In a paper published on the website of the ‘Notre Europe’ think tank on 18 May 2009, Francisco Roa Bastos investigates ‘political parties at European level’, a type of political organisation that is still relatively unfamiliar. These ‘Europarties’, often confused with the political groups in the European Parliament, are recognised by the Maastricht Treaty and two Community regulations under which they have enjoyed their own status and funding since 2003.