Europese Raad stelt zetelverdeling Europees Parlement 2014-2019 vast (en)

The European Council adopted today a decision on the composition of the European Parliament. The decision sets out the number of representatives in each member state to be elected to the European Parliament for the 2014-2019 parliamentary term ( 110/13 REV1 ).

The decision aims to bring the European Parliament's composition in line with the Lisbon Treaty ahead of the next parliamentary term. It was taken upon an initiative of the European Parliament in view of the principle of degressive proportionality.

This decision will be revised again before the 2019‑2024 parliamentary term upon an initiative of the European Parliament to be presented before the end of 2016. The aim will be to establish a system which will in the future make it possible, before each new election to the European parliament, to allocate seats between member states in a fair, objective and transparent manner, taking into account any potential change in the number, as well as any demographic trends, in the respective populations of member states.

The total population of the member states will be calculated by the Commission (Eurostat i) on the basis of data provided by the member states, in accordance with a method established by means of a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Background

According to the Treaty on European Union the number of Members of the European Parliament can not exceed seven hundred and fifty (750), plus the President (+1). It provides for representation to be degressively proportional, with a minimum threshold of six (6) members per member state, and that no member state is to be allocated more than ninety‑six (96) seats.

The 2009 European Parliament elections were held under the Nice Treaty which set the number of seats to 736. Following the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, transitional arrangements were applied bringing the number up to 754. On 1 July when Croatia joins this number will increase to 766. All these temporary arrangements will expire at the end of the 2009-2014 parliamentary term.

Today's decision was taken in order to enable member states to enact in good time the necessary domestic measures for organising the elections to the European Parliament for the 2014‑2019 parliamentary term.

ANNEX

Numbers of Members per member state 2014-2019