Rule 223a : Powers and responsibilities relating to European political parties and European political foundations (1)

1.   Where, in accordance with Article 65(1) of the Financial Regulation, Parliament decides to reserve to itself the right to authorise expenditure, it shall act through its Bureau.

On this basis, the Bureau shall be competent to adopt decisions under Articles 17, 18, 24, 27(3) and 30 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No. 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2).

​​Individual decisions adopted by the Bureau on the basis of this paragraph shall be signed by the President on its behalf and shall be notified to the applicant or to the beneficiary in accordance with Article 297 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Individual decisions shall state the reasons on which they are based in accordance with the second paragraph of Article 296 of that Treaty.

The Bureau may at any time consult the Conference of Presidents.

2.   At the request of one quarter of the component Members of Parliament representing at least three political groups, Parliament shall vote on the decision to request, in accordance with Article 10(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, the Authority for European political parties and European political foundations to verify whether a registered European political party or a registered European political foundation complies with the conditions laid down in point (c) of Article 3(1) and point (c) of Article 3(2) of  Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014.

3.   On the basis of the first subparagraph of Article 10(3) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, a group of at least 50 citizens may submit a reasoned request inviting Parliament to request the verification mentioned in paragraph 2. That reasoned request shall not be launched or signed by Members. It shall include substantial factual evidence showing that the European political party or European political foundation in question does not comply with the conditions referred to in paragraph 2.

The President shall forward admissible requests from groups of citizens to the committee responsible for further examination.

Following that examination, which should take place within four months from the President’s referral, the committee responsible may, by a majority of its component members representing at least three political groups, submit a proposal to follow up the request and inform the President thereof.

The group of citizens shall be informed of the outcome of the committee’s examination.

Upon reception of the committee proposal, the President shall communicate the request to Parliament.

Following such a communication, Parliament shall, by a majority of the votes cast, decide on whether or not to lodge a request to the Authority for European political parties and European political foundations.

The committee shall adopt guidelines for the treatment of such requests from groups of citizens.

4.   At the request of one quarter of the component Members of Parliament representing at least three political groups, Parliament shall vote on a proposal for a reasoned decision to object, pursuant to Article 10(4) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014, to the decision of the Authority for European political parties and European political foundations to deregister a European political party or a European political foundation within three months of the communication of the decision.

The committee responsible shall submit a proposal for a reasoned decision. If this proposal is rejected, the contrary decision shall be deemed to have been adopted. .

5.   On the basis of a proposal by the committee responsible, the Conference of Presidents shall appoint two members of the committee of independent eminent persons pursuant to Article 11(1) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 .