European Political Parties & Groups in the European Parliament

I. European political parties

A European political party is a type of political party organization operating transnationally in Europe. The EU recognizes such organizations and provides them with funding. According to the Treaty of Maastricht, political parties at European level are important as a factor for integration within the Union. They contribute to forming a European awareness and to expressing the political will of the citizens of the Union. European political parties are different from the Groups in the European Parliament; however, they are often affiliated with these Groups (which may be alliances of more than one European political party, or possibly alliances between parties and nominally independents).

Presently some European political parties that are eligible for European Parliament funding have been created, based on Europe-wide party alliances.

Some of them are already EurActors:

European People's Party www.epp.eu	President:Wilfried Martens	Secretary General: Antonio Lopez Isturiz Address: Rue du Commerce, 10, 1000 Brussels Phone: +32 (0)2 285 41 40 Fax: +32 (0)2 285 41 41 E-mail: presid@epp.eu
Party of European Socialists www.pes.org	President:Poul Nyrup Rasmussen	Secretary General: Philip Cordery Address: Rue du Trône 98, 1050 Brussels Phone: +32 (0)2 548 9085 Fax: +32 (0)2 230 17 66 E-mail: info@pes.org
European Liberal Democrat and Reform www.eldr.org	President:Annemie Neyts Uyttebroeck	Secretary General: Federica Sabbati Address: Rue Montoyer 40, 1000 Brussels Phone: +32 (0)2 237 01 43 Fax: +32 (0)2 231 19 07 E-mail: info@eldr.org
European Green Party www.europeangreens.org	Spokesperson:Philippe Lamberts Spokesperson:Ulrike Lunacek	Secretary General: Juan Behrend Address: 31 rue Wiertz, 1050 Brussels Phone: +32 (0)2 626 07 20 Fax: +32 (0)2 626 07 29 E-mail: europeangreens@europeangreens.org
European Free Alliance www.e-f-a.org	President:Nelly Maes	Secretary General: Begonia Lasagabaster Address: Woeringenstraat 19, 1000 Brussels Phone: +32 (0)2 513 34 76 Fax: +32 (0)2 513 34 25 E-mail: info@e-f-a.org

Other European political parties:

Alliance for Europe of the Nations
EU Democrats
European Democratic Party
Europe United
Newropeans
Party of the European Left

II. Groups in the European Parliament

Political Groups in the European Parliament combine the MEPs from European political parties, informal European political blocs, and independents, into coalitions. Each group must consist of no less than 19 MEPs from at least 5 different EU Member States.

Each group appoints a "group co-ordinator", in charge with the task of deciding which way the group should vote in the Parliament, although no member is bound by this decision.

The Groups decide which issues will be dealt with at the Plenary session of the European Parliament, and can propose amendments to reports that are to be voted on.

Some of them are already EurActors:

Group of the European People's Party and European Democrats http://www.epp-ed.eu/	President:Joseph Daul	Secretary General: Martin Kamp Address:European Parliament, office ASP 5H263-265-267, 47-53 rue Wiertz, 1047 Brussels Phone: +32 2 284 2234 Fax: +32 2 230 6208 E-mail: epp-ed@europarl.europa.eu
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe http://www.alde.eu/	President:Graham Watson	Secretary General:Alexander Beels Address: European Parliament,office PHS 55C017, 47-53 rue Wiertz, 1047 Brussels Phone: +32 2 284 21 11 Fax: +32 2 230 24 85 E-mail:aldegroup@europarl.eu.int
The Greens-European Free Alliance Group www.greens-efa.org	Co-President:Daniel Cohn-Bendit Co-President:Monica Frassoni	Secretary General: Vula Tsetsi Address: European Parliament, office PHS 02C13,47-53 rue Wiertz, 1047 Brussels Phone: +32 2 2842117 Fax: +32 2 2307837 E-mail: contactgreens@europarl.europa.eu
European United Left / Nordic Green Left www.guengl.eu	President:Francis Wurtz	Secretary General: D'Alimonte Maria Address: European Parliament office PHS 5C29, 43 rue Wiertz, 1050 Brussels Phone: +32 (0)2 284 26 83/86 Fax: +32 (0)2 284 17 74 E-mail: guengl-communications@europarl.europa.eu