Government of Gibraltar Press Release

No: 224/2002  Date: 22 November 2002 



Eurovote for Gibraltar  



The Government has examined the European Parliament (Representation) 

Bill published today by the British Government, upon the text of 

which the Gibraltar Government has not been consulted.   



Whilst the Government welcomes the initiation of the parliamentary 

process for legislation to enfranchise Gibraltar for the next 

European Parliament Elections, some of the Bill's contents do not 

reflect the views of the Gibraltar Government, nor the discussions 

that are taking place between HMG and GOG on these issues.    



The Gibraltar Government accepts that as Gibraltar is being added to 

a UK Regional constituency, the electoral laws, regulations and 

procedures needs to be uniform throughout that constituency, 

including Gibraltar. However, the Gibraltar Government believes that 

some of the content of the UK Bill should more appropriately, from a 

constitutional point of view, be a matter for legislation in 

Gibraltar.      



HMG has offered to continue discussions with GOG on these issues 

with a view to possible amendments to the Bill during its passage 

through Parliament.  



The Government welcomes the fact that the territory of Gibraltar 

will be included in the territorial definition of the Constituency 

so that both the territory and the people of Gibraltar will be 

enfranchised. This was a fundamentally important point.