Revision of Council Directive 93/109/EC: Electoral rights of mobile EU citizens in elections to the European Parliament

Briefing 09-02-2023

On 25 November 2021, the European Commission submitted a proposal to modify Directive 93/109/EC on the right of mobile European Union (EU) citizens – those residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals – to vote and stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament. The proposal was presented with three others: to modify the rules on EU citizens' rights in municipal elections; to set rules on political advertising; and to revise the rules on EU political party and foundation funding. Directive 93/109/EC gives EU citizens the same rights to vote and to be elected in European Parliament elections as the citizens of the Member State in which they reside; Member States have varying rules on the exercise of these rights. The Commission proposal seeks to address some of the concerns raised about the implementation of the directive. In Parliament, the file was referred to the Committee on Constitutional Affairs. The committee adopted its report on 1 December 2022 and a vote in plenary is scheduled for the February II 2023 plenary session. First edition. The 'EU Legislation in Progress' briefings are updated at key stages throughout the legislative procedure.