With the continuous threats from the US Government on the European project, the crisis in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and the emergence of increasingly Eurosceptic formations, the European Parliament believes it is the responsibility of the community political parties to step up to defend the bloc's values. How? With more funding for their political foundations. This is according to a report approved by MEPs this Tuesday.
Lawmakers from the European Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs highlight the “fundamental” role that political foundations play in the long term across the Twenty-Seven. For this reason, they have asked the European Commission for a legislative review to allow for increased financial support, while reducing the administrative burden, with the aim of guaranteeing the independence and sustainability of these types of organizations. What is intended is, through the strengthening of institutional actors, to call for the reinforcement of the Union’s own democratic resilience.
A reinforcement in a context of uncertainty
Beyond the Regulation on the Statute and Funding of European Political Parties and European Political Foundations, which entered into force in its recast form in December, Parliament understands that organizations of the FAES type in Spain —but at the community level— require immediate attention in the face of the critical challenges they claim to face.
Among the most prominent proposals is the demand on the Community Executive to present a new legislative proposal with the aim of increasing the limit of subsidies from the general budget of the Union up to the 100% of the eligible costs of the foundations. The text approved in the committee states that the current level of funding is not proportional to the strategic relevance nor to the increasing complexity of the tasks carried out by these entities.
“This is of special importance given the geopolitical instability, hybrid threats, and disinformation,” explain parliamentary sources consulted by Demócrata. In this context, political foundations not only produce reports or generate debate, but have become key tools for ideological projection and the defense of the European democratic model.
The MEPs' idea is therefore to revise upwards the global level of funding for foundations in the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the next seven years, in order to ensure stable and predictable resources. When understanding this type of organization, it should be noted that they are not typical private "think tanks". They are regulated and largely funded by the European Parliament, with the mission of developing analysis, training, and debate on a continental scale.
What are large European foundations for?
For example, the European People's Party, led by German Manfred Weber, has the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies (WMCES), the direct counterpart of José María Aznar's FAES at the European level. This center focuses on the defense of Christian democratic values, the free market, and the strengthening of the European Union's institutional structure.
For its part, the main think tank of European social democracy is the Foundation for Progressive Studies, which works on issues related to social justice, labor rights, and economic cohesion. The latter serves as a reference for foundations such as Pablo Iglesias in Spain or Friedrich Ebert in Germany, consolidating a network of political thought that transcends national borders.
These organizations, although ideologically linked to European parties, have their own room for action and contribute to articulating the European political debate in key areas such as the ecological transition, digitalization, or foreign policy.
Less bureaucracy, more autonomy
In the document that has been ratified by the majority of the committee, reference is also made to how the existence of legal uncertainty in the classification of eligible costs entails a bureaucratic hurdle that largely limits the financial autonomy of these entities.
It has been in the amendment process where the majority groups, as well as the rapporteurs from the European People's Party and Renew Europe, have proposed raising the limit of annual donations per taxpayer from 18,000 to 30,000 euros, with the aim of providing greater flexibility and diversification of income. Furthermore, they have proposed allowing foundations to receive compensation from parties for their contribution in joint work, always respecting their differentiated roles.
Likewise, they seek to explicitly confirm that foundations can charge participation fees to their member organizations for getting involved in their activities. This measure aims to reinforce their operational capacity without compromising their institutional independence.
However, the proposal has not been without criticism. The most skeptical groups, such as the far-right formation Europe of Sovereign Nations, have focused on what they consider a risk of "political standardization". According to their position, the defense of the "values of the Union" could lead to a form of ideological conditionality that limits political plurality within the bloc.
These voices warn that an increase in funding without additional control mechanisms could favor certain ideological currents to the detriment of others, reviving the debate on institutional neutrality in Brussels.
Assume one's own role
Not everything has been aspirations in the approved text. Parliamentarians also recognize their responsibility to play a more central role in the European elections and to collaborate with their national member parties to bring EU policies closer to citizens.
In this regard, they consider that the increase in resources will allow strengthening the financial sustainability and autonomy of these organizations, facilitating them to better assume their growing international responsibilities.
“We need a funding framework that fits the strategic role of foundations, reduces disproportionate administrative burdens, and safeguards their independence,” expressed the rapporteur from the European People's Party, Loránt Vincze, after the vote, assuring that this investment means “investing in Europe's long-term democratic capacity”.
For their part, from the liberal group, the rapporteur Charles Goerens has expressed confidence that the increase in the co-financing rate will facilitate access to funds and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens, “while an increase in its financing in the MFF guarantees that they can continue involving citizens”.
The horizon in sight
Now, the text is scheduled to be sent to the plenary session of the European Parliament in June. Once it is formally adopted by the Plenary in Strasbourg, the Community Executive will have a period of one year's grace to present its own report and, if appropriate, a legislative proposal.
The regulation that came into force last year already established the creation of an Independent Authority responsible for the registration, control, and sanctioning of these entities, with the objective of guaranteeing that they respect fundamental community values. Strict requirements for financial transparency were also detailed, limiting private donations —now subject to reform— and regulating access to public funds conditioned on representation in the European Parliament.
The debate on the financing of European political foundations reflects an underlying tension: how to strengthen the democratic structures of the Union without compromising its pluralism. In a context marked by international uncertainty and the rise of Eurosceptic discourse, Brussels seems to be betting on strengthening its ideological foundations from within, trusting that greater investment in political thought will help shield the European project from the challenges of the present and the future.