What changed

O. whereas political foundations have reported a disproportionate regulatory burden and have called for the simplification of regulatory requirements, notably with regard to reporting and transparency obligations, as well as for the possibility of reinstatement of the corrective measures necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the funding process;

4. Notes with concern the reports by foundations of a disproportionate regulatory burden and undertakes to further investigate and follow up on this matter in its upcoming systematic evaluation; emphasises, in this context, the importance of effective and proportionate corrective measures as a tool to ensure compliance with the Regulation and undertakes to review the use of these measures in recent practice;

9. Notes that a strict application of the definition of membership contributions, the financial and administrative pressure to complement grants from the EU budget with self-generated resources, the rules applicable to joint European political activities with member foundations and the overall level of Union funding limit the financial autonomy and sustainability of European political foundations, especially in view of their growing responsibilities, and underlines that a sustainable funding framework is essential to preserve their independence and prevent undue private influence;

10. Encourages European political foundations to maximise financial possibilities under the existing framework; highlights that the financing of European political foundations via the own resources of the European political parties is currently permitted under Article 2(10) of the current Regulation; calls both on European political parties and on foundations to conclude cooperation arrangements through which foundations are compensated by parties for their contribution to any joint work, taking into account their distinct respective roles under the Treaties;

11. Underlines, furthermore, that the Regulation does not prohibit national foundations, other than political foundations, from becoming members of and paying a membership contribution to European political foundations;

12. Considers that Article 25 of the current Regulation could be clarified to confirm explicitly that participation fees can be charged to member organisations for their involvement in activities organised by a European political foundation;

13. Notes that a strict application of the definition of membership contributions, the financial and administrative pressure to complement grants from the EU budget with self-generated resources, the rules applicable to joint European political activities with member foundations and the overall level of EU funding limit the financial autonomy and sustainability of European political foundations, especially in view of their growing responsibilities, and underlines that a sustainable funding framework is essential to preserve their independence and prevent undue private influence;

14. Stresses that as part of the diversification of own resources, European political foundations are allowed to receive donations from natural or legal persons of up to a value of EUR 18 000 per year and per donor; believes that the cap on these donations could be increased to give European political foundations greater flexibility;

16. Proposes the establishment of a single online reporting and disclosure system for EU funding, donations and contributions to European political foundations in order to ensure adequate transparency for citizens, improve compliance monitoring and reduce reporting entities’ administrative and compliance burden;

13.19. Calls on the Commission to present a recast legislative proposal revising the funding rules for European political foundations, includingreview anwhether amendmentany ofnational Articleregulatory 22(4)or ofpolicy theframework Regulationprohibits toor increasehinders the cap onpayment financialof contributions or grants from theby generalnational budgetentities, ofincluding thepolitical Unionfoundations, to 100 %European ofpolitical thefoundations eligibleand coststo incurredfollow byup awith Europeanthe politicalnecessary foundation;action;

14. Commits to revising the overall level of EU funding for political foundations under the forthcoming multiannual financial framework for 2028-2034, with a view to ensuring appropriate, stable and predictable financial resources, to enabling foundations to engage in long-term strategic foresight and capacity-building activities and maintain high standards of transparency, accountability and independence, and to ensuring proportionality between compliance obligations and available funding;

20. Calls on the Commission to present a recast legislative proposal revising the funding rules for European political foundations, including an amendment of Article 22(4) of the Regulation to increase the cap on financial contributions or grants from the EU’s general budget to 100 % of the eligible costs incurred by a European political foundation; furthermore, calls on the Commission to include in this proposal an amendment of Article 25 to increase the cap on donations for European political foundations, therefore ensuring greater flexibility and diversification of funding sources;

21. Commits to increasing the overall level of EU funding for political foundations under the forthcoming multiannual financial framework for 2028-2034, to take account of the absence of budgetary indexation in recent years and the rising inflation and increasing operational costs, with a view to ensuring appropriate, stable and predictable financial resources, enabling foundations to engage in long-term strategic foresight and capacity-building activities, maintain high standards of transparency, accountability and independence, and ensuring proportionality between compliance obligations and available funding;