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Transparency and regulation of donations to political parties and electoral campaigns from foreign donors

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 14818 | 24 January 2019

Signatories:
Mr Konstantin KUHLE, Germany, ALDE ; Ms Boriana ÅBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Lord Donald ANDERSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Volodymyr ARIEV, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Lord Richard BALFE, United Kingdom, EC ; Mr Olivier BECHT, France, ALDE ; Mr Boryslav BEREZA, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Francesco BERTI, Italy, NR ; Mr Goran BEUS RICHEMBERGH, Croatia, ALDE ; Mr Peter BEYER, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Jokin BILDARRATZ, Spain, ALDE ; Mr Bertrand BOUYX, France, NR ; Mr Milan BRGLEZ, Slovenia, SOC ; Ms Reina de BRUIJN-WEZEMAN, Netherlands, ALDE ; Mr Iulian BULAI, Romania, ALDE ; Mr Barry COWEN, Ireland, ALDE ; Mr Hendrik DAEMS, Belgium, ALDE ; Ms Jennifer DE TEMMERMAN, France, NR ; Lord George FOULKES, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Béatrice FRESKO-ROLFO, Monaco, ALDE ; Mr Paul GAVAN, Ireland, UEL ; Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO, Ukraine, EC ; Ms Gabriela HEINRICH, Germany, SOC ; Mr Christoph HOFFMANN, Germany, ALDE ; Mr Andrej HUNKO, Germany, UEL ; Mr Viktor IELENSKYI, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Gyde JENSEN, Germany, ALDE ; Mr Carles JORDANA, Andorra, ALDE ; Ms Anne KALMARI, Finland, ALDE ; Mr Alan KELLY, Ireland, SOC ; Mr Claude KERN, France, ALDE ; Mr Serhii KIRAL, Ukraine, EC ; Ms Maša KOCIPER, Slovenia, ALDE ; Mr František KOPŘIVA, Czech Republic, ALDE ; Mr Zviad KVATCHANTIRADZE, Georgia, SOC ; Mr Jaroslav KYTÝR, Czech Republic, ALDE ; Mr Jacques LE NAY, France, ALDE ; Mr Michael LINK, Germany, ALDE ; Mr Jacques MAIRE, France, NR ; Mr Edmon MARUKYAN, Armenia, ALDE ; Ms Elisabeth MOTSCHMANN, Germany, EPP/CD ; Ms Esther MUÑOZ, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Andreas NICK, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Ireland, EPP/CD ; Mr Pieter OMTZIGT, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Ms Josephine ORTLEB, Germany, SOC ; Mr Thomas PRINGLE, Ireland, NR ; Ms Patrícia RIBERAYGUA, Andorra, ALDE ; Mr Axel SCHÄFER, Germany, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Mr Frithjof SCHMIDT, Germany, SOC ; Mr Zeki Hakan SIDALI, Turkey, ALDE ; Ms Olena SOTNYK, Ukraine, ALDE ; Mr Damien THIÉRY, Belgium, ALDE ; Ms Violeta TOMIĆ, Slovenia, UEL ; Mr Manuel TORNARE, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Robert TROY, Ireland, ALDE ; Mr Volker ULLRICH, Germany, EPP/CD ; Mr Mart van de VEN, Netherlands, ALDE ; Mr Sylvain WASERMAN, France, ALDE ; Mr Christoph WENAWESER, Liechtenstein, ALDE ; Mr Martin WHITFIELD, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Leonid YEMETS, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Andreja ZABRET, Slovenia, ALDE

The work of political parties and election campaigns in member States of the Council of Europe is increasingly exposed to international influence and implications. Nevertheless, the work of political parties and election campaigns is generally embedded in a legal and media framework on a national level. Hence, the transparency in the financing of political parties and election campaigns is an important element to ensure citizens' confidence in the integrity and independence of the process of public decision-making. Therefore, the Committee of Ministers requests in its Recommendation Rec(2003)4 on common rules against corruption in the funding of political parties and electoral campaigns that “States should specifically limit, prohibit or otherwise regulate donations from foreign donors”.

Considering disinformation and false news in the context of the work of political parties and election campaigns, the Parliamentary Assembly should emphasise the need to implement maximum transparency and necessary regulation with regard to donations from foreign donors to political parties and election campaigns. On top of that, the Assembly should assess existing regulation in the Council of Europe’s member States.

The Council of Europe’s member States should strengthen citizens’ confidence in the integrity and independence of the process of public decision-making.