Heerlen, EGP and individual supportership

The European Green Party is a cooperation of 35 European parties. 28 are from inside the European Union and 7 from outside. Together, they strive for a social and democratic Europe in a just and environmentally sound world.

Truly European
The origins of the EGP go back to 1984, when a handful of Green and progressive parties joined forces for the elections of the European Parliament. In 2004 they became a European political organisation in which the members mutually support each other and together form a political entity and a sounding board for the Green Group in the European Parliament.

Increasingly a party
The growing cooperation is not only expressed by a common Charter, common campaigns, and the development of common political views.The European Greens also were the first ever political family to allow individual participation, through the Individual Supportership, which also dates from 2004. The supportership doesn’t give you a right to vote in councils or congresses only parties and members of the European Parliament can. But you are entitled to be informed, to follow and (limitedly) participate in debates and to meet and form or participate in working groups.

Five, and many to follow
By November 2007, five parties had implemented the individual supportership, GroenLinks, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Éxolo, the Green Party of England and Wales and the Irish Green Party/Comhaontas Glas, and some others had plans. During the council in Vienna (October 11-13), the EGP committee, which had till then left the initiative to the member parties, announced it will actively take up the and develop the individual supportership, which will probably considerably boost the scheme.