Brussels, 29/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - Adopting the report by Jose Maria Gil Robles, the European Parliament's Constitutional Committee decided to recommend to the plenary that it agree with the Spanish Presidency compromise concerning the electoral procedure for MEPs. As reported in EUROPE of 6 April, p.9, the compromise foresees use of proportional representation and gives Member States the option of dividing their country into electoral constituencies. It also foresees the system being reviewed again before 2009 to assess the idea of introducing European lists. The vote in plenary has been scheduled for 12 June in Strasbourg.
In a press release issued after the Constitutional Committee meeting, German Social Democrat Jo Leinen hailed the adoption of a framework for a uniform procedure before the 2004 elections but regretted lack of progress in terms of introducing a European list. Highlighting that transnational lists would help give a human face to European policies and replace 115 national campaigns with a cross-border campaign, Leinen called on the European Convention to introduce a legal basis in the future Constitutional Treaty for Europe-wide lists.