Where the law stands, Dossier 2021/0372(CNS)
Laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and 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)
Consultation procedure (CNS): Parliament gives an opinion; the Council decides. · Parliament gives its opinion on a proposal. The Council decides, but must wait for Parliament’s opinion. · First reading
Parliament is consulted: it gives an opinion and can propose amendments, but the Council takes the decision and need not follow them.
Where it stands
Adopted by the Council
Completed: published in the Official Journal on 8 September 2025 and now EU law.
- Referred to committee(done) 7 October 2024
- Committee work(done) Report adopted 14 May 2025
- Tabled for plenary(done) 16 May 2025
- Plenary vote(done) Voted 17 June 2025
- Adopted by the Council(done) 8 September 2025
Decided in plenary
17 June 2025 · decision 3
EU institutions & Parliament, New EU law
Electoral rights of mobile Union citizens in European Parliament elections
No single final vote: only amendments or parts of the text were voted on.
Who works on it
- Lead committee
- Constitutional Affairs
- The MEP who drafts the report and negotiates it on behalf of the committee.
- Sven Simon (EPP), Damian Boeselager (Greens)
- An MEP who follows a report on behalf of their own group when another group holds the rapporteur.
- Loránt Vincze (EPP), Mep #124747 (S&D), Marc Angel (S&D), Marieke Ehlers (Patriots), Patryk Jaki (ECR), Sandro Gozi (Renew), Reinier van Lanschot (Greens), Nikolas Farantouris (The Left), Leila Chaibi (The Left)
- Committees giving an opinion
- Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs· rapporteurMep #127096 (S&D), Ana Catarina Mendes (S&D)
The text, version by version
Newest first.
Adopted by Parliament· 17 Jun 2025
AI summary:Parliament approves the Council draft on electoral rights of mobile Union citizens, as adapted to the recommendations of the Consultative Working Party of the legal services.
Adopted by Parliament· 14 Feb 2023
AI summary:Parliament's amended version of the proposed Council directive on electoral rights for mobile EU citizens in European Parliament elections. It approves the Commission proposal with amendments, aiming to clarify and strengthen rules on voting and standing as candidates for non-national Union citizens.
Tabled for plenary· 16 May 2025
AI summary:Parliament approves the Council draft on the directive for EU citizens voting in European Parliament elections in their member state of residence, as adapted to legal service recommendations.
Tabled for plenary· 13 Dec 2022
AI summary:Parliament's amended version of the proposed directive on EU citizens' voting rights in European Parliament elections in their host member state. It updates rules on registration, information, and data exchange, and removes derogations.
Committee draft· 19 Feb 2025
AI summary:The draft report concerns a Council directive on the right to vote and stand as a candidate in European Parliament elections for EU citizens living in another member state. The rapporteur approves the Council draft without amendments.
Committee draft· 20 Jul 2022
AI summary:The draft report approves the Commission proposal for a Council directive on the electoral rights of non-national EU citizens, as amended, and calls for automatic voter registration, information in all EU languages, and the deletion of derogations for member states with high non-national populations.
Committee opinions: Opinion (LIBE), Draft opinion (LIBE)
Timeline
Newest first.
Outcome 1 step
8 September 2025
Published in the Official Journal
The act is now EU law.
Plenary stage 3 steps
17 June 2025
Plenary vote
Sitting of 17 Jun 2025 Adopted text TA10-0120/2025Report A10-0090/2025
12 June 2025
3 amendments tabled for the plenary vote
Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.
16 May 2025
Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
Committee stage 5 steps
14 May 2025
Committee vote: report adopted
AFCO (Constitutional Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
7 April 2025
Amendments tabled in committee
Members of AFCO (Constitutional Affairs) proposed changes to the draft.
19 March 2025
Committee opinion adopted
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
19 February 2025
Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in AFCO (Constitutional Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
7 October 2024
Referred to the AFCO (Constitutional Affairs) committee
The lead committee prepares the report; LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) gives an opinion.
Plenary stage 2 steps
14 February 2023
Plenary vote
Sitting of 14 Feb 2023 Adopted text TA9-0037/2023Council / Commission text C9-0021/2022Report A9-0297/2022
13 February 2023
Debated in plenary
MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.
Sitting of 13 Feb 2023 Council / Commission text C9-0021/2022Council / Commission text C9-0022/2022Report A9-0005/2023Report A9-0297/2022
Committee stage 6 steps
1 December 2022
Committee vote: report adopted
AFCO (Constitutional Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
27 October 2022
Committee opinion adopted
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
25 October 2022
LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) adopted its opinion
The opinion is attached to the report for the lead committee to consider.
20 July 2022
Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in AFCO (Constitutional Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
14 June 2022
Draft opinion from LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs)
An associated committee gives its view to the lead committee.
27 January 2022
Referred to the AFCO (Constitutional Affairs) committee
The lead committee prepares the report; LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) gives an opinion.
Official record: Legislative Observatory, 2021/0372(CNS)