WRITTEN QUESTION E-0578/03 by Frank Vanhecke (NI) to the Council. Distribution of seats in the European Parliament.
Date: 2003-02-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, EU Accession Treaty, EU Member State, European Parliament, European election, Treaty of Nice, allocation of seats, enlargement of the Union, parliamentary seat

C 280 E/68

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

21.11.2003

On several occasions, whenever the issue has been raised, the Mexican authorities have said that the
investigation into Ms Ochoa’s murder was still underway, but had not yet produced any significant results.
The Council of the EU reaffirms its intention to follow this matter closely.

2.
The Council has on several occasions examined the human rights situation in Mexico and expressed
its concerns. In their contacts with the Mexican authorities, EU and Member States’ representatives have
frequently raised issues concerning the protection of human rights in Mexico and have voiced their
concerns regarding various aspects of this problem.

The Council would recall that the human rights situation in Mexico was examined in depth at the last
meeting of senior officials, which took place in Puebla (Mexico) on 3 October 2002 within the framework
of the political dialogue between the EU and Mexico. On that occasion, EU representatives voiced their
concern regarding some specific cases of violations of human rights in Mexico, including the one referred
to by the Honourable Member. In particular, it mentioned harassment, death threats and assaults directed
against persons and organisations working for the defence of human rights in Mexico. At that meeting, the
EU reminded the Mexican authorities that it was prepared to continue cooperating with them on this
matter. At the EU-Mexico Joint Committee meeting, which took place the same day, the two parties agreed
to strengthen their cooperation in the specific area of human rights and democracy.

The European Union raised this issue at the EU-Mexico Joint Council meeting, which was held in
Vouliagmeni on 27 March 2003. At the end of the meeting, delegations expressed their firm attachment to
the universal nature of human rights and emphasised that the international community had a shared
responsibility in this area. They undertook to take the necessary measures to step up awareness of human
rights worldwide.

(2003/C 280 E/070)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0578/03

by Frank Vanhecke (NI) to the Council

(28 February 2003)

Subject: Distribution of seats in the European Parliament

At the Brussels and Copenhagen European Councils a framework agreement was negotiated on the future
allocation of seats in the European Parliament after the enlargement of the Union. Up to now Belgium has
had 25 seats, 14 of which were for the electoral district of Flanders, 11 for that of Wallonia. After the
enlargement Belgium will have only 22 seats. As a transitional arrangement, however, pending the
accession of Bulgaria and Romania, it is planned that there will be a gradual adjustment in the number of
seats to which the present Member States will be entitled at next year’s European elections. Various
newspapers have reported that Belgium will still be given 24 seats at the 2004 European elections, and
that this number will be reduced to 22 only at the 2009 elections.

Can the Council indicate how many seats the present Member States will be given at the elections in June
2004 and 2009?

Has the Council given any recommendations to the Member States as to any proportional distribution of
seats among the various electoral districts to be made in each Member State?

Reply

(21 July 2003)

The Act of Accession (Article 11) modifies the EC Treaty as regards the number of seats in the European
Parliament allocated to Member States from the start of the 2004-2009 term. It provides, inter alia, that
Belgium has 24 seats. On the accession of Bulgaria and Romania (cid:1) for which the target date set by the
European Council is 2007 (cid:1) the number of seats allocated to Member States will again be modified. In the
present juncture, seats should be allocated in accordance with Declaration 20 of the Treaty of Nice.
In particular, Belgium should then have 22 seats.