Recital (52)

In compliance with the principle of proportionality, the obligation to publish the identity of donors who are natural persons should not apply to donations equal to or below EUR 1500 per year and per donor. Furthermore, that obligation should not apply to donations the annual value of which exceeds EUR 1500 and is below or equal to EUR 3000 unless the donor has given prior written consent to the publication. Those thresholds strike an appropriate balance between, on the one hand, the fundamental right to the protection of personal data and, on the other hand, the legitimate public interest in transparency regarding the funding of European political parties and European political foundations, as reflected in international recommendations to avoid corruption in relation to the funding of political parties and foundations. The disclosure of donations exceeding EUR 3000 per year and per donor should enable effective public scrutiny and control over the relations between donors and European political parties. Also in compliance with the principle of proportionality, information on donations should be published annually, except during election campaigns to the European Parliament or for donations exceeding EUR 12000, in which case, publication should take place expeditiously.