Brussels, 22/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - At an initiative of Commissioner Antonio Vitorino, the Commission adopted a communication whereby it assesses the application - so far somewhat unsatisfactory - of the directive on the right to vote and to stand for municipal and European elections, for EU citizens residing in a Member State other than their own. The communication notes that the rate of turnout at European elections on the part of EU citizens not living in their country of origin was low in 1994 and did not increase in 1999 (in Germany, it even went down) and this reflects inappropriate information, while the directive, though leaving Member States a broad margin of assessment, imposes the organisation of specific campaigns for EU non-national citizens residing on their territory. According to the Commission, election information should be targeted and/or personalised. For example, one could ensure that, whenever the citizens concerned come into contact with the local or national authorities of the country where they reside, they would find forms available for requesting registration on electoral lists.
The voter registration rate of EU citizens in the Member State of residence during EP elections in 1999 (and 1994 in brackets): - EU average 9% (5.9%); - Ireland 43.9% (44.1%), except for British nationals; - Finland 28.1% (22%); - Sweden 27.2% (24%); - Denmark 26.6% (24.9%); - United Kingdom 23.1% (1.96%), except for Irish nationals; - Spain 22.4% (12.6%); - Netherlands 16.9% (no data for 1994); - Austria 15.1% (7.9%); - Portugal 13.6% (2.3%); - Italy 9.2% (1.8%); - Luxembourg 8.8% (6.6%); - Belgium 7.7% (5.1%); - France 4.9% (3.4%); - Germany 2.1% (6.7%); - Greece 1.8%) (1.6%). The Commission notes that, in the six countries where the voter registration rate had been the highest, direct information had been organised targeting nationals of other Member States as a "category of potential voters".
The right of eligibility to run for election is even less practised. Thus: - in European elections of 1994, there were only 53 candidates from other Member States, and only one was elected; - in the 1999 elections, there were 62, and 4 were elected (2 in Belgium, one in France and one in Italy).