatory |number=PE 741.042 |url=https://epfo.eu/files/final_reports_of_european_political_parties_and_foundations/annex_final_reports_european_political_parties/fy2021_-_pe_741.042_-_annex_2_-_contributions_to_european_political_parties.pdf |language=en}}</ref>

<!-- NOTE: Order parties by number of MEPs -->
{| class="wikitable centre sortable" style=text-align:right
|-
! colspan="2" | European party
! Maximum allocation
! Final amount
! Share of maximum allocation obtained
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q208242|P465}}" |
| [[European People's Party|EPP]]
| € 12,327,545	
| € 10,720,235	
| 86.96%
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q220945|P465}}" |
| [[Party of European Socialists|PES]]
| € 8,116,650	
| € 7,204,815	
| 88.77%
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe}}" |
| [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party|ALDE]]
| € 5,302,504	
| € 5,302,504	
| 100.00%
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q950179|P465}}" |
| [[European Green Party|EGP]]
| € 4,347,644	
| € 4,347,644	
| 100.00%
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q1577483|P465}}" |
| [[European Conservatives and Reformists Party|ECR Party]]
| € 4,143,031	
| € 1,958,597	
| 47.27%
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q18907386|P465}}" |
| [[Patriots.eu|Patriots]]
| € 4,620,461	
| € 1,191,906	
| 25.80%
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q202649|P465}}" |
| [[Party of the European Left|EL]]
| € 1,836,000	
| € 1,836,000	
| 100.00%
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q734792|P465}}" |
| [[European Democratic Party|EDP]]
| € 914,400	
| € 914,400	
| 100.00%
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q639383|P465}}" |
| [[European Free Alliance|EFA]]
| € 1,073,839	
| € 928,957	
| 86.51%
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q1377279|P465}}" |
| [[European Christian Political Party|ECPP]]
| € 732,817	
| € 732,817	
| 100.00%
|}

With regards to private funding, European parties mostly receive financial contributions from their national member parties, which, in turn, almost always receive public funding from Member States. Donations from legal persons and, especially, from individuals only play a limited role.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://epfo.eu |title=Donations and contributions |website=European Party Funding Observatory |publisher=European Democracy Consulting Stiftung |access-date=26 June 2024}}</ref>

The APPF monitors donations and contributions to European political parties, and publishes a yearly list of political donors.

===Sanctions===

Article 6 of Regulation 1141/2014 empowers the APPF to impose sanctions on European parties, as detailed in Article 27.<ref>{{cite act |type=Regulation (EU, Euratom) |index=1141/2014 |date=22 October 2014 |article=Articles 6, 27 |legislature=European Parliament and Council of the European Union |title=Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014R1141 |language=en}}</ref>

====Framework====
The APPF can deregister a European political party if:
* it has been found guilty of engaging in illegal activities detrimental to the financial interests of the Union;
* it no longer fulfils one or more of the registration criteria;
* the decision to register the party was based on incorrect or misleading information; and
* it has seriously failed to fulfil its obligations under national law .

The APPF can apply financial sanctions to a European party if:
* it has failed to submit amendments to its statutes or an updated list of its member parties in due time;
* it does not comply with its governance obligations; 
* it has failed to transmit the list of donors and their corresponding donations in due time;
* it does not comply with its accounting or reporting obligations; 
* it is found guilty of engaging in illegal activities detrimental to the financial interests of the Union;
* it has omitted information or provided false or misleading information; 
* it has abused the rules of personal data protection to influence elections to the European Parliament; 
* it has accepted unlawful donations or contributions; and
* it has infringed on the prohibitions of funding.

Additionally, the European Parliament may exclude a European party from future public funding for up to 10 years if it has engaged in illegal activities detrimental to the financial interests of the Union, or has omitted information or provided false or misleading information.

====Penalties====
For "non-quantifiable infringements", the financial sanction ranges from 5 to 20% of the annual budget of the European political party, and 50% of its annual budget when it has engaged in illegal activities detrimental to the financial interests of the Union.

For "quantifiable infringements", the financial sanction ranges from 100 to 300% of the irregular sums received or not reported, up to a maximum of 10% of the party's annual budget.

====Sanctions applied====
In October 2023, the APPF sanctioned the [[Patriots.eu|Identity and Democracy Party]] (now Patriots.eu) for "intentionally providing incorrect information about its board composition to the public". The financial sanction applied amounted to 5% of the party's annual budget, or  €47,021.<ref>{{cite news |last= Wheaton |first= Sarah |date= 26 October 2023 |title= A (far) right mess! EU extremist party fined for admin snafu |url= https://www.politico.eu/article/a-far-right-mess-eu-extreme-right-party-fined-for-admin-snafu/ |work= POLITICO Europe |access-date= 25 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite act |type=Decision |date=25 October 2023 |legislature=Authority on European Political Parties and European Political Foundations |title=Imposing a sanction on the European political party 'Identity and Democracy Party' |url=https://appf.europa.eu/cmsdata/277344/1288944-3_EN_redacted.pdf |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |date=26 October 2023 |title=Press Release |url=https://appf.europa.eu/cmsdata/277153/Press%20release%20on%20sanction%20decision.pdf |publisher=Authority on European Political Parties and European Political Foundations |id=1/2023 |language=en}}</ref> However, on 10 September 2025, the [[European Court of Justice]] overturned the APPF's decision, arguing that the obligation befalling European parties covered the transmission of information to controlling bodies and not to the general public.<ref>{{cite act |type=Decision |date=10 September 2025 |legislature=European Court of Justice |title=Droit institutionnel – Autorité pour les partis politiques européens et les fondations politiques européennes – Décision infligeant une sanction financière à un parti politique – Article 27, paragraphe 2, sous a), vi), du règlement (UE, Euratom) no 1141/2014 – Responsabilité non contractuelle |index=T‑1189/23 |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX:62023TJ1189 |language=fr}}</ref>

In January 2025, the APPF sanctioned the [[Foundation for European Progressive Studies]], the political foundation affiliated to the [[Party of European Socialists]], for funding a conference in London and its subsequent book which "fell outside the scope of the tasks of a European political foundation" and "amounted to indirect funding of the UK Labour Party". The financial sanction applied amounted to 100% of FEPS's funding for the activity, or €35,960.<ref>{{cite act |type=Decision |date=24 January 2025 |legislature=Authority on European Political Parties and European Political Foundations |title=Imposing a sanction on the European political foundation 'Foundation for European Progressive Studies' |url=https://www.appf.europa.eu/cmsdata/292706/Sanction%20decision%20-%20REDACTED_For%20publication.pdf |language=en}}</ref>

==European political parties==

{{As of|2024|October}}, there are twelve European political parties registered with the APPF:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Registered parties |url=https://www.appf.europa.eu/appf/en/parties-and-foundations/registered-parties |website=Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations |access-date=27 September 2024}}</ref> 
<!-- NOTE: Order parties by number of MEPs – members in the Council are dependant on the Parliament and membership in the Commission is related to national politics -->
{| class="wikitable centre sortable"
|-
! colspan="8" |European political party
! colspan="3" |Politics
! colspan="3" |Members in
|-
! colspan="2" |Name
! Abbr.
! President
! Secretary-General
! Founded
! [[Political groups of the European Parliament|Political Group]]
! [[European political foundation]]
! [[Political spectrum|Position]]
! Ideology
! [[European integration]]
! [[Tenth European Parliament|Parliament]]
! [[Von der Leyen Commission II|Commission]]
! [[European Council|Council]]
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|EPP}} |
| [[European People's Party]]
| EPP
| [[Manfred Weber]] ([[Germany|DE]])
| [[Dolors Montserrat]] ([[Spain|ES]])
| 1976
| [[European People's Party Group|EPP Group]]
| [[Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies]]
| {{Nowrap|[[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]}}
| {{Nowrap|[[Christian democracy]] <br /> [[Conservatism]]<ref>{{cite book|first=Hans|last=Slomp|date=26 September 2011|title=Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics|publisher=ABC-CLIO|page=246|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LmfAPmwE6YYC&pg=PA246|access-date=20 September 2018|isbn=978-0-313-39182-8}}</ref>}}
| [[Pro-Europeanism]]<ref name="Demetriou">{{cite book |last1=Demetriou |first1=Kyriakos |title=The European Union in Crisis : Explorations in Representation and Democratic Legitimacy |date=2014 |publisher=Springer|isbn=9783319087740 |page=46}}</ref>
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EPP|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EPP|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EPP|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q208242 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|PES}} |
| [[Party of European Socialists]]
| PES
| [[Stefan Löfven]] ([[Sweden|SE]])
| [[Giacomo Filibeck]] ([[Italy|IT]])
| 1973
| [[Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats|S&D]]
| [[Foundation for European Progressive Studies]]
| [[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]]
| [[Social democracy]]<ref name="Nordsieck">{{cite web |last=Nordsieck |first=Wolfram |date=2019 |title=European Union |url=https://www.parties-and-elections.eu/eu.html |website=Parties and Elections in Europe}}</ref>
| [[Pro-Europeanism]]<ref name="Demetriou" />
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|PES|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|PES|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|PES|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q220945 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|Patriots}} |
| [[Patriots.eu]]
| Patriots
| [[Santiago Abascal]] ([[Spain|ES]])
| 
| 2014
|[[Patriots for Europe|PfE]]
| [[Patriots for Europe Foundation]]
| [[Right-wing politics|Right-wing]] to [[Far-right politics|far-right]]
| [[National conservatism]] {{Nowrap|[[Right-wing populism]]}}<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Euroscepticism#Hard Euroscepticism|Euroscepticism]]<ref name="FLS2" />
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|Patriots|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|Patriots|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|Patriots|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18907386 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|ECR}} |
| [[European Conservatives and Reformists Party]]
| ECR Party
| [[Mateusz Morawiecki]] ([[Poland|PL]])
| [[Antonio Giordano (politician)|Antonio Giordano]] ([[Italy|IT]])
| 2009
| [[European Conservatives and Reformists Group|ECR]]
| [[New Direction (think tank)|New Direction]]
| {{Nowrap|[[Right-wing politics|Right-wing]] to [[Far-right politics|far-right]]{{refn|<ref>{{cite news |last= Carolan |first= Ciara |date= 10 April 2024 |title= Qatargate: Right-wing MEPs voted en masse against key anti-corruption measures |url= https://www.brusselstimes.com/998849/qatargate-right-wing-meps-voted-against-key-anti-corruption-measures |work= The Brussels Times |access-date= 5 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Bullens |first= Lara |date= 4 June 2024 |title= European parliamentary elections: What a right-wing surge could mean for the EU |url= https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20240604-european-parliamentary-elections-what-a-right-wing-surge-could-mean-for-the-eu |work= France 24 |access-date= 5 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Joyner |first= Ella |date= 11 June 2024 |title= Europe's far right won ground in the EU elections. Can they unite to wield power? |url= https://apnews.com/article/european-parliament-election-far-right-b9339cf1a7d2067bf6fa1941c166936d |work= AP News |access-date= 20 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Alonso |first= Aida |date= 8 March 2024 |title= The European Free Alliance sets out its key demands ahead of elections |url= https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/03/08/the-european-free-alliance-sets-out-its-key-demands-ahead-of-elections |work= Euronews |access-date= 5 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1= Barigazzi |first1= Jacopo |last2= Sorgi |first2= Gregorio |date= 21 June 2023 |title= Italy has won migration. It's aiming for Europe next |url= https://www.politico.eu/article/italy-germany-giorgia-meloni-olaf-scholz-migration-election-europe/ |work= Politico EU |access-date= 5 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= Gotev |first= Georgi |date= 6 May 2024 |title= The Brief – Looking back before we vote |url= https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/opinion/the-brief-looking-back-before-we-vote/ |work= Euractiv |access-date= 5 June 2024}}</ref>}}}}
| {{Nowrap|[[Conservatism]]<br>[[National conservatism]]<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2015-03-25/kremlin-hosts-european-extreme-right |title=The Kremlin 'hosts' the European extreme right |author= |date=25 March 2015 |publisher=OSW |accessdate=15 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="Siaroff2019">{{cite book |author=Alan Siaroff |title=Comparative European Party Systems: An Analysis of Parliamentary Elections Since 1945 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zKp-DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT469 |year=2019 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-317-49876-6 |page=469}}</ref><br>[[Economic liberalism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Baker |first1=David |title=Britain and the Crisis of the European Union |last2=Schnapper |first2=Pauline |date=2015 |publisher=Springer |isbn=9781137005205 |page=87}}</ref>}}
| [[Soft Euroscepticism]]<ref name="Demetriou" /><ref name="FLS2">{{cite book |last1=FitzGibbon |first1=John |title=Euroscepticism as a Transnational and Pan-European Phenomenon : The Emergence of a New Sphere of Opposition |last2=Leruth |first2=Benjamin |last3=Startin |first3=Nick |date=2016 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781317422501 |pages=198}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite journal |last1=Whitaker |first1=Richard |last2=Lynch |first2=Philip |date=2014 |title=Understanding the Formation and Actions of Eurosceptic Groups in the European Parliament: Pragmatism, Principles and Publicity |journal=Government and Opposition |language=en |volume=49 |issue=2 |pages=232–263 |doi=10.1017/gov.2013.40 |s2cid=36404558 |issn=0017-257X |url=https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/10173233 |hdl=2381/28315 |hdl-access=free}}</ref>
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ECR|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ECR|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ECR|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1577483 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|ALDE}} |
| [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party]]
| ALDE
| [[Svenja Hahn]] ([[Germany|DE]])
| Didrik de Schaetzen
| 1976
| [[Renew Europe|Renew]]
| [[European Liberal Forum]]
| [[Centrism|Centre]] to [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]]
| [[Liberalism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Pro-Europeanism]]<ref name="Demetriou" />
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ALDE|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ALDE|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ALDE|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25079 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|EGP}} |
| [[European Green Party]]
| EGP
| [[Vula Tsetsi]] ([[Greece|GR]])<br />[[Ciarán Cuffe]] ([[Ireland|IE]])
| Benedetta De Marte ([[Italy|IT]])
| 2004
| [[Greens–European Free Alliance|Greens/EFA]]
| [[Green European Foundation]]
| {{Nowrap|[[Centre-left politics|Centre-left]] to [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]]}}
| [[Green politics]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Pro-Europeanism]]<ref name="Demetriou" />
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EGP|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EGP|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EGP|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q950179 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|ESN}} |
| [[Europe of Sovereign Nations (party)|Europe of Sovereign Nations]]
| ESN
| [[Stanislav Stoyanov (politician)|Stanislav Stoyanov]] ([[Bulgaria|BG]])
| 
| 2024
| [[Europe of Sovereign Nations Group|ESN]]
| [[Sovereignty Foundation]]
| {{Nowrap|[[Far-right politics|Far-right]]}}
| {{Nowrap|[[Ultranationalism]]<br />[[Ultraconservatism]]<br />[[Right-wing populism]]}}
| [[Hard Euroscepticism]]
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ESN|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ESN|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ESN|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q130269264 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|ELA}} |
| [[European Left Alliance for the People and the Planet]]
| ELA
| [[Malin Björk]] ([[Sweden|SE]])<br />[[Catarina Martins]] ([[Portugal|PT]])
| Adrien Le Louarn ([[France|FR]])
| 2024
| [[The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL|The Left]]
| For the People
| [[Left-wing politics|Left-wing]]
| {{Nowrap|[[Democratic socialism]]<br> [[Eco-socialism]]}}
| [[Soft Euroscepticism]]
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ELA|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ELA|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ELA|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q130219314 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|EL}} |
| [[Party of the European Left]]
| EL
| [[Walter Baier]] ([[Austria|AT]])
| 
| 2004
| [[The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL|The Left]]
| [[Transform Europe]]
| [[Left-wing politics|Left-wing]] to [[Far-left politics|far-left]]
| [[Democratic socialism]]<br> [[Communism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Soft Euroscepticism]]<ref name="auto" />
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EL|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EL|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EL|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q202649 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|EDP}} |
| [[European Democratic Party]]
| EDP
| [[François Bayrou]] ([[France|FR]])
| [[Sandro Gozi]] ([[Italy|IT]])
| 2004
| [[Renew Europe|Renew]]
| [[Institute of European Democrats]]
| [[Centrism|Centre]]
| [[Centrism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />
|{{Nowrap|[[Pro-Europeanism]]<ref name="KPC">{{cite book |last1=Kenealy |first1=Daniel |last2=Peterson |first2=John |last3=Corbett |first3=Richard |title=The European Union: How does it work? |date=2015 |publisher=OUP Oxford |isbn=978-0199685370 |page=155 |edition=4}}</ref><ref name="BrackCosta2014">{{cite book |author1=Nathalie Brack |author2=Olivier Costa |title=How the EU Really Works |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8cOSAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA120 |year=2014 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. |isbn=978-1-4724-1465-6 |page=120}}</ref>}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EDP|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EDP|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EDP|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q734792 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|EFA}} |
| [[European Free Alliance]]
| EFA
| [[Lorena López de Lacalle Arizti]] ([[Spain|ES]])
| [[Jordi Solé i Ferrando|Jordi Solé]] ([[Spain|ES]])
| 1981
| [[Greens–European Free Alliance|Greens/EFA]], [[European Conservatives and Reformists Group|ECR]]
| [[Coppieters Foundation]]
|[[Big tent]]
|[[Regionalism (politics)|Regionalism]] <br /> [[Separatism]] <br /> [[Political parties of minorities|Ethnic minority interests]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Pro-Europeanism]]<ref name="Demetriou" />
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EFA|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EFA|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|EFA|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q639383 -->
|-
| bgcolor={{EUPP data|color|ECPP}} |
| [[European Christian Political Party]]
| ECPP
| [[Valeriu Ghilețchi]] ([[Moldova|MD]], [[Romania|RO]])
| Maarten van de Fliert ([[Netherlands|NL]])
| 2002
| [[European Conservatives and Reformists Group|ECR]], [[European People's Party group|EPP Group]]
| [[Sallux]]
| [[Right-wing politics|Right-wing]]
| [[Christian right]] <br> {{Nowrap|[[Social conservatism]]}}<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Soft Euroscepticism]]<ref name="Demetriou" />
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ECPP|EP|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ECPP|EC|percent=yes}}
| {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|ECPP|EUCO|percent=yes}}
<!-- Values derived from Wikidata; do not manually edit -> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1377279 -->
|}
<!-- Commenting out this section as there are currently no applications pending
===Registration pending===
{{As of|2024|September}}, there are two European political alliances which have applied for registration with the APPF.
-->

==Former European parties==
The entities below were formerly registered with the APPF.<ref>{{cite web |title=Registered parties |url=https://appf.europa.eu/appf/en/parties-and-foundations/removed-from-the-register |website=Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations |access-date=29 February 2024}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable centre sortable"
|-
! colspan="3" |European political party
! colspan="2" |Timeline
! colspan="4" |Politics
|-
! colspan="2" |Name
! Abbr.
! Founded
! Removed from register
! Position
! Ideology
! [[European integration]]
! [[Political groups of the European Parliament|Political Group]]
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q368067|P465}}" |
| [[Alliance of European National Movements]]
| AENM
| 2009
| 2018<ref>{{cite act |type=Decision |index=OJ C 417, 16.11.2018 |date=29 August 2018 |legislature=Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations |title=To remove Alliance of European National Movements from the Register |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2018.417.01.0009.01.ENG&toc=OJ:C:2018:417:TOC |page=9-10 |language=en}}</ref>
| [[Far-right politics|Far-right]]<ref name="BrackCosta2">{{cite book|author1=Nathalie Brack|author2=Olivier Costa|title=How the EU Really Works|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8cOSAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA120|year=2014|publisher=Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.|isbn=978-1-4724-1465-6|page=120}}</ref>
| [[Ultranationalism]] <br /> [[Right-wing populism]]
| [[Hard Euroscepticism]]
| [[Non-Inscrits|NI]]
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q19834410|P465}}" |
| [[Alliance for Peace and Freedom]]
| APF
| 2015
| 2018<ref>{{cite act |type=Decision |index=OJ C 417, 16.11.2018 |date=13 September 2018 |legislature=Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations |title=To remove Alliance for Peace and Freedom from the Register |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2018.417.01.0011.01.ENG&toc=OJ:C:2018:417:TOC |page=11-12 |language=en}}</ref>
| [[Far-right politics|Far-right]]<ref>{{cite news |last= Mützel |first= Daniel |date= 27 April 2016 |title= European Parliament funding of neo-Nazi conference rings alarm bells |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/euro-finance/news/european-parliament-funding-of-neo-nazi-conference-rings-alarm-bells/ |work= EURACTIV |access-date= 3 August 2019}}</ref>
| [[Ultranationalism]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2015-03-25/kremlin-hosts-european-extreme-right|title=The Kremlin 'hosts' the European extreme right|website=osw.waw.pl|date=25 March 2015|accessdate=15 March 2016}}</ref> [[Neo-fascism]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Shaffer |first=Ryan |date=2018 |title=Pan-European thought in British fascism: the International Third Position and the Alliance for Peace and Freedom |journal=Patterns of Prejudice |volume=52 |pages=78–99 |doi=10.1080/0031322X.2017.1417191 |quote=The APF was founded in 2015 as a pan-European political party that included dozens of leading fascist officials from parties throughout Europe... |s2cid=148834755}}</ref>
| [[Euroscepticism#Hard Euroscepticism|Hard Euroscepticism]]<ref name="Demetriou" />
| [[Non-Inscrits|NI]]
|}

The entities below qualified at some point for European public funding; however, they were never registered with the APPF.<ref>{{cite web |title=EPFO Wikibase |url=https://wikibase.epfo.eu/query/#%23%20All%20former%20European%20parties%20never%20registered%20with%20the%20APPF%0A%0APREFIX%20epfowd%3A%20%3Chttps%3A%2F%2Fwikibase.epfo.eu%2Fentity%2F%3E%0APREFIX%20epfowds%3A%20%3Chttps%3A%2F%2Fwikibase.epfo.eu%2Fentity%2Fstatement%2F%3E%0APREFIX%20epfowdv%3A%20%3Chttps%3A%2F%2Fwikibase.epfo.eu%2Fvalue%2F%3E%0APREFIX%20epfowdt%3A%20%3Chttps%3A%2F%2Fwikibase.epfo.eu%2Fprop%2Fdirect%2F%3E%0APREFIX%20epfop%3A%20%3Chttps%3A%2F%2Fwikibase.epfo.eu%2Fprop%2F%3E%0APREFIX%20epfops%3A%20%3Chttps%3A%2F%2Fwikibase.epfo.eu%2Fprop%2Fstatement%2F%3E%0APREFIX%20epfopq%3A%20%3Chttps%3A%2F%2Fwikibase.epfo.eu%2Fprop%2Fqualifier%2F%3E%0A%0ASELECT%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%28year%28%3Factivitystart%29%20as%20%3Factivitystartyear%29%20%28year%28%3Factivityend%29%20as%20%3Factivityendyear%29%20%3Fappfregistration%0A%0AWHERE%20%7B%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20epfowdt%3AP9%20epfowd%3AQ2%20%3B%20%23item%20is%20an%20instance%20of%20European%20party%0A%20%20epfop%3AP16%20%3Factivity%20%3B%20%20%20%23activity%20is%20the%20activity%20status%20of%20the%20European%20party%0A%20%20epfowdt%3AP18%20%3Fappfregistration%20.%20%20%20%23appfregistration%20is%20the%20status%20of%20the%20European%20party%27s%20registration%20with%20the%20APPF%20%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%3Factivity%20epfopq%3AP12%20%3Factivitystart%20%3B%20%23activitystart%20is%20the%20year%20the%20European%20party%20was%20founded%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20epfopq%3AP15%20%3Factivityend%20.%20%23activityend%20is%20the%20year%20the%20European%20party%20was%20dissolved%0A%20%20FILTER%28%3Fappfregistration%20%3D%20%22never%20registered%22%29.%20%23European%20foundation%20was%20never%20registered%20with%20the%20APPF%0A%20%20SERVICE%20wikibase%3Alabel%20%7B%20bd%3AserviceParam%20wikibase%3Alanguage%20%22%5BAUTO_LANGUAGE%5D%2Cen-gb%22.%20%7D%20%20%7D%20%0AORDER%20BY%20%3FitemLabel |website=European Party Funding Observatory |publisher=European Democracy Consulting Stiftung |access-date=19 September 2024}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable centre sortable"
|-
! colspan="3" |European political party
! colspan="3" |Timeline
! colspan="3" |Politics
|-
! colspan="2" |Name
! Abbr.
! Founded
! Dissolved
! Received European public funding
! Ideology
! [[European integration]]
! [[Political groups of the European Parliament|Political Group]]
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q18759612|P465}}" |
| [[Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe]]
| ADDE
| 2014
| 2017
| 2015, qualified in 2016-17 but did not receive funding<ref group=note>The note of the Secretary-General of the European Parliament on the 2016 final reports of political parties and foundations at European level states that the ADDE was "under dissolution procedure since 26/04/2017" and that, "ADDE was awarded a grant for the financial year 2016 and was obliged to submit the 2016 final report by 30 June 2017. The party did not comply with this obligation." As a result, the note proposes "that the Bureau initiates the two procedures for termination of the 2016 grant decisions for the ADDE party and its affiliated foundation IDDE." With regards to the grant for 2017, the note indicates that "as a result [of the dissolution procedure], the Bureau initiated the termination procedure of the 2017 grant decision for ADDE pursuant to Article 11.9.2 (e) of the grant award decision. The Bureau confirmed on 1 November 2017 that the termination procedure shall be continued."</ref><ref>{{cite report |author=Secretary-General of the European Parliament |date=22 September 2017 |page=4 & 9 |title=2016 final reports of political parties and foundations at European level |url=https://epfo.eu/files/final_reports_of_european_political_parties_and_foundations/fy2016_-_pe_610.470_-_2016_final_reports_of_european_political_parties_and_foundations.pdf |number=PE 610.470 |publisher=European Parliament |via=European Party Funding Observatory |language=en}}</ref>
| {{nowrap|[[Direct democracy]]<br>[[National conservatism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" /><br />[[Right-wing populism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />}}
| [[Euroscepticism]]<ref name="Nordsieck"/>
| [[Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy]]
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q1513603|P465}}" |
| [[Alliance of Independent Democrats in Europe]]
| ADIE
| 2005
| 2008
| 2006–2008
| [[Right-wing populism]]<br />[[National conservatism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Hard Euroscepticism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Independence and Democracy]] 
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q1538908|P465}}" |
| [[Alliance for Europe of the Nations]]
| AEN
| 2002
| 2009
| 2004–2009
| [[Conservatism]]<br>[[National conservatism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Euroscepticism#Hard Euroscepticism|Hard Euroscepticism]]<ref name="Demetriou" />
| [[Union for Europe of the Nations]]
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q28874483|P465}}" |
| [[Coalition pour la vie et la famille|Coalition for Life and Family]]
| CVF
| 2016
| 
| Qualified in 2017 but did not receive funding<ref group=note>The note of the Secretary-General of the European Parliament on the 2017 final reports of political parties and foundations at European level states that "one party and one foundation, for which the pre-financing has not been paid, have neither cooperated with the external auditor nor submitted a final report for the financial year 2017. All attempts of the European Parliament services to contact the respective beneficiaries remained unsuccessful. It appears that the two entities ceased their activities. Considering the circumstances and the non-cooperation with the European Parliament it is proposed that the Bureau sets the final grant amount to zero." Later, it concludes that "for all 22 beneficiaries mentioned in this note (except for EUD, CVF and FP) [...] it is therefore proposed to approve the final reports." Since EUD had waived its request for a grant, this only leaves Coalition pour la vie et la famille (CVF) and its affiliated Pegasus Foundation (FP) as the "one party and one foundation" referred to above. Annex 1 of the note confirms that no pre-financing had been paid to these two entities.</ref><ref>{{cite report |author=Secretary-General of the European Parliament |date=30 August 2018 |page=10 |title=2017 final reports of political parties and foundations at European level |url=https://epfo.eu/files/final_reports_of_european_political_parties_and_foundations/fy2017_-_pe_625.038_-_2017_final_reports_of_european_political_parties_and_foundations.pdf |number=PE 625.038 |publisher=European Parliament |via=European Party Funding Observatory |language=en}}</ref>
| [[Social conservatism]]<br />[[Political Catholicism]]<br />[[Nationalism]]<br />[[Reactionarism]]
| 
| 
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q1377195|P465}}" |
| [[European Alliance for Freedom]]
| EAF
| 2010
| 2016
| 2011–2016
| [[Sovereigntism]]<br />[[Right-wing populism]]<br />[[Nationalism]]
| [[Euroscepticism]]
| [[Europe of Nations and Freedom]]
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q1276239|P465}}" |
| [[Europeans United for Democracy]]
| EUD
| 2005
| 2017
| 2006–2016, qualified in 2017 but did not receive funding<ref group=note>The note of the Secretary-General of the European Parliament on the 2017 final reports of political parties and foundations at European level states that, "subject to dissolution procedure, the party [had] waived the 2017 grant."</ref><ref>{{cite report |author=Secretary-General of the European Parliament |date=30 August 2018 |page=5 |title=2017 final reports of political parties and foundations at European level |url=https://epfo.eu/files/final_reports_of_european_political_parties_and_foundations/fy2017_-_pe_625.038_-_2017_final_reports_of_european_political_parties_and_foundations.pdf |number=PE 625.038 |publisher=European Parliament |via=European Party Funding Observatory |language=en}}</ref>
| [[Soft Euroscepticism]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Anti-Austerity Left Parties in the European Union. Competition, Coordination, Integration |first=Enrico |last=Calossi |year=2016 |location=Pisa |publisher=Pisa University Press |isbn=978-886741-6653 |page=19}}</ref>
| [[Euroscepticism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Independence and Democracy]]<br />[[European Conservatives and Reformists Group]]<br />[[The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL|The Left]]
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q1418382|P465}}" |
| [[Libertas.eu|Libertas]]
| 
| 2008
| 2010
| Qualified in 2009 but did not receive funding<ref group=note>The note of the Secretary-General of the European Parliament on the 2009 final reports of political parties and foundations at European level states that "an initial positive decision on the tenth applicant, the Libertas Party Limited was later suspended; consequently a grant agreement was never signed."</ref><ref>{{cite report |author=Secretary-General of the European Parliament |date=30 August 2010 |page=2 |title=2009 final reports of political parties and foundations at European level |url=https://epfo.eu/files/final_reports_of_european_political_parties_and_foundations/fy2009_-_pe_443.498_-_2009_final_reports_of_european_political_parties_and_foundations.pdf |number=PE 443.498 |publisher=European Parliament |via=European Party Funding Observatory |language=en}}</ref>
| Anti-[[Treaty of Lisbon|Lisbon Treaty]]
| [[Euroscepticism]]
| [[Europe of Freedom and Democracy]]
|-
| bgcolor="#{{wikidata|property|Q852329|P465}}" |
| [[Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy]]
| MELD
| 2011
| 2015
| 2012–2015
| {{nowrap|[[National conservatism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" /><br />[[Right-wing populism]]<ref name="Nordsieck"/>}}
| [[Euroscepticism]]<ref name="Nordsieck" />
| [[Europe of Freedom and Democracy]]
|}

==Other political entities==

{{Main|European political alliances#Other political entities}}

In addition to the registered European political parties, many other entities are politically active at the European level without meeting the criteria for registration or wishing to register. They differ by their level of integration, their purpose, and their membership. 

Some are strongly centralised and resemble national parties but operating across Europe, such as [[Volt Europa]] or [[Democracy in Europe Movement 2025|DiEM25]]; they are often referred to or refer to themselves as "transnational parties" or "movements", and sometimes erroneously as "European parties". 

Others are more loosely organised and act as networks or fora for national political parties. These entities sometimes provide a common electoral platform for the [[Elections to the European Parliament|European elections]] for their members.

==Relationship with the European Parliament==

{{Main|Political groups of the European Parliament}}

Political groups of the European Parliament are the officially recognised [[Parliamentary group|parliamentary groups]] consisting of legislators of aligned ideologies in the European Parliament. Each political group is assumed to have a set of common political principles.

A political group of the European Parliament usually constitutes the formal parliamentary representation of one or two of the European political parties, sometimes supplemented by members from other national political parties or independent politicians. It is strictly forbidden for political groups to organise or finance political campaigns during European elections, since this is the exclusive responsibility of European parties.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/en/20150201PVL00101/Political-parties-and-foundations|title=European political parties|publisher=European Parliament}}</ref> 

{{See also|Tenth European Parliament}}
{{#section-h:Tenth European Parliament|Current composition}}

==Presence in European institutions==
The combined representation of European political parties in European institutions is a follows:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Organisation !! Institution !! Number of seats
|-
|rowspan=4 | {{EU}} || [[European Parliament]] || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|all|EP|bar-color=#003399|percent=yes}}
|-
| [[European Commission]] || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|all|EC|bar-color=#003399|percent=yes}}
|-
| [[European Council]]<br /><small>(Heads of Government)</small> || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|all|EUCO|bar-color=#003399|percent=yes}}
|-
| [[Committee of the Regions]] || {{EUPP data|seat composition bar|all|COR|bar-color=#003399|percent=yes}}
|}

==Criticism==
===Funding framework===
The framework for the funding of European political parties has been criticised for not providing a level-playing field for smaller parties and for making European parties too dependent on public funding.

Under the current framework for public funding, 90% of the total envelope for European parties is distributed in proportion to parties' number of MEPs. This high reliance on MEPs directly disadvantages smaller parties failing to meet national electoral thresholds for European elections.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Grosek |first1=Kristina |last2=Sabbati |first2=Guilio |date=February 2024 |title=2024 European elections: National rules |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_ATA(2023)754620 |publisher=European Parliament Research Service |id=PE 754.620}}</ref> As a result, votes under an electoral threshold do not lead to public funding. In their draft report on the implementation of Regulation 1141/2014, rapporteurs [[Charles Goerens]] and [[Rainer Wieland]] called for the distribution of public funding to be based on the number of votes received in the last European elections.<ref name="afco-implementation-report"/> The implementation report adopted by the European Parliament's AFCO Committee called on the Commission to assess whether vote-based funding schemes could be used, and noted that this change could increase turnout and promote pluralism.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Goerens |first1=Charles |last2=Wieland |first2=Rainer |date=26 October 2021 |title=Motion for a European Parliament Resolution on the application of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-9-2021-0294_EN.html |publisher=Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament |at=para. 49 |id=2021/2018(INI)}}</ref>

The European Free Alliance also proposed to reduce the share of public funding distributed in proportion to parties' number of MEPs from 90 to 85%. This was the share of MEP-based funding between 2004 and 2018, prior to the entry into force of Regulation 1141/2014.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Goerens |first1=Charles |last2=Wieland |first2=Rainer |date=2 September 2021 |title=Amendments 1–156, Draft report (PE692.733v01-00) European political parties – report 2021 |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/AFCO-AM-695035_EN.pdf |publisher=Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament |at=amend. 128 |id=2021/2018(INI)}}</ref> This would increase the share of public funding distributed equally among European parties (the ''lump sum'').

In practice, public funding accounts for 85-90% of European parties' income. While this reliance on public funding means that European parties are not beholden to private interests or wealthy donors, this extremely high percentage means that European parties only have a limited incentive to reach out to citizens for support. This is particularly true since most of European parties' private income (the remaining 10–15%) stems from national member parties' contributions, which includes national public funding. As a result, direct donations from citizens to European parties are marginal; several European parties, including the [[European People's Party|EPP]] and [[Party of European Socialists|PES]], the two largest European parties, do not raise donations from individuals.<ref name="epfo">{{cite web |url=https://epfo.eu/understanding-party-funding |title=EPFO – Understanding party funding |website=European Party Funding Observatory |publisher=European Democracy Consulting Stiftung |access-date=2024-02-16}}</ref> European parties themselves have continuously called for the decrease of their co-financing rate, stating that private funds were difficult to raise. This rate stood at 25% in 2004, at 15% in 2007, and at 10% since 2018; following calls from the European Parliament, the European Commission proposed bringing this rate down to 5%, and to 0% in election years.<ref>{{cite report |date=25 November 2021 |title=Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations (recast) |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52021PC0734 |publisher=European Commission |id=COM(2021) 734 final, 2021/0375 (COD) |at=para. 33, 34}}</ref>

More generally, the current public funding framework was criticised for failing to reward other important aspects of political parties than electoral performance, such as the enrollment of individual members or the raising of private donations from citizens.<ref>{{cite report |author=European Democracy Consulting, REPRESENT |date=29 June 2021 |title=Preliminary Comments on Reforming Regulation 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://legislationline.org/sites/default/files/documents/df/ODIHR%20Submission%20of%20Preliminary%20Comments%20on%20EU%20Party%20Regulation%20Reform.pdf |publisher=OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights |page=19 |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>

===Limited ties with national parties===
Articles 22 prohibits European political parties from directly or indirectly funding other political parties, in particular national parties or candidates, and from financing referendum campaigns. While the prohibition on the funding of national parties was set in place in order to avoid the diversion of European public funding to national parties and national politics, it also prevents the consolidation of links between national and European political parties. Additionally, European parties have complained that this phrasing was difficult to reconcile with that of Article 21 allowing European parties to campaign for European elections.

In its 2021 report on the implementation of Regulation 1141/2014, the European Parliament opined that the ban on financing referendum campaigns on EU issues went against the purpose of European political parties, and called for this prohibition to be lifted.<ref name="ep-implementation-report">{{cite act |type=Resolution |index=2021/2018(INI) |date=11 November 2021 |article=15, 17, 29, 32 |legislature=European Parliament |title=European Parliament resolution of 11 November 2021 on the application of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0454_EN.html |language=en}}</ref>

===Lack of transparency===
Regulation 1141/2014 was criticised for its lack of transparency on European party funding. Currently, the APPF provides the identity of individual donors for donations above €3,000 per year, and between €1,500 and €3,000 if the donor gave their consent. {{asof|2024|post=,}} no donation between €1,500 and €3,000 was ever published with the identity of an individual donor. In their draft report on the implementation of Regulation 1141/2014, rapporteurs Charles Goerens and Rainer Wieland called for an obligation to report publicly on all donations, regardless of their value;<ref>{{cite report |last1=Goerens |first1=Charles |last2=Wieland |first2=Rainer |date=21 June 2021 |title=Draft report on the application of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/AFCO-PR-692733_EN.pdf |publisher=Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament |at=para. 25 |id=2021/2018(INI)}}</ref> other MEPs proposed to intensify scrutiny for donations under €500 per year and per donor.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Goerens |first1=Charles |last2=Wieland |first2=Rainer |date=2 September 2021 |title=Amendments 1–156, Draft report (PE692.733v01-00) European political parties – report 2021 |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/AFCO-AM-695035_EN.pdf |publisher=Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament |at=amend. 115 |id=2021/2018(INI)}}</ref>

In its "Logos Project" report of April 2021, analysing the visibility of European parties' logos on the websites of their national member parties, European Democracy Consulting found that "national member parties overwhelmingly fail to properly implement the Regulation’s display requirement and to ensure the necessary visibility of their link to their European party of affiliation."<ref>{{cite report |last1=Drounau |first1=Louis |date=April 2021 |title=The Logos Project |url=https://eudemocracy.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/European-Democracy-Consulting-Logos-Project.pdf |publisher=European Democracy Consulting |page=6}}</ref> This conclusion was upheld by the European Parliament in its implementation report of Regulation 1141/2014, which recalled the requirement to "display the logo, political programme and website link of their European party of affiliation on their websites 'in a clearly visible and user-friendly manner'", and expressed its concern that "according to European Democracy Consulting’s Logos project, national member parties overwhelmingly fail to properly implement the Regulation's display requirement, as only 15 % of them display the logo in a clear and user-friendly manner".<ref name="ep-implementation-report" /> Accordingly, the European Parliament called on the Commission "to provide clear requirements and detailed guidelines related to the visibility of the European political party of affiliation in order to ensure enforcement of Article 18(2)(a) of the Regulation on displaying European political parties' logos alongside the logos of national or regional parties".<ref name="ep-implementation-report" />

Finally, the APPF and European Parliament were criticised for publishing information on the funding of European parties on separate websites, and, in the case of the European Parliament, on a sub-website dedicated to "contracts and grants", further limiting the visibility and coherence of the information provided to citizens.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations |court=European Ombudsman |date=25 January 2021 |url=https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/case/en/57305 |ref=1094/2020/DL}}</ref> Meanwhile, Article 32.1 of Regulation 1141/2014 calls on the European Parliament and APPF to publish information "on a website created for that purpose", seemingly calling for all information to be reported on a single platform.<ref name="reg1141-32">{{cite act |type=Regulation (EU, Euratom) |index=1141/2014 |date=22 October 2014 |article=32 |legislature=European Parliament and Council of the European Union |title=The statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014R1141 |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Funding of European political parties]]
* [[European political alliances]]
* [[European political foundation]]
* [[Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations]]
* [[Political groups of the European Parliament]]
* [[Parties in the European Council#Political_alliances|Political alliances in the European Council]]
* [[Political party]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.appf.europa.eu/appf/en/home Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations] (APPF)
* [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/contracts-and-grants/en/political-parties-and-foundations European Parliament] page on European political parties and foundations
* [https://epthinktank.eu/?s=european+parties European Parliament Research Service] publications on European political parties
* [https://epfo.eu European Party Funding Observatory] (EPFO)
* [https://eudemocracy.eu/european-elections-as-you-ve-never-seen-them-before Results of the 2019 European Parliament elections by European political party]

{{European political parties}}
{{Political organisations at European Union level}}
{{European corporate forms}}
{{European Union topics|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:European Political Party}}
[[Category:European political alliances| ]]
[[Category:European political parties| ]]
[[Category:European political foundations| ]]
[[Category:Former European political parties| ]]