A number of Member States’ ambassadors to the European Union (Coreper) criticised, on Thursday 22 June, the European Parliament’s proposal to increase the number of seats in the European Parliament from 705 to 716 for the 2024-2029 term.
In particular, France is calling for four extra seats, while MEPs are recommending two extra seats for two countries (Spain and the Netherlands) and one extra seat for seven others (Denmark, Ireland, Latvia, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland) (see EUROPE 13202/11). It argues that, by virtue of the principle of degressive proportionality, a more populous State cannot have fewer MEPs than a less populous State, but also that the difference in seats between two countries must be proportional to their demographic difference.
“I don’t think they (the ministers) will arrive at a conclusion” at next Tuesday’s EU ‘General Affairs’ Council, said a European diplomatic source on Thursday 22 June, citing “different opinions” among the Member States. According to this source, in the absence of an agreement at ministerial level, this issue will not be raised at the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 June, but will instead be discussed at technical level.
Unanimity of the Member States is required to take a decision. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)