Changes from plenary report to plenary report

AddedLETTER OF THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL LIBERTIES, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS

RemovedSpecifically, in order to make access to voting and standing as candidate in EP elections as easy as possible for non-national Union citizens, Member States should ensure that information on mobile citizens’ rights to vote or stand as candidates should be available in all Union languages and should reach marginalised groups, especially disabled people. Additionally, obstacles accessing voting booths and polling stations should be addressed, the possibility for postal, proxy, advance and electronic voting should be revisited. Minimum residence requirement for non-national Union citizens should be abolished, where still existent, and civil society organisations should play an important role in assisting the designated authorities in Member States to reach out to citizens through appropriate information campaigns, encouraging non-national Union citizens to proactively seek information about their voting and candidacy rights in European Parliament elections.

AddedMr Sven Simon

RemovedMoreover, recent developments in reforming the European elections should be taken into account in the recasting of this Directive. The new proposed rules can, if adopted and ratified by Member States, have a truly Europeanising effect that can change the way mobile EU citizens perceive EU democracy. Consequentially, the direction taken in this Directive should, as much as legally possible, reflect these developments.

AddedChair

Removed8.11.2022

AddedCommittee on Constitutional Affairs

AddedBRUSSELS

AddedSubject: Opinion on the Proposal for a Council Directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for Union citizens residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals (recast) (2021/0372 (CNS) – COM(2021)0732 – C100001/2024 – LIBE/10/00399)

AddedDear Mr Simon,

AddedUnder the procedure referred to above, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE Committee) has been asked to submit an opinion to your committee. At their meeting of 6 March 2025, the LIBE Committee coordinators decided to send the opinion in the form of a letter pursuant to Rule 57(1) of the Rules of Procedure. The LIBE Committee discussed the matter at its meeting of 19 March and adopted the opinion at that meeting.

AddedThe Parliament adopted its position in the above consultation procedure on 14 February 2023 by a large majority of the votes cast. The LIBE Committee, as opinion giving committee, issued its opinion to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO Committee), as committee responsible, on 26 October 2022, also by a large majority of its members. On 16 May 2024, the Council decided to re-consult the Parliament on the text agreed by the Council. The LIBE Committee decided to support the recommendation from the rapporteur for opinion that the LIBE Committee sends its views in the form of a letter from the Chair informing the AFCO Committee that it wishes to keep the LIBE Opinion of 26 October 2022 (2021/0372(CNS)), adopted in the consultation procedure of last term. Nevertheless, it takes note of the text agreed by the Council, acknowledging some positive steps taken towards the LIBE opinion.

AddedThe LIBE Committee, therefore, calls on the AFCO Committee, as committee responsible, to take into account its views.

AddedYours sincerely,

AddedJavier Zarzalejos