Nieuwe lidstaten registreren één miljoen extra kiesgerechtigden in aanloop naar verkiezingen (en)
The follow up for the Commission Communication on participation of all EU citizens to the 2004 European parliamentary elections confirms that the member states have taken measures for early electoral registration of all EU citizens, including nationals of ten new member states. This guarantees that they can vote and stand as a candidate in the June elections also when living outside their home country.
"Participation to political life at in the member state of residence is an extremely important part of being a citizen of the Union. I am therefore very satisfied that member states and acceding states have taken the matter seriously and arranged for early registration of all non-national EU citizens living in their area to electoral rolls for the 2004 European parliamentary elections", said António Vitorino, European Commissioner responsible for Justice and Home Affairs. "This guarantees the fundamental right to vote in the polling day in June."
A recent meeting of the electoral experts confirmed that all member states had taken legislative or administrative measures to allow the registration of nationals of the new member states to their electoral rolls even before the date of accession. The main rule is the new voters will be treated similarly to existing Community voters. This was recommended by the Commission Communication in April 2003.
The transposition of the relevant Union legislation by new member states has also progressed well. Eight out of ten new member states have adopted legislation on the European parliamentary elections by now: After Poland approved its new legislation on EP elections last week, it is only for Latvia and Cyprus to complete their laws.
Enlargement - Monitoring
Transposition of directives on voting rights
|
COUNTRY | DIR. 93/109/EC ON EP ELECTIONS | DIR. 94/80/EC ON MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS |
|
Czech Republic | Act on elections to the European Parliament adopted 3/2003
OK | Act on Municipal Elections adopted 12/2001
OK |
|
Estonia | European Parliament Election Act adopted 12/2002
OK | Local Government Elections Act adopted 3/2002
OK |
|
Cyprus | Draft law debated in the House of Representatives; not yet adopted (expected in January 2004) | Draft law debated in the House of Representatives not yet adopted (expected in 2004) |
|
Latvia | Draft Act on Elections to the European Parliament debated in the Latvian Parliament; not yet adopted (expected in January 2004) | Draft law, not yet adopted |
|
Lithuania | The Law on Elections to the European Parliament adopted by the parliament 11/2003; will enter into force after publication.
OK | Amendment of Constitution adopted 6/2002; Amendment of Law on Elections to Municipal Councils adopted 9/2002
OK |
|
Hungary | Act on European Parliament elections adopted 12/2003
OK | Draft legislation being discussed in the parliament; not yet final adoption. |
|
Malta | A Bill to make provision for holding of elections to the European Parliament adopted 11/2003
OK | A Bill to make provision for participation of EU citizens to local elections adopted 11/2003
OK |
|
Poland | Act on elections to the European Parliament adopted by the Polish parliament 1/2004 (to be signed by the President, into force 1.3.2004)
OK | Legislation being prepared; not yet adopted |
|
Slovenia | Act on elections of Slovene representatives to the European Parliament adopted 10/2002 OK | Legislative package on right of EU nationals to participate to municipal elections adopted 5/2002 OK |
|
Slovak Republic | Act on the European Parliament Elections adopted 7/2003
OK | Amended Act on Elections to Municipal Self-Government Bodies adopted 3/2002
OK |
Community voters covered by Directive 93/109/EC at the 2004 elections ;
Non-national citizens of the Union and citizens of acceding States (in voting age) residing in Member States and acceding States(1) ;
|
Country | Nationals | Non-national Union citizens | Non-national citizens of the acceding States | Community voters in total |
| Germany | 61 432 000 | 1 617 000 | 412 000 | 2 029 000 |
| France | 41 812 000 | 1 004 000 | 53 000 | 1 057 000 |
| UK | 42 870 000 | 790 000 | 62 700 | 852 700 |
| Belgium | 7 387 000 | 456 000 | 8 000 | 464 000 |
| Netherlands | 11 612 000 | 194 000 | 9 100 | 203 100 |
| Sweden | 6 566 000 | 143 000 | 23 000 | 166 000 |
| Spain | 31 365 000 | 133 000 | 8 500 | 141 500 |
| Luxembourg | 210 000 | 108 000 | 8 000 | 116 000 |
| Austria | 5 796 000 | 95 000 | 150 000 | 245 000 |
| Ireland | 2 659 000 | 76 000 | 1 000 | 77 000 |
| Italy | 46 552 000 | 56 000 | 35 500 | 91 500 |
| Denmark | 4 000 000 | 48 000 | 8 300 | 56 300 |
| Portugal | 7 751 000 | 26 000 | 500 | 26 500 |
| Greece | 8 244 000 | 16 000 | 7 500 | 23 500 |
| Finland | 3 960 000 | 9 000 | 12 600 | 21 600 |
| Czech Rep. | 8 228 000 | 17 200 | 63 000 | 80 200 |
| Estonia | 1 152 000 | 1 600 | 20 000 | 21 600 |
| Cyprus | 576 000 | 13 000 | 2 000 | 15 000 |
| Latvia | 1 920 000 | 700 | 2 000 | 2 700 |
| Lithuania | 2 728 000 | 600 | 2 000 | 2 600 |
| Malta | 312 000 | 1 000 | 100 | 1 100 |
| Hungary | 8 070 000 | 9 400 | 5 500 | 14 900 |
| Poland | 30 794 000 | 20 000 | 2 000 | 22 000 |
| Slovenia | 1 606 000 | 1 200 | 300 | 1 500 |
| Slovakia | 4 316 000 | 1 500 | 2 000 | 3 500 |
| Grand Total | 337 922 000 | 4 837 200 | 898 600 | 5 735 800 |
Grey boxes = new Community voters at 2004 elections, in total 964 800
(1)The numbers are very rough estimates that serve to give an overall picture of new Community voters. They are based on population statistics of Eurostat, but come from different years, from different collections of population data (e.g. estimations drawn from total population/active population etc).