Persons employed by the EU and voting in electios to the European Parliament
Citizens of the European Union residing in Finland and working for the EU or other international organisations are proposed to be given the right to vote in elections to the European Parliament in Finland. The Government submitted a proposal concerning an amendment to the Elections Act to the Parliament today.
For example persons employed by the European Chemicals Agency and their family members are not at the moment entitled to vote in elections to the European Parliament held in Finland, if they are not Finnish citizens or if they do not have a municipality of residence in Finland. They are, however, usually entitled to vote in elections to the European Parliament held in their own home state.
As a consequence of the proposed reform, public officials working for the EU or other international organisations in Finland would be able to choose whether they wish to vote in elections to the European Parliament in Finland or in their home state. According to the proposal, a person who wishes to exercise his or her right to vote in Finland must submit a written notification of this to the local register office. The amendment would concern at the moment approximately 600 citizens of the Union who reside in Finland but do not have a municipality of residence here.
Under the EU Treaty, every citizen of the Union has the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament in the Member State in which he or she resides, under the same conditions as nationals of that state.
It is the responsibility of the Population Register Centre to inform those citizens of the Union who are entitled to vote in Finland of the voting procedure.
Further information: Senior Officer Heini Huotarinen, tel. 02951 50127
e-mail: [email protected]