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2014 CHANGE IN QUALIFIED MAJORITY VOTING (QMV)

Submitted by christian on Fri, 09/20/2013 - 13:44

The Lisbon treaty has expanded the use of qualified majority voting (QMV) in the Council of Ministers by having it replace unanimity as the standard voting procedure in almost every policy area. Moreover, taking effect in 2014, the definition of a qualified majority will change:

  1. A qualified majority is reached when at least 55% of all member states, who comprise at least 65% of EU citizens, vote in favour of a proposal.
  2. When the Council of Ministers is acting neither on a proposal of the Commission nor on one of the High Representative, QMV requires 72% of the member states while the population requirement remains the same.
  3. To block legislation, at least 4 countries (representing at least 35% of the EU population) have to vote against the proposal. Hence, the voting powers of the member states are based on their population, and are no more dependent on a negotiable system of voting points.
  4. Between 2014 and 2017 a transitional phase will take place where the new QMV rules apply, but where the old Nice treaty voting weights can be applied when a member state wishes so.
  5. Moreover, from 2014 a new version of the 1994 "Ioannina Compromise" will take effect, which allows small minorities of EU states to call for re-examination of EU decisions.

Number of Votes

  1. Germany: 29 votes (16.1%)
  2. France: 29 votes (12.9%)
  3. UK: 29 votes (12.4%)
  4. Italy: 29 votes (12%)
  5. Spain: 27 votes (9%)
  6. Poland: 27 votes (7.5%)
  7. Romania: 14 votes (4.2%)
  8. Netherlands: 13 votes (4.2%)
  9. Greece: 12 votes (2.2%)
  10. Czech Republic: 12 votes (2.1%)
  11. Belgium: 12 votes (2.1%)
  12. Hungary: 12 votes (2.1%)
  13. Portugal: 12 votes (2.1%)
  14. Sweden: 10 votes (1.9%)
  15. Austria: 10 votes (1.7%)
  16. Bulgaria: 10 votes (1.7%)
  17. Denmark: 7 votes (1.1%)
  18. Slovakia: 7 votes (1.1%)
  19. Finland: 7 votes (1.1%)
  20. Ireland: 7 votes (0.9%)
  21. Croatia: 7 votes (0.9%
  22. Lithuania: 7 votes (0.6%)
  23. Latvia: 4 votes (0.4%)
  24. Slovenia: 4 votes (0.4%)
  25. Estonia: 4 votes (0.3%)
  26. Cyprus: 4 votes (0.2%)
  27. Luxembourg: 4 votes (0.1%)
  28. Malta: 3 votes (0.1%)

Total: 352 votes

Total Population: 508.08 million

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