29.6.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 144/22

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CALL FOR PROPOSALS (No VIII-2008/01)

Grants to political parties at European level

(2007/C 144/08)

1.   OBJECTIVES

1.1   Background

Article 191 of the Treaty establishing the European Community says the political parties at European level are important factor for integration within the Union. They contribute to forming a European awareness and expressing the political will of the citizens of the Union. In this context, Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) lays down the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding. The Regulation provides, in particular, for an annual grant from the European Parliament, in the form of an operating subsidy, to political parties which apply and which satisfy the conditions laid down in the Regulation.

1.2   Objective of the call for proposals

Under Article 2 of the Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 29 March 2004 laying down the procedures for implementing Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 (2), ‘The European Parliament shall publish each year, before the end of the first half of the year, a call for proposals with a view to the awarding of grants to fund political parties at European level.’ This call for proposals relates to grant applications for the financial year 2008 covering the period of activity from 1.1.2008 to 31.12.2008.

2.   CRITERIA AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

2.1.   Admissibility

Applications will not be admissible unless they are submitted in writing on the grant application form in Annex 1 of the above Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 29 March 2004, forwarded to the President of the European Parliament by the closing date and meet the conditions for the submission of applications set out below.

2.2.   Eligibility criteria

In order to be eligible for a grant, a political party at European level must satisfy the conditions laid down in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003, i.e.:

(a)	it must have legal personality in the Member State in which its seat is located;

(b)

it must be represented, in at least one quarter of Member States, by Members of the European Parliament or in the national Parliaments or regional Parliaments or in the regional assemblies, or it 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 European Parliament elections;

(c)	it must observe, in particular in its programme and in its activities, the principles on which the European Union is founded, namely the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law;

(d)	it must have participated in elections to the European Parliament, or have expressed the intention to do so.

2.3   Exclusion criteria

Applicants must also certify that they do not find themselves in any of the circumstances described in Articles 93 and 94 of the Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (3).

2.4.   Selection criteria

Applicants must provide evidence that they possess the legal and financial viability required to carry out the programme of activities set out in the application for funding and that they have the technical capability and management skills needed to carry out successfully the programme activities for which they are applying for a grant.

2.5   Award criteria

In accordance with Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003, the available appropriations for the financial year 2008 will be distributed as follows among the political parties at European level which have obtained a positive decision on their application for funding on the basis of the admissibility, eligibility, exclusion and selection criteria:

(a)	15 % will be distributed in equal shares;

(b)	85 % will be distributed among those which have elected members in the European Parliament, in proportion to the number of elected members.

2.6   Supporting documents

For the purpose of assessing the above criteria, applicants must provide the following supporting documents:

(a)	Original covering letter

(b)	Application form in Annex 1 of the Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 29 March 2004 duly completed and signed (including the written solemn declaration)

(c)	Statutes of the political party

(d)	Official certificate of registration

(e)	Recent proof of existence of the political party

(f)	List of the directors/members of the Management Board (names and forenames, titles or functions within the applicant party)

(g)	Documents certifying that the applicant meets the conditions laid down in Articles 3 (b), (c) and (d) and 10(1)(b) (4) of Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 (or declaration that there have been no changes to documents already forwarded)

(h)	Programme of the political party

(i)	Comprehensive financial statement for 2006 certified by an external auditing body (5)

(j)	Provisional operating budget for the period concerned (1.1.2008 to 31.12.2008) indicating expenditure eligible for funding from the Community budget.

3.   COMMUNITY FUNDING

The budget for the financial year 2008 is estimated at a total of EUR 10 645 000, subject to approval by the budgetary authority.

The maximum amount paid to the beneficiary by the European Parliament may not exceed 75 % of the eligible operating costs of political parties at European level. The burden of proof shall lie with the political party concerned.

Community funding shall take the form of an operating grant as provided for by the Financial Regulation and the Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002 of 23 December 2002 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (6). The arrangements for paying the grant and the obligations governing its use will be set out in a grant award agreement, a specimen of which appears in Annex 2 to the Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 29 March 2004.

4.   PROCEDURE

4.1   Closing date and submission of applications

The closing date for forwarding the applications is 14.11.2007. Applications forwarded after that date will not be considered.

Applications must:

—	be made on the grant application form;

—	be signed, without fail, by the applicant or his duly authorised agent;

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be submitted under double cover; the two envelopes must be sealed. In addition to the address of the recipient department as given in the call for proposals, the inner envelope must bear the following: ‘Call for proposals — 2008 grants to political parties at European level NOT TO BE OPENED BY THE MAIL SERVICE OR BY ANY OTHER UNAUTHORISED PERSON’ If self-adhesive envelopes are used, they must be sealed with adhesive tape with the signature of the sender affixed across it. The signature of the sender shall be deemed to comprise not only his hand-written signature, but also his organisation's stamp;

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be forwarded at the latest on the closing date laid down in the call for proposals either by registered mail, as evidenced by the postmark or by courier service as evidenced by the date of the deposit slip, The outer envelope must be addressed to: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Mail Service KAD 00D008 L-2929 Luxembourg This envelope must also show the sender's address. The inner envelope must be addressed to: President of the European Parliament via Mr Vanhaeren, Director-General of Finance SCH 05B031 L-2929 Luxembourg

4.2   Timetable for implementing the programme of activities

The eligible period for cofinancing of operating expenditure of political parties at European level in 2008 runs from 1.1.2008 until 31.12.2008.

4.3   Award procedure and timetable

The following procedure and timetable will apply to the awarding of grants to political parties at European level:

(a)	Forwarding of the application to the European Parliament (no later than 14.11.2007)

(b)	Consideration and selection by the European Parliament's departments. Only the applications deemed admissible will be examined on the basis of the eligibility, exclusion and selection criteria set out in the call for proposals.

(c)	Adoption of the final decision by the Bureau of the European Parliament (before 15.2.2008) and notification of applicants.

(d)	Signature of grant award agreement (within 30 days following the Bureau decision)

(e)	Payment of an advance of 80 % (within 15 days following the signing of the agreement).

4.4   Further information

The following texts are available on the European Parliament's Internet site at the following address:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/tenders/invitations.htm:

(a)	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;

(b)	Decision of the Bureau of the European Parliament of 29 March 2004 laying down 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;

(c)	Grant application form;

(d)	Specimen agreement.

Any questions relating to this call for proposals with a view to the awarding of grants should be sent by e-mail, quoting the publication reference, to the following address:

Helmut.Betz@europarl.europa.eu

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(1)  OJ L 297, 15.11.2003, p. 1

(2)  OJ C 155, 12.6.2004, p. 1. Decision as amended by the Bureau on 1 February 2006 (OJ C 150, 28.6.2006, p. 9).

(3)  OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1995/2006 (OJ L 390, 30.12.2006, p. 1).

(4)  Including the lists of elected persons referred to in Articles 3(b), first subparagraph, and 10(1)(b).

(5)  Unless the political party at European level was established during the current year.

(6)  OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 1. Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 478/2007 (OJ L 111, 28.4.2007, p. 13).

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