Zware kritiek op plannen voor financiering van Europabrede politieke bewegingen (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - MEPs have challenged the regulation concerning the financing of European political parties saying that it discriminates against the smaller groups in the European Parliament. A group of parliamentarians have taken the case to the Court of Justice.

Twenty three members of the European Parliament from five different political groups have joined in this action, supported also by Polish and Czech observers.

According to the adopted statute, funding for so-called pan-European parties will flow from the EU taxpayers' pocket from July 2004.

But to qualify for this money, a political party would have to be represented in at least a quarter of all member states, posing problems for smaller groups.

Only the three big groups in the European Parliament, the Christian Democrats, the Socialists and the Liberals, can be sure of receiving EU funds.

"The equality principle is being violated", Eurosceptic MEP Jens-Peter Bonde said.

Moreover, funding can be withheld from any party that does not respect the "principles on which the European Union is founded".

Nigel Farage from the UK independence party and Roger Helmer from the British Conservatives said that this regulation would discriminate against parties opposing European integration. "It could lead to the EU banning opposition to itself", Mr Farage said.

MEPs supporting this action also said that all legally constituted parties should be eligible for funding, which would in effect also include the French far right National Front.