UK Office of the European Parliament

EP News, October 12th, 2007 (No. 327)

 

The Week Ahead 15-19 October 2007

MEPs convene in their political groups to decide on voting positions ahead of the next plenary session. Highlights of the following week's plenary (22-25 October) include:
  • Pesticides Directive (1st reading);
  • Plant Protection Regulation (1st reading);
  • Turkey - progress towards EU accession;
  • EU budget 2008 (1st reading);
  • Tobacco-free Europe - policy options.

 

Latest News

MEPs adopted a report on the new allocation of seats in the European Parliament after the next legislative elections, in 2009. MEPs call for a revision of the proposed distribution of seats for the 2014-2019 parliamentary term. The report was adopted with 378 votes in favour, 154 against and 109 abstentions. The European Council will base its final decision on this decision of the European Parliament. However, the changes are dependent on the adoption of the EU Reform Treaty, failing which the Nice Treaty applies (see Nice column in the table below).

The following allocation of seats in the European Parliament for the 2009-2014 parliamentary term was approved: 

Member State
Population  (1)
(in millions)
% of EU-27 population
Seats until 2009 
"Nice" (2) 2009-2014
Report as adopted in plenary  (3)
2009-2014
Adopted report (4)
Germany
82,438
16,73%
99
99
96
-3
France
62,886
12,76%
78
72
74
2
UK
60,422
12,26%
78
72
73
1
Italy
58,752
11,92%
78
72
72
 
Spain
43,758
8,88%
54
50
54
4
Poland
38,157
7,74%
54
50
51
1
Romania
21,61
4,38%
35
33
33
 
Netherlands
16,334
3,31%
27
25
26
1
Greece
11,125
2,26%
24
22
22
 
Portugal
10,57
2,14%
24
22
22
 
Belgium
10,511
2,13%
24
22
22
 
Czech Rep.
10,251
2,08%
24
22
22
 
Hungary
10,077
2,04%
24
22
22
 
Sweden
9,048
1,84%
19
18
20
2
Austria
8,266
1,68%
18
17
19
2
Bulgaria
7,719
1,57%
18
17
18
1
Denmark
5,428
1,10%
14
13
13
 
Slovakia
5,389
1,09%
14
13
13
 
Finland
5,256
1,07%
14
13
13
 
Ireland
4,209
0,85%
13
12
12
 
Lithuania
3,403
0,69%
13
12
12
 
Latvia
2,295
0,47%
9
8
9
1
Slovenia
2,003
0,41%
7
7
8
1
Estonia
1,344
0,27%
6
6
6
 
Cyprus
0,766
0,16%
6
6
6
 
Luxembourg
0,46
0,09%
6
6
6
 
Malta
0,404
0,08%
5
5
6
1
EU-27
492,881
100,00%
785
736
750
(1)  Population figures as officially established on 7 Nov. 2006 by the Commission in Doc. 15124/06 on the basis of Eurostat figures.
(2) "Nice": Distribution of Seats according to Art. 189 TEC as modified by Art. 9 of the BG/RO - Act of Accession.  
(3)  "New": New Proposal on the basis of Art. 9A TEU new ( I-20). 
(4) The new figures concerning Germany and Malta derive automatically from the draft reform treaty provisions. 

 

Under existing EU treaties, the number of UK MEPs is set to fall from 78 to 72 out of a total of 736 MEPs in 2009 due EU enlargement to 27 Member States. The proposed Reform Treaty, currently under discussion, would see a European Parliament made up of 750 MEPs. The European Parliament suggested this week how the extra 14 seats should be distributed, with the UK set to regain one seat. This would leave the UK with 73 MEPs from 2009. The Electoral Commission in the UK recently made its recommendation to the Secretary of State for Justice on which regions of the UK would be affected by the reduction in UK MEPs. The results of the Electoral Commission consultation can be seen on the Electoral Commission website here or here.

The distribution of seats by EU Member State will be determined by the 27 Member States, on the basis of the European Parliament's proposal, and must be agreed unanimously. The UK authorities will then make a recommendation to the UK Parliament on the distribution of seats among the UK regions. The Electoral Commission may need to adjust its recommendations in the light of the final decision on the number of MEPs from the UK in 2009.  

 

Diary Dates

 

European Parliament plenary sessions 2008

 

Further information

Simon Duffin, simon.duffin@europarl.europa.eu, European Parliament UK Office, tel 020 7227 4300

 

To subscribe / unsubscribe / amend your subscription details

Please email André Vanderstock - andre.vanderstock@europarl.europa.eu

 

European Parliament UK Office
2 Queen Anne's Gate
London SW1H 9AA
tel 020 7227 4300
eplondon@europarl.europa.eu


European Parliament Office in Scotland
The Tun
4 Jackson's Entry
Holyrood Road
Edinburgh EH8 8PJ
tel 0131 557 7866
epedinburgh@europarl.europa.eu