Cutting MEPs
October 12, 2007
The Parliament agreed to reduce the number of its members (MEPs) from 785 to 750 ahead of elections in 2009. Italy, Britain and France are worst hit by the cuts.
The decision addresses concerns that the parliament, which at over 700 members is already one of the largest in the world, is too unwieldy. But it still leaves the door open for further debate if other countries join the 27-member bloc.
The enlargement of the EU from 15 to 27 members in the last three years has provoked a debate on the size of the Parliament and in June, EU leaders proposed that the number of MEPs be capped at 750 for the period 2009-14 and tasked MEPs with working out how to cut their own numbers down by 35.
EU powers see their numbers cut
After intensive wrangling, experts last week proposed wide-ranging cuts, with Italy set to lose six of its seats, the UK to lose five, France to lose four and Germany and Poland to lose three. And despite heated debates, the parliament voted to back the proposals by a solid majority of 378 to 154, with 109 abstentions.
But the agreement, which still has to be approved by EU governments, leaves serious questions over the fate of the parliament after the elections scheduled for 2014.
Under the agreement, the number of seats contested across the EU at election time should never top 750. Countries joining the EU in between elections would be allocated a temporary number of MEPs, but other member states would be expected to agree to further cuts so that the magic number of 750 would be kept at the next election.
Turkey may upset plan to cap level at 750
While that provision is unlikely to provoke controversy in the short term, with Croatia (probable number of MEPs: 12) the state most likely to join the Union before 2014, it could cause a huge problem if Turkey joins some time after 2015.
Turkey's population is already larger than that of any EU state except Germany, meaning that it should receive close to the maximum number (96) of MEPs.
Other member states would therefore have to shed over 10 per cent of their MEPs to keep the total below 750 -- a process which is likely to be accompanied by intense debate.