Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 263: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the European elections due in June 2009 will take place under the terms of the Nice treaty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38567/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The powers and composition of the European Parliament are set down in the EU Treaties. If the Lisbon Treaty has not been ratified by all 27 EU Member States in order to allow it to enter into force before June, the European Parliament elections will be conducted under the provisions of the Nice Treaty.

The decision on the basis on which the European Parliament elections are to be held will be taken collectively by the European Council, probably in December.