The Companies (EU Political Expenditure) Exemption Order 2001

• Citation: S.I. 2001/445
• Sections: 4

Section 1 Citation, commencement and interpretation

(1) This Order may be cited as the Companies (EU Political Expenditure) Exemption Order 2001.

(2) This Order shall come into force on 16th February 2001.

(3) In this Order references to “the Act” are references to the Companies Act 1985.

Section 2 Exemption from authorization under sections 347C, D and E

A company or subsidiary undertaking of the description specified in article 3 is exempted from the need to be authorized as mentioned in sections 347C(1), 347D(2), 347D(3) and 347E(2) of the Act (prohibition on donations and political expenditure by companies, special rules for subsidiaries and special rule for parent company of non-GB subsidiary undertaking) in respect of, and only in respect of, the description of EU political expenditure specified in article 4.

Section 3 Description of company or subsidiary undertaking

(1) Any company or subsidiary undertaking whose ordinary course of business includes, or is proposed to include, the preparation, publication or dissemination to the public, or any part of the public, of material relating to news, and to public and political affairs and events, and to views, opinion and comment on the news and on public and political affairs and events.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) above it is to be irrelevant—

(a) by which means or modes the material described in that paragraph is to be prepared, published or disseminated; or

(b) where the public, or any part of the public, to which such material is published or disseminated, is located or the identity or description of the public or any part of it.

Section 4 Description of EU political expenditure

Any EU political expenditure incurred by a company or subsidiary undertaking specified in article 3 in respect of the preparation, publication or dissemination of such material as is specified in article 3(1) where that material contains matter which would render that preparation, publication or dissemination on the part of the company or subsidiary undertaking an activity of that company or subsidiary undertaking within the meaning of section 347A(5)(b) of the Act