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.