Electoral rights of mobile Union citizens in municipal elections

It affects EU citizens living in another Member State who want to vote or run in municipal elections there. It also affects voters with disabilities or older voters needing accessible election information.

• Requires clearer, direct election information, including accessible formats and another widely understood EU language.
• Introduces standard declaration templates for registering as a voter or candidate.
• Prevents residence-country registration alone from removing voters from home-country electoral rolls.
• Requires equal access to advance, postal, electronic and internet voting where available to nationals.

Takes effect

The Directive enters into force on the twentieth day after publication; specified existing provisions apply from 31 December 2023.

Transitional law

Member States must transpose specified amended provisions by 31 December 2023; Directive 94/80/EC is repealed from that date.

• Council Directive 94/80/EC
  • entire act: repeals and recasts the entire directive
  • art. 1: updates subject matter and scope wording
  • art. 2: updates definitions and empowers Commission to amend Annex I
  • art. 3: updates conditions governing the right to vote and stand as candidate
  • art. 4: updates residence period requirements wording
  • art. 5: updates ineligibility rules and candidate disqualification references
  • art. 6: updates incompatibility rules wording
  • art. 7: updates freedom to choose to vote in residence Member State
  • art. 8: updates electoral roll entry/removal rules and adds declaration template and non-removal safeguard
  • art. 9: updates candidate registration rules and adds declaration template powers
  • art. 10: inserts specific means of voting provision
  • art. 11: renumbers existing Article 11 as Article 12 and replaces information provision rules
  • art. 12: renumbers existing Article 12 as Article 13 and updates derogations reporting timing
  • art. 13: renumbers existing Article 13 as Article 14 and updates reporting obligations
  • art. 14: renumbers existing Article 14 as Article 17 and updates transposition provision
  • art. 15: renumbers existing Article 15 as Article 19 and updates entry into force/application
  • art. 16: renumbers existing Article 16 as Article 20
  • art. 18: inserts repeal provision for Directive 94/80/EC
  • art. Annex: replaces existing Annex with updated Annex I list of basic local government units
  • art. Annex II: inserts template formal declaration for voter registration
  • art. Annex III: inserts template formal declaration for candidate registration
  • art. Annex IV: inserts repealed acts and transposition deadlines table
  • art. Annex V: inserts correlation table