Whats a Pan European Party (PEP) I hear you say, good question . Briefly its: ‘a political party at a European level’, got it ?. It’s not a party in the normal sense but an alliance of parties and elected members from different countries in the European Parliament.
To qualify for European funding the PEP must include MEPS,MPs or regional/assembly members from at least a quarter of member states or have gained a certain percentage of votes in the last Europe parliamentary election.
The EU allocates money, E18,900,000 in 2012, to PEPS who can then spend it but have to provide “match funding”. In 2012 the EU will give E90 for every E10 spent.There are rules on what the money can and cannot be spent on but the aim is always to promote the European Union..
BALLOT PAPER
UKIP has asked its members whether their MEPs should join a Pan European Party and a ballot has taken place with the results due later in the year.The ‘raison etre’ of UKIP is to exit Europe but those who will have voted ”yes” will be thinking money in the hand can be put to good use, and rules bent .Another complication is that individual MEPs may join a PEP.
