What changed between the draft committee report and the plenary report

Changed: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;

Removed: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;

Added: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;

Added: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;

Changed:B. whereas European political parties and European political foundations should play a more central role in the European electionselection process and contribute to forming EU political awareness and expressing the will of EU citizens; whereas political diversity is essential for public discourse and for expressing citizens’ choices;

Changed:C. whereas European political parties and foundations should cooperate with their national member parties and partners to support them in bringing the UnionEU and its policies closer to citizens and to enhance democratic legitimacy;

Changed:F. whereas the Regulation has only been in force for a short time; whereas, accordingly, the data on and experience with implementing the Regulation is as yet limited; whereas a comprehensive assessment of itsthe Regulation’s implementation and impact requires sufficient time and evidence; whereas, nevertheless, unforeseen policy challenges have emerged in the immediate aftermath of the Regulation’s entry into force, notably onregarding the funding of political foundations, requiring urgent follow-up;action;

Changed:G. whereas in accordance with the recast Regulation, Parliament is due to publish a report by 29 June 2026 on the application of the Regulation and on the activities funded; whereas following the publication of Parliament’s report, the Commission haswill have one year to present a report on the application of the Regulation, accompanied, if appropriate, by a proposal to amend it;

Changed:H. whereas the Commission’s report is toshould pay particular attention to the Regulation’s implications for the position of small European political parties and European political foundations, and for the rules governing the financing of European political foundations;

Changed:I. whereas European political foundations constitute an integral part of the EU’s democratic architecture by supporting political debate, policy development, research, training and civic engagement at EU and national level;levels;

Changed:3. Emphasises, however, that to date experience and data on the implementation of the recast Regulation remains limited and that a more in-depth and horizontal evaluation can only be conducted at a later stage; points out that the unforeseen policy challenges that emerged in the immediate aftermath of the Regulation’s entry into force, notably onregarding the funding of political foundations, nevertheless require urgent follow-up;action;

Changed:5.6. Reiterates that European political foundations fulfilperform a distinct institutional role under the Treaties by fostering European political awareness, supporting evidence-based policymaking and strengthening democratic culture and civic engagement across the EU;

Changed:6.7. Draws attention to the increasinglyfact volatilethat the geopolitical and technological environment has become increasingly volatile since the publication of the Commission’s 2021 proposal to recast Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/20144, and is marked by heightened security tensions, foreign interference in democratic processes and accelerated socio-economic transformation; underlines that these developments reinforceincrease the importance of long-term policy planning, democratic education and cross-border dialogue, to which European political foundations make a special contribution;

Changed:8.9. Underlines the need to ensure that European political foundations are provided with a sound legal framework and financial security; commits itself to working together with the foundations to provide this security to the extent possible within the existing framework, notably through a revision of the way in which foundations are financially supported by their member organisations; points out that the Regulation does not prohibit a flexible and participation-based membership fee model through which member organisations contribute on the basis of their level of involvement in joint activities; underlines that joint activities themselves should remain budget-neutral and should not generate income for foundations that exceeds the actual costs incurred;