Only after the 1989 European Parliament election did EFA members form a united group, called Rainbow like its green predecessor. It consisted of three Italian MEPs (two for Lega Lombarda and one for the PSd'Az), two Spanish MEPs (one each for the PNV and the Andalusian Party, PA), one Belgian MEP (for VU), one French MEP (UPC), one British MEP (SNP) and one independent MEP from Ireland. They were joined by 4 MEPs from the Danish left-wing Eurosceptic People's Movement against the EU, while the other regionalist parties, including the SVP, Batasuna and the Convergence and Union of Catalonia (CiU) declined to join.[13]
Following the 2008 revision of the EU Regulation that governs European political parties allowing the creation of European foundations affiliated to European political parties, the EFA established its official foundation/think tank, the Coppieters Foundation (CF), in September 2007.[17]
In the 2019 European Parliament election the EFA gained a fourth seat in the United Kingdom, due to the SNP gaining a third seat to add to PC's one. However, the EFA suffered the loss of these seats in January 2020 due to Brexit, which meant SNP and PC MEPs had to leave.
Ideology
In the Brussels declaration of 2000, the EFA codified its political principles. The EFA stands for "a Europe of Free Peoples based on the principle of subsidiarity, which believe in solidarity with each other and the peoples of the world".[23] The EFA sees itself as an alliance of stateless peoples, striving towards recognition, autonomy, independence or wanting a proper voice in Europe. It supports European integration on basis of the subsidiarity-principle. It believes also that Europe should move away from further centralisation and works towards the formation of a "Europe of regions". It believes that regions should have more power in Europe, for instance participating in the Council of the European Union, when matters within their competence are discussed. It also wants to protect the linguistic and cultural diversity within the EU.
Before becoming a member party, an organisation needs to have been an observer of the EFA for at least one year. Only one member party per region is allowed. If a second party from a region wants to join the EFA, the first party needs to agree, at which point these two parties will then form a common delegation with one vote. The EFA also recognises friends of the EFA, a special status for regionalist parties outside of the European Union.[23]
The following is the list of EFA members and former members.[34][35]
The EFA also includes a number of individual members, although, as most other European parties, it has not sought to develop mass individual membership.[40]
Below is the evolution of individual membership of the EFA since 2019.[41]
As a registered European political party, the EFA is entitled to European public funding, which it has received continuously since 2004.[43]
Below is the evolution of European public funding received by the EFA.
In line with the Regulation on European political parties and European political foundations, the EFA also raises private funds to co-finance its activities. As of 2025, European parties must raise at least 10% of their reimbursable expenditure from private sources, while the rest can be covered using European public funding.[c]
Below is the evolution of contributions and donations received by the EFA.
↑ The number of MEPs listed below may not match the total number of MEPs of the European party, as it does not include MEPs who join as individual members.
↑ Expelled in 2007 after lack of activity in EFA structures, rejoined at the 2022 congress
↑ For the purpose of European party funding, "contributions" refer to financial or in-kind support provided by party members, while "donations" refer to the same but provided by non-members.
↑ Hanley, David (2008). Beyond the Nation State: Parties in the Era of European Integration. Palgrave Macmillan. p.132. ISBN9781139867757. Center-left and left-wing regionalist parties are typically associated with EFA. An exception is the Nieuwe-Vlaamse Alliantie, one of the heirs of the Flemish Volksunie, which belonged to the European Popular party in the period 2004 through 2009 and later became affiliated with EFA.
↑ Hertner, Isabelle (9 September 2018). "United in diversity? Europarties and their individual members' rights". Journal of European Integration. 41 (4). Routledge: 487–505. doi:10.1080/07036337.2018.1513500.
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