A Genuine European Statute for European political parties

The Report by Jo Leinen, President of the Committee of Constitutional Affairs in the Parliament 2004-2009, and the report by the Secretary General of the European Parliament both state that “the 2004 Regulation on the financing of European political parties constitutes a first step towards a legal frame for European political parties” and underline “the necessity to reach a genuine European Statute for European parties … based on EU Law”. The EPP has taken the lead in elaborating concrete proposals to that end and has invited the other main European political parties to use a common strategic approach aiming for, inter alia, a European statute for the Staff of European political parties and foundations and a multiannual financial framework.

Thus, in late 2007 the Regulation was revised in order to allow all European level political parties the exclusive right to campaign for the European Parliament elections. As a result of this mandate, the EPP conducted – in close cooperation with its national member parties - its first European-wide campaign for the June 2009 elections, which reinforced its leading position in the European Parliament.