During the meeting of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) in the EP in Brussels, MEPs vote on a new distribution of Parliament's seats for the 2019 -2024 legislative term. MEPs also vote on whether or not to set up transnational electoral lists comprising the entire territory of the European Union. Statements by Danuta Maria HÜBNER (EPP, PL) and Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&D, PT)

Brussels

statement

meeting

vote

HÜBNER, Danuta Maria (EPP, PL)

SILVA PEREIRA, Pedro (S&D, PT)

future of the European Union (T)

composition of the European Parliament (T)

2019 European elections (T)

Composition of the European Parliament: extracts from the vote and statements by Danuta Maria HÜBNER (EPP, PL) and Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&D, PT)

SOUNDBITE (English), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), And now we go for local vote for the draft mode of the resolution. The vote is open. The vote is closed. In favour: 20 Against: 4 Abstentions: 1 It is adopted.

SOUNDBITE (English), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), It was very difficult because we are very divided on some of the issues. Distributing seats, composition of the European Parliament is always a challenge. We do it every 5 years before every election of the European Parliament and it is always difficult. Now it was much more difficult also because there is the challenge of Brexit, which will free seats and we have also to agree how many of those seats might be used in the future elections because of the need of meeting the criteria of proportionality, but also taking into account that a big member state is leaving. So the parliament by definition should be smaller, but we, of course, know that is also that the parliament continues to function effectively and serve the citizens.

SOUNDBITE (English), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), What was important for me is that in spite of this internal division, in spite of the fact that not everybody was happy even with the figures.

SOUNDBITE (English), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), There was a big division of those who liked the seats transnational lists and those who are against. We had more than 80 percent voting at the end for the entire proposal for the European Council, so that showed also responsibility of the colleagues. Challenge today was transnational list, it is not only that we are divided, that there are people who are against and people who are in favourm but the challenge is also that we still do not have legal basis. So, it is mentioned in our proposal but the real change of the law that we need to have transnational lists, electoral law, which parliament voted in 2016 and which is stuck in the Council.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Danuta Maria H&#220;BNER (EPP, PL), Statement on the composition of the EP in Polish.

SOUNDBITE (English), Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&amp;D, PT), I think this was very important for European democracy. I am very glad to see that there was a substantial support to our proposal.The most important thing is that we are going to have a fair representation of the member countries in the European Parliament. The principles of the Lisbon treaty will finally be respected if this proposal is approved.

SOUNDBITE (English), Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&amp;D, PT), The transnational list is only part of the debate. The most important thing is the new allocation of seats. And we had problems because we had an unfair representation of countries in the European Parliament. This can be corrected ensuring that no country will lose seats in the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Pedro SILVA PEREIRA (S&amp;D, PT), Statement on the composition of the EP in Portuguese.