Proposal for a Council Regulation on the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, repealing Council Decision (76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom) and the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage annexed to that Decision

Summary:

Draft legislative act tabled by the European Parliament on 3 May 2022, aimed at reforming the European Union's Electoral Law.

Further information:

The draft Council Regulation aims to repeal Council Decision 76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom - also known as the European Electoral Law - and replace it with another legislative act concerning the elections of the members of the European Parliament (MEPs) by direct universal suffrage. It is an attempt to harmonise a number of rules applicable to EP elections, which are otherwise a combination between the common principles of the European Electoral Law and the different national rules implementing them.

The draft act introduces harmonisation in several areas, such as the age for voting or standing as a candidate; the electoral calendar for EP elections; the principles applicable to the selection of candidates; and the electoral threshold. In addition, it also establishes a common electoral system for the election of 28 MEPs in an EU-wide constituency comprising the entire territory of the European Union.

The draft act was adopted by the plenary of the European Parliament on 3 May 2022, and it was accompanied by a Parliament resolution. A special legislative procedure was thus launched, which requires unanimous adoption by the Council of the European Union. The Act cannot enter into force until it has received the approval of all the Member States in accordance with their constitutional requirements.

Official

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Reform of the electoral law of the European Union (2022/0902(APP)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=en&reference=2022/0902(APP)

European Parliament: Legislative Train Schedule: Proposal for a Council Regulation on the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, repealing Council Decision (76/787/ECSC, EEC, Euratom) and the European Electoral Act https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-constitutional-affairs-afco/file-reform-of-the-electoral-law-of-the-european-union

European Parliament: Press Release, 03/05/2022: MEPs begin revising rules on EU elections, calling for pan-European constituency https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220429IPR28242/

Greens/EFA EP Group: Press Release, 03/05/2022: EU Electoral Law: EU Parliament calls for European electoral lists https://www.greens-efa.eu/en/article/press/eu-electoral-law-eu-parliament-calls-for-european-electoral-lists

S&D EP Group: Newsroom, 03/05/2022: Parliament calls on Council to empower voters with second ballot paper in European elections https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/newsroom/parliament-calls-council-empower-voters-second-ballot-paper-european-elections

Renew Europe EP Group: Newsroom, 03/05/2022: Transnational Lists: The EU Council must deliver on the will of EU citizens https://www.reneweuropegroup.eu/news/2022-05-03/transnational-lists-the-eu-council-must-deliver-on-the-will-of-eu-citizens

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News

EurActiv, 03/05/2022: European Parliament agrees position on EU election law overhaul https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/european-parliament-agrees-position-on-eu-election-law-overhaul/

Politico, 03/05/2022: European Parliament votes in favor of reforming EU elections https://www.politico.eu/article/european-parliament-vote-favor-reform-eu-election/

Euronews, 04/05/2022: MEPs back plans to have younger people vote and be elected to the EU Parliament https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/05/04/meps-back-plans-to-have-younger-people-vote-and-be-elected-to-the-eu-parliament

EUObserver, 04/05/2022: Parliament demands pan-EU candidates and vote https://euobserver.com/eu-political/154860

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Commentary and Analysis

EPRS: At a Glance, April 2022: Proposing new rules for European elections https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_ATA(2022)729384

Social Europe, 24/05/2022: A European constituency for a European public sphere https://socialeurope.eu/a-european-constituency-for-a-european-public-sphere

Institute for European Politics (IEP): Berlin Perspectives No 4/2022, 14/06/2022: Reforming the EU’s electoral law: More EU democracy https://iep-berlin.de/en/projects/germany-and-europe/berlinperspectives/eu-electoral-law-reform-1/

EPRS: September 2022: Towards new rules for European elections? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2022)729403

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