The European People's Party (EPP) is the largest transnational European political party. Founded in 1976, the EPP includes Christian Democratic and conservative parties in Europe. The EPP has 72 member-parties from 39 countries, 10 EU and 6 non-EU heads of government, 9 European Commissioners (including the President), and the largest group in the European Parliament with 278 members.

According to its website, the EPP is "the family of the political center-right, whose roots run deep in the history and civilization of the European continent and has pioneered the European project from its inception."

Its current President is former Belgian Prime Minister Wilfried Martens. Martens was re-elected President at the March 2006 EPP Congress in Rome for a 3-year term. In the same Congress, French Minister Michel Barnier (UMP), Finnish Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen (KOK), former Slovenian Prime Minister Lojze Peterle (NSi), former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Fidesz), German State Secretary Peter Hintze (CSU), Irish opposition leader Enda Kenny (FG) and Chairman of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee Jacek Saryusz-Wolski (PO) were elected as EPP Vice-Presidents.

The EPP currently holds the Presidencies of two of the EU main institutions: the European Commission led by President José Manuel Barroso (PSD), and the European Parliament led by President Hans-Gert Pöttering (CDU). In the first half of 2008, it will get also the presidency of the third institution when the Presidency of the European Council will be led by Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša (SDS).

EPP has 9 out of the 27 heads of State or Government in the European Council: Jan Peter Balkenende (Netherlands, CDA), Lawrence Gonzi (Malta, PN), Janez Janša (Slovenia, SDS), Jean-Claude Juncker (Luxembourg, CSV), Kostas Karamanlis (Greece, ND), Angela Merkel (Germany, CDU), Fredrik Reinfeldt (Sweden, MSP), Nicolas Sarkozy (France, UMP) and Donald Tusk (Poland, PO).

Besides, it has 5 heads of State or Government who do not normally take part in the European Council since that responsibility belongs to the other leaders of their countries: Anibal Cavaco Silva (Portugal, PSD), François Fillon (France, UMP), Horst Köhler (Germany, CDU), Edward Fenech Adami (Malta, PN) and Traian Băsescu (Romania, PD).

EPP, through its associate parties, also has 6 heads of State or Government from non-EU countries: Ivo Sanader (Croatia, HDZ), Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (Turkey, AKP), Vojislav Koštunica (Serbia, DSS), Sali Berisha (Albania, DP), Nikola Gruevski (former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, VMRO-DPMNE), Viktor Yushchenko (Ukraine, NSNU) and Mikheil Saakashvili (Georgia, UNM).

By invitation of the EPP President, the heads of government - along with leaders of the opposition - the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Parliament customarily meet a few hours prior to the Summit of the European Council at Brussels suburb of Meise for the EPP Summit to form common positions.

EPP has 9 out of 27 members of the European Commission: President José Manuel Barroso (Portugal, PSD), Vice President Jacques Barrot (France, UMP), Vice President Franco Frattini, (Italy, FI), Joe Borg, (Malta, PN), Stavros Dimas (Greece, ND), Ján Figeľ (Slovakia, KDH), Andris Piebalgs (Latvia, TP), Viviane Reding (Luxembourg, CSV), and Benita Ferrero-Waldner (Austria, ÖVP).

In the European Parliament the EPP is allied with the more eurosceptic 'European Democrats' sub-group to form the EPP-ED Group of 277 MEPs. The current Group Chairman in French UMP politician Joseph Daul, replacing Hans-Gert Pöttering who was elected as the new President of the European Parliament in January 2007.

EPP also has parliamentary groups in the parliamentary assemblies of the Council of Europe and the OSCE.

In recent years, the EPP has been developing beyond Europe bilateral relations with major conservative and like-minded parties. Due its firm transatlantic orientation, North America has been a particular focus of the Party's international activities.