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1. An Authority for European political parties and European political foundations (the 'Authority') is hereby established for the purpose of registering, controlling and imposing sanctions on European political parties and European political foundations in accordance with this Regulation.

2. The Authority shall have legal personality. It shall be independent and shall exercise its functions in full compliance with this Regulation. The Authority shall decide on the registration and de-registration of European political parties and European political foundations in accordance with the procedures and conditions laid down in this Regulation. In addition, the Authority shall regularly verify that the registration conditions laid down in Article 3 and the governance provisions set out in accordance with points (a), (b) and (d) to (f) of Article 4(1) and in points (a) to (e) and (g) of Article 5(1) continue to be complied with by the registered European political parties and European political foundations.

In its decisions, the Authority shall give full consideration to the fundamental right of freedom of association and to the need to ensure pluralism of political parties in Europe. The Authority shall be represented by its Director who shall take all decisions of the Authority on its behalf.

3. The Director of the Authority shall be appointed for a five-year non-renewable term by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission (jointly referred to as the 'appointing authority') by common accord, on the basis of proposals made by a selection committee composed of the Secretaries-General of those institutions following an open call for candidates. The Director of the Authority shall be selected on the basis of his or her personal and professional qualities. He or she shall not be a member of the European Parliament, hold any electoral mandate or be a current or former employee of a European political party or a European political foundation. The Director selected shall not have a conflict of interests between his or her duty as Director of the Authority and any other official duties, in particular in relation to the application of the provisions of this Regulation.

A vacancy caused by resignation, retirement, dismissal or death shall be filled in accordance with the same procedure. In the event of a normal replacement or voluntary resignation the Director shall continue his or her functions until a replacement has taken up his or her duties. If the Director of the Authority no longer fulfils the conditions required for the performance of his or her duties, he or she may be dismissed by common accord by at least two of the three institutions referred to in the first subparagraph and on the basis of a report drawn up by the selection committee referred to in the first subparagraph on its own initiative or following a request from any of the three institutions. The Director of the Authority shall be independent in the performance of his or her duties. When acting on behalf of the Authority, the Director shall neither seek nor take instructions from any institution or government or from any other body, office or agency. The Director of the Authority shall refrain from any act which is incompatible with the nature of his or her duties.

The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission shall exercise jointly, with regard to the Director, the powers conferred on the appointing authority by the Staff Regulations of Officials (and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the Union) laid down in Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 (). Without prejudice to decisions on appointment and dismissal, the three institutions may agree to entrust the exercise of some or all of the remaining powers conferred on the appointing authority to any one of them. The appointing authority may assign the Director to other tasks provided that such tasks are not incompatible with the workload resulting from his or her duties as Director of the Authority and are not liable to create any conflict of interests or to jeopardise the full independence of the Director.

4. The Authority shall be physically located in the European Parliament, which shall provide the Authority with the necessary offices and administrative support facilities.

5. The Director of the Authority shall be assisted by staff in respect of whom he or she shall exercise the powers conferred on the appointing authority by the Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union and the powers conferred on the authority empowered to conclude contracts of employment of other servants by the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the Union, laid down in Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom, ECSC) No 259/68 (‘the appointing authority's powers’). The Authority may make use in any areas of its work of other seconded national experts or of other staff not employed by the Authority. The Staff Regulations and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants and the rules adopted by agreement between the institutions of the Union for giving effect to those Staff Regulations and Conditions of Employment of Other Servants shall apply to the staff of the Authority. The selection of the staff shall not be liable to result in a conflict of interests between their duties at the Authority and any other official duties, and they shall refrain from any act which is incompatible with the nature of their duties.

6. The Authority shall conclude agreements with the European Parliament and, if appropriate, with other institutions on any administrative arrangements necessary to enable it to carry out its tasks, in particular agreements regarding the staff, services and support provided pursuant to paragraphs 4, 5 and 8.

7. The appropriations for the expenditure of the Authority shall be provided under a separate Title in the Section for the European Parliament in the general budget of the European Union. The appropriations shall be sufficient to ensure the full and independent operation of the Authority. A draft budgetary plan for the Authority shall be submitted to the European Parliament by the Director, and shall be made public. The European Parliament shall delegate the duties of Authorising Officer with respect to those appropriations to the Director of the Authority.

8. Council Regulation No 1 () shall apply to the Authority. The translation services required for the functioning of the Authority and the Register shall be provided by the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union.

9. The Authority and the Authorising Officer of the European Parliament shall share all information necessary for the execution of their respective responsibilities under this Regulation.

10. The Director shall submit annually a report to the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on the activities of the Authority.

11. The Court of Justice of the European Union shall review the legality of the decisions of the Authority in accordance with Article 263 TFEU and shall have jurisdiction in disputes relating to compensation for damage caused by the Authority in accordance with Articles 268 and 340 TFEU. Should the Authority fail to take a decision where it is required to do so by this Regulation, proceedings for failure to act may be brought before the Court of Justice of the European Union in accordance with Article 265 TFEU.