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"\n
The Committee has adopted by a large majority the draft report\nby Georgios ANASTASSOPOULOS (EPP, Gr) on an electoral procedure\nusing common EU-wide principles for the election of MEPs. The\ncommittee is calling for the introduction in all Member States of\nan electoral system based on proportional representation,\nterritorial constituencies and the optional use, when distributing\nseats, of a threshold of no more than 5% of the votes cast\nnationally. In addition, the committee advocates the use of\npreferential voting, although each Member State would decide the\nprecise arrangements for itself.
\nThe report argues that being an MEP should be incompatible with\nbeing a member of a national parliament, that each Member State\nshould be able to set a limit on candidates' expenditure (which\nmust be linked to the conduct of the election campaign) and that\nspecial arrangements should be allowed to take account of specific\nregional characteristics, although these must not violate the\nprinciple of proportional representation. The committee also wants\n10% of the total number of seats in the European Parliament to be\nfilled by means of a transnational list-based system relating to a\nsingle constituency comprising the entire territory of the\nEU.
\nSome of these principles, such as the introduction of a threshold,\nthe incompatibilities applicable to being an MEP and the\nproportional voting system could, the committee believes, be\nintroduced in time for the next European elections in June 1999. As\nto the other points, progress would have to be gradual. For\nexample, the provision on territorial constituencies would apply\nonly from 2004 and the use of transnational lists from 2009.\nHowever, the first step will be for the Council to examine the\nproposals and adopt them as soon as possible once they have been\ndebated and endorsed by Parliament at the next part-session.
\n
\n
In adopting the report by Mr Giorgios ANASTASSOPOULOS (EPP,\nGR) by 355 votes to 146 with
\n39 abstentions Parliament adopted a resolution on a draft electoral\nprocedure incorporating common
\nprinciples for the election of Members of the European Parliament.\nParliament proposed the following
\ndraft act:
\n
\nArticle 1: In each Member State, Members of the European Parliament\nshall be elected by a list
\nsystem of proportional representation. Election shall be by direct\nuniversal suffrage through an equal,
\nfree and secret ballot.
\n
\nArticle 2: Constituencies shall be established for this election\nwithout generally violating the
\nproportional character of the system, in order to bring the elected\nrepresentatives closer to the
\nelectorate and with due regard for the specific characteristics of\neach Member State. This provision
\nshall apply with effect from the elections to the European\nParliament scheduled for 2004. Member
\nStates whose population does not exceed 20 million inhabitants are\nnot required to establish
\nconstituencies.
\n
\nArticle 3: Where a country decides to establish several electoral\nconstituencies on its territory, the
\nMembers of the European Parliament shall remain, in accordance with\nArticles 137 and 138 of the
\nTreaty (189 and 190 of the consolidated Treaty), the\nrepresentatives of the peoples of the States
\nbrought together in the Community, and not the representatives of\ntheir constituencies.
\n
\nArticle 4: Special arrangements may be made to take account of\nspecific regional characteristics but
\nthey may not violate the principle of proportional\nrepresentation.
\n
\nArticle 5: A minimum threshold for the distribution of seats may be\nset and at national level may not
\nexceed 5% of the votes cast.
\n
\nArticle 6: Member States may permit preferential voting in\naccordance with procedures that they shall
\nlay down.
\n
\nArticle 7: The European Parliament will consider a proposal that a\ncertain percentage (the rapporteur
\nproposed 10%) of the total number of seats within the European\nParliament shall be filled by means
\nof list-based proportional representation relating to a single\nconstituency comprising the territory of
\nthe European Union Member States with effect from the European\nelections to be held in 2009. The
\nimplementing provisions shall be adopted by 1 January 2008 on a\nproposal from the European
\nParliament by the Council acting unanimously, and after obtaining\nParliament's assent.
\n
\nArticle 8: The office of Member of the European Parliament shall be\nincompatible with the office of
\nmember of a national parliament.
\n
\nArticle 9: Each Member State may set a limit for candidates'\nexpenditure linked to the conduct of the
\nelection campaign.
\n
\nArticle 10: Save where otherwise stipulated, the Act of 20\nSeptember 1976 concerning the election
\nof the representatives of the European Parliament by direct\nuniversal suffrage shall remain in force.
\n
\nIt should be noted that Parliament rejected the call for referral\nback to committee made by Mr Hervé
\nFABRE-D'AUBRESPY (I-EDN, F) by 106 votes to 418 with 17\nabstentions. He considered that the
\nreport by Mr ANASTASSOPOULOS was incomplete as several aspects had\nnot been dealt with.
\nThe report is also not in line with Parliament's legislative\npowers. Lastly, the report is contradictory.
\nIt wishes to make the elected representatives closer to the\nelectorate but proposes transnational lists.
\nThe report also refers to France in relation to a draft which has\nalready been rejected by the
\nauthorities of that country.
\n
\n
\n
The Committee has adopted by a large majority the draft report\nby Georgios ANASTASSOPOULOS (EPP, Gr) on an electoral procedure\nusing common EU-wide principles for the election of MEPs. The\ncommittee is calling for the introduction in all Member States of\nan electoral system based on proportional representation,\nterritorial constituencies and the optional use, when distributing\nseats, of a threshold of no more than 5% of the votes cast\nnationally. In addition, the committee advocates the use of\npreferential voting, although each Member State would decide the\nprecise arrangements for itself.
\nThe report argues that being an MEP should be incompatible with\nbeing a member of a national parliament, that each Member State\nshould be able to set a limit on candidates' expenditure (which\nmust be linked to the conduct of the election campaign) and that\nspecial arrangements should be allowed to take account of specific\nregional characteristics, although these must not violate the\nprinciple of proportional representation. The committee also wants\n10% of the total number of seats in the European Parliament to be\nfilled by means of a transnational list-based system relating to a\nsingle constituency comprising the entire territory of the\nEU.
\nSome of these principles, such as the introduction of a threshold,\nthe incompatibilities applicable to being an MEP and the\nproportional voting system could, the committee believes, be\nintroduced in time for the next European elections in June 1999. As\nto the other points, progress would have to be gradual. For\nexample, the provision on territorial constituencies would apply\nonly from 2004 and the use of transnational lists from 2009.\nHowever, the first step will be for the Council to examine the\nproposals and adopt them as soon as possible once they have been\ndebated and endorsed by Parliament at the next part-session.
\n
\n
In adopting the report by Mr Giorgios ANASTASSOPOULOS (EPP,\nGR) by 355 votes to 146 with
\n39 abstentions Parliament adopted a resolution on a draft electoral\nprocedure incorporating common
\nprinciples for the election of Members of the European Parliament.\nParliament proposed the following
\ndraft act:
\n
\nArticle 1: In each Member State, Members of the European Parliament\nshall be elected by a list
\nsystem of proportional representation. Election shall be by direct\nuniversal suffrage through an equal,
\nfree and secret ballot.
\n
\nArticle 2: Constituencies shall be established for this election\nwithout generally violating the
\nproportional character of the system, in order to bring the elected\nrepresentatives closer to the
\nelectorate and with due regard for the specific characteristics of\neach Member State. This provision
\nshall apply with effect from the elections to the European\nParliament scheduled for 2004. Member
\nStates whose population does not exceed 20 million inhabitants are\nnot required to establish
\nconstituencies.
\n
\nArticle 3: Where a country decides to establish several electoral\nconstituencies on its territory, the
\nMembers of the European Parliament shall remain, in accordance with\nArticles 137 and 138 of the
\nTreaty (189 and 190 of the consolidated Treaty), the\nrepresentatives of the peoples of the States
\nbrought together in the Community, and not the representatives of\ntheir constituencies.
\n
\nArticle 4: Special arrangements may be made to take account of\nspecific regional characteristics but
\nthey may not violate the principle of proportional\nrepresentation.
\n
\nArticle 5: A minimum threshold for the distribution of seats may be\nset and at national level may not
\nexceed 5% of the votes cast.
\n
\nArticle 6: Member States may permit preferential voting in\naccordance with procedures that they shall
\nlay down.
\n
\nArticle 7: The European Parliament will consider a proposal that a\ncertain percentage (the rapporteur
\nproposed 10%) of the total number of seats within the European\nParliament shall be filled by means
\nof list-based proportional representation relating to a single\nconstituency comprising the territory of
\nthe European Union Member States with effect from the European\nelections to be held in 2009. The
\nimplementing provisions shall be adopted by 1 January 2008 on a\nproposal from the European
\nParliament by the Council acting unanimously, and after obtaining\nParliament's assent.
\n
\nArticle 8: The office of Member of the European Parliament shall be\nincompatible with the office of
\nmember of a national parliament.
\n
\nArticle 9: Each Member State may set a limit for candidates'\nexpenditure linked to the conduct of the
\nelection campaign.
\n
\nArticle 10: Save where otherwise stipulated, the Act of 20\nSeptember 1976 concerning the election
\nof the representatives of the European Parliament by direct\nuniversal suffrage shall remain in force.
\n
\nIt should be noted that Parliament rejected the call for referral\nback to committee made by Mr Hervé
\nFABRE-D'AUBRESPY (I-EDN, F) by 106 votes to 418 with 17\nabstentions. He considered that the
\nreport by Mr ANASTASSOPOULOS was incomplete as several aspects had\nnot been dealt with.
\nThe report is also not in line with Parliament's legislative\npowers. Lastly, the report is contradictory.
\nIt wishes to make the elected representatives closer to the\nelectorate but proposes transnational lists.
\nThe report also refers to France in relation to a draft which has\nalready been rejected by the
\nauthorities of that country.
\n
\n