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European Union

Katainen on Brexit: We have to take Spain’s concerns very seriously

Euractiv.com - Fri, 11/23/2018 - 14:50
Member states share Spain's concerns over the future relationship with Gibraltar after Brexit, Vice-President of the European Commission for Jobs, Growth, Investment & Competitiveness Jyrki Katainen told EURACTIV.com in a long interview where he addressed all the pressing challenges the EU is currently facing.
Categories: European Union

European elections: common rules and national provisions

Citizens are asking what are the main common rules and national provisions for electing Members of the European Parliament. The procedures for electing Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are governed both by European Union (EU) legislation, which defines certain rules common to all Member States, and by provisions specific to each Member State.

Common rules

© Momius / Fotolia

Common rules for electing MEPs are defined in Article 14 of the Treaty on European Union, Articles 20, 22 and 223 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union, Article 39 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the Act of 20 September 1976, amended in 2018, concerning the election of the representatives of the Assembly by direct universal suffrage.

The main common rules include:

  • Representation of the EU’s citizens shall be digressively proportional, with a minimum threshold of 6 members per Member State and a maximum of 96 seats. The overall total number of seats shall not exceed 751.
  • MEPs shall be elected for a term of 5 years by direct universal suffrage in a free and secret ballot.
  • MEPs shall be elected on the basis of proportional representation, using the list system or the single transferable vote, where the voter has one vote, but can rank the candidates.
  • Elections to the European Parliament are held within the same period in all Member States, starting on a Thursday morning and ending on the following Sunday, with the exact date and times being fixed by each Member State.
  • Member States may provide for the possibilities of advance voting, postal voting, and electronic and internet voting. They shall ensure the reliability of the result, secrecy of the vote and protection of personal data. Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure the prevention of double voting.

Furthermore, Directive 93/109/EC lays down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for citizens of the Union residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals.

National provisions

In addition to the common rules, Member States set up their own provisions. For instance, Member States may establish constituencies for elections to the European Parliament and/or may set a minimum threshold for the allocation of seats. At the national level, this threshold may not exceed 5 % of valid votes cast.

Voting is compulsory in five Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Cyprus and Greece): both nationals and registered non-national EU citizens are under a legal obligation to vote.

Other matters are also governed by national provisions, such as the minimum voting age or the minimum age for standing as a candidate.

More information

The ‘2019 European elections: National rules‘ infographic provides an overview of the national provisions for electing MEPs.

More information is available on the European Parliament website, in the section entitled ‘EU fact sheets – The European Parliament: electoral procedures‘.

The ‘European elections‘ section of the ‘Your Europe‘ website offers further insight into the various aspects of the European elections.

Continue to put your questions to the Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (Ask EP). We reply to you in the EU language that you use to write to us.

Categories: European Union

Five benchmarks for a just transition to low-carbon energy

Euractiv.com - Fri, 11/23/2018 - 12:55
The new long-term climate strategy for the EU can be a tool for a prosperous zero-carbon society if it addresses Just Transition, write Lisa Fischer and Rebekka Popp.
Categories: European Union

Trans-Europe Express – Europe’s door of the desert

Euractiv.com - Fri, 11/23/2018 - 12:07
Known as ‘the door of the desert’ on the edge of the Sahara, the Moroccan town of Ouazarzate is home to film studios where historical epics such as Gladiator and Troy are made for Hollywood. Just as epic is the 3000...
Categories: European Union

Debate: Should former colonies get their artworks back?

Eurotopics.net - Fri, 11/23/2018 - 12:00
France's President Emmanuel Macron has promised that artworks taken from former French colonies in Africa will be returned. Roughly 90,000 objects currently held by French museums could be affected. Britain, Germany and Belgium are also debating whether works stolen during the colonial era should be returned. Commentators are sceptical.
Categories: European Union

Debate: Gibraltar: Spain threatens to veto Brexit deal

Eurotopics.net - Fri, 11/23/2018 - 12:00
With less than two days to go before the meeting of EU leaders there is no sign of an agreement being reached between Madrid and London in the dispute over Gibraltar. Spain is demanding a right of veto on all future agreements regarding British territory and threatening to block the Brexit deal on Sunday. Several British media are incensed by this stance, but what is behind it?
Categories: European Union

Debate: What remains five years after the Euromaidan?

Eurotopics.net - Fri, 11/23/2018 - 12:00
The Ukrainian government stopped the signing of the association agreement with the EU on November 21, 2013. Spontaneous protests against this move led to the fall of president Yanukovych in February 2014 and Russia's annexation of Crimea, and continue to strain relations between Russia and the West today. A retrospective by Ukrainian and Russian media.
Categories: European Union

Debate: Brussels cracks down on Rome over deficit

Eurotopics.net - Fri, 11/23/2018 - 12:00
The European Commission has also rejected a slightly modified draft of Italy's 2019 budget on the grounds that it violates EU rules, and is initiating an Excessive Deficit Procedure against the country. For Rome this could mean fines of up to 3.4 billion euros. Some commentators praise Brussels for its firm stance. Others say both sides will end up losing.
Categories: European Union

Deter copycats | Die Welt - Germany

Eurotopics.net - Fri, 11/23/2018 - 12:00
Categories: European Union

Debate: Black Friday: long live consumerism?

Eurotopics.net - Fri, 11/23/2018 - 12:00
Stores in the US traditionally offer goods at heavily reduced prices on the Friday after Thanksgiving, ushering in the Christmas shopping season. Black Friday has also been exported to Europe and taken up by e-commerce. Commentators discuss the commercial and spiritual repercussions of the mega sale.
Categories: European Union

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