Josep-Maria Terricabras, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, five points:

1. We are very reluctant to initiate a revision of a regulation which just entered into force two months ago and without a proper assessment. In fact the review clause is foreseen for the new regulation in 2018; there is no need for a revision now.

2. The main concern of some colleagues is to prevent the misuse of European funds, which has been detected as a practice of some extreme right wing parties; we completely agree with that. Mainly, we have to make it impossible for cross membership of MEPs belonging to the same party. We have to avoid being cheated by them. However, some of the proposals may put at risk the existence and funding of small pro-European parties; not to count members of the regional parliaments as elected members of a European party would also be negative as a representation contagion. We have to include them, since some measures would harm the political diversity and representation of citizens.

3. We agree with the reduction of the cofinancing obligation under 15%. Please Commissioner, try again.

4. The proposal to increase the number of MEPs in order to register and finance as an EU party could eliminate small groups in the Chamber.

5. We need to accomplish all with our democratic duties, all the parties.