Reform of the European Electoral Act – hurdles to ratification and implementation in the Member States

Wording as published by the EP, in English.

1. Amendment 1Rejected

   Recital H

   Tabled by Stanisław Tyszka · ESN

   H. whereas Removed: despite several reforms, European elections are Removed: still mostly governed by national laws, electoral campaigning remains Removed: to a large extent national, and European political parties are Removed: unable to sufficiently fulfil their constitutional mandates and ‘contribute to forming European political awareness and to expressing the will of citizens of the Union’, as required by Article 10(4) TEU; whereas the recast of the regulation on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations7 has brought a level of clarity in that respect; 7 Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 1141/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations, (OJ L 317, 4.11.2014, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/1141/oj). Added: composed of national political parties;

2. Amendment 2Rejected

   Paragraph 3 a (new)

   Tabled by Sarah Knafo, Milan Uhrík · ESN

   Added: 3a. Considers that differences in the implementation of Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2018/994 reflect legitimate constitutional choices made by Member States in accordance with their democratic processes; stresses that the absence of uniform transposition cannot be interpreted as a lack of commitment to democracy, but rather as an expression of the pluralism inherent to the Union;

3. Amendment 4Rejected

   Paragraph 5 a (new)

   Tabled by Sarah Knafo, Milan Uhrík · ESN

   Added: 5a. Stresses that any measures aimed at increasing the visibility of European political parties or facilitating voting methods must fully respect Member States’ competences over electoral organisation, campaign rules and voting modalities, and must not undermine integrity, security or public trust in national electoral systems;

4. Amendment 5Rejected

   Paragraph 12 a (new)

   Tabled by Stanisław Tyszka · ESN

   Added: 12a. Emphasises that political systems and electoral regulations remain a competence of the Member States; stresses that, while Parliament can suggest harmonisation of certain regulations, it remains the sovereign decision of each EU Member State whether such a measure fits and should be implemented within its political system;