The European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (c. 24) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom governing elections to the European Parliament.
The act consolidated the law in relation to elections to the European Parliament.
The act divided the United Kingdom into various regions to which were allocated a number of seats. England was divided into nine regions with a total of 71 seats. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each constituted a single region, with 8, 5 and 3 seats respectively. For the first time the Act allowed the participation of Gibraltar, which was placed within the South West England region for the purpose of the elections.
The act was repealed by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 on 31 January 2020, and the 2019 European Parliament election was the last to be held under the former legislation.
Provisions Repealed enactments Section 16 of the act repealed 8 enactments and revoked 2 instruments, listed in schedule 4 to the act. CitationShort titleExtent of repeal or revocation1978 c. 10European Assembly Elections Act 1978The whole act.1983 c. 2Representation of the People Act 1983In Schedule 8, paragraphs 21 to 23.1993 c. 38Welsh Language Act 1993Section 35(3).1993 c. 41European Parliamentary Elections Act 1993Section 3.SI 1994/342European Parliamentary Elections (Changes to the Franchise and Qualification of Representatives) Regulations 1994Regulation 3.1999 c. 1European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999The whole act.2000 c. 2Representation of the People Act 2000In Schedule 6, paragraph 2.2000 c. 41Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000Section 142.In Schedule 21, paragraph 5.2001 c. 13House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Act 2001In Schedule 1, paragraph 2.SI 2001/1184European Parliamentary Elections (Franchise of Relevant Citizens of the Union) Regulations 2001Regulation 11(a).
2011 AV and 2016 EU referendums The legal provisions for the appointment of "Regional returning officers" and also the twelve European Parliamentary Regional constituencies areas of the United Kingdom under this Act were also used under the titles of "Regional counting officers" and "Regional count areas" in the legislation enacted for the holding of both the 2011 AV Referendum under the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 and the 2016 EU Referendum under the European Union Referendum Act 2015.
Repeal In a result of the referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union on 23 June 2016, the act was repealed by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, however initially it was only partially repealed and was not fully repealed until 31 January 2020 when the United Kingdom formally left the European Union.The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Commencement and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2018.
The whole act was repealed by section 25(4) of, and schedule 9 to, the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Section 1A and schedule 1A, which had been inserted by subsequent legislation, were repealed on 4 July 2018. The remainder of the act was repealed on 31 December 2020.
See also Matthews v United Kingdom European Assembly Elections Act 1978 European Parliamentary Elections Act 1993 European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999 European Union Act 2011 European Communities Act 1972 (UK) Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom relating to the European Communities and the European Union
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