PURPOSE: to fix the period for the ninth election of representatives to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage.
PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.
BACKGROUND: by its Decision 78/639/Euratom, ECSC, EEC, the Council fixed the period for the first election of representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage from 7 to 10 June 1979.
Since it is not possible to hold the ninth election during the corresponding period of 2019, another electoral period must be fixed.
CONTENT: the Council proposes to hold the ninth election of representatives to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage during the period from 23 to 26 May 2019.