Jump to content (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#bodyContent) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Search (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search) Search European Assembly Elections Act 1978: Difference between revisions • 1 language • Français (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978) Edit links (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q28225029#sitelinks-wikipedia) Help (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Help:Diff) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Browse history interactively (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233) ← Previous edit (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=prev&oldid=1361667233) Hughbe98 (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Hughbe98&action=edit&redlink=1)(talk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Hughbe98) | contribs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Hughbe98)) 1 user group Extended confirmed users 37,251 edits undo (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&action=edit&undoafter=1361667233&undo=1361816971) Content deleted Content added Visual (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233) Wikitext (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233) Inline • *Revision as of 11:10, 29 June 2026 (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&oldid=1361667233)edit (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&action=edit&oldid=1361667233)** Hughbe98 (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Hughbe98&action=edit&redlink=1)(talk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Hughbe98) | contribs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Hughbe98)) Extended confirmed users (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Extended_confirmed_editors) 37,251 edits No edit summary Tag (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Tags): 2017 wikitext editor (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/2017_wikitext_editor) ← Previous edit (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=prev&oldid=1361667233)Latest revision as of 07:45, 30 June 2026 (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&oldid=1361816971)edit (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&action=edit)undo (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&action=edit&undoafter=1361667233&undo=1361816971) Hughbe98 (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Hughbe98&action=edit&redlink=1)(talk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Hughbe98) | contribs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Contributions/Hughbe98)) Extended confirmed users (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Extended_confirmed_editors) 37,251 edits No edit summary Tag (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Tags): 2017 wikitext editor (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/2017_wikitext_editor) Line 15:Line 15: |repeal_date = 24 October 2002|repeal_date = 24 October 2002 |status = Repealed|status = Repealed |amendments = {{ubli|[[European Communities (Amendment) Act 1986]]|[[Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986]]|[[European Parliamentary Elections Act 1993]]|[[European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999]]}}|amendments = {{ubli|[[European Communities (Amendment) Act 1986]]|[[Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986]]|[[European Parliamentary Elections Act 1993]]|[[Registration of Political Parties Act 1998]]|[[European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999]]}} |repealing_legislation= [[European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002]]|repealing_legislation= [[European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002]] |original_text = http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/10/contents/enacted|original_text = http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/10/contents/enacted • Latest revision as of 07:45, 30 June 2026 Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svgThis article relies excessively on references (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability) to primary sources (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research#Primary,_secondary_and_tertiary_sources). 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Find sources:"European Assembly Elections Act 1978" (https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22European+Assembly+Elections+Act+1978%22)–news (https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22European+Assembly+Elections+Act+1978%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1)·newspapers (https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22European+Assembly+Elections+Act+1978%22&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks)·books (https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22European+Assembly+Elections+Act+1978%22+-wikipedia)·scholar (https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22European+Assembly+Elections+Act+1978%22)·JSTOR (https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22European+Assembly+Elections+Act+1978%22&acc=on&wc=on)(April 2017) _(Learn how and when to remove this message (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template\removal)) European Assembly Elections Act 1978[[a]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_note-1)Act of Parliament https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_coat_of_arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_(1952%E2%80%932022,_variant_1).svg Parliament of the United Kingdom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom) Long title (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_and_long_titles)An Act to make provision for and in connection with the election of representatives to the Assembly of the European Communities, and to prevent any treaty providing for any increase in the powers of the Assembly from being ratified by the United Kingdom unless approved by Act of Parliament. Citation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citation_of_United_Kingdom_legislation)1978 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_acts_of_the_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom_from_1978) c. 10 Territorial extentUnited Kingdom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom) Dates Royal assent (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_assent)5 May 1978 Commencement (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coming_into_force)5 May 1978[[b]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_note-2) Repealed 24 October 2002 Other legislation Amended by* European Communities (Amendment) Act 1986 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Communities_(Amendment)_Act_1986) • Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_Constituencies_Act_1986) • European Parliamentary Elections Act 1993 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliamentary_Elections_Act_1993) • Registration of Political Parties Act 1998 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Registration_of_Political_Parties_Act_1998) • European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliamentary_Elections_Act_1999) Repealed by (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repeal)European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliamentary_Elections_Act_2002) Status: Repealed Text of statute as originally enacted (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/10/contents/enacted) Revised text of statute as amended (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/10/contents) The European Assembly Elections Act 1978 (c. 10) also known as the European Parliamentary Elections Act 1978 was an act (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)) of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom) that made provision for the holding of elections of representatives to the European Assembly (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliament) from the United Kingdom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom). It made provision for the election of 81 "Representatives to the Assembly" (which would later become Members of the European Parliament (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Members_of_the_European_Parliament) (MEPs) to the European Assembly (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Assembly) with 66 members being elected from England (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England), 8 from Scotland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland), 4 from Wales (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wales) using the first past the post electoral system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_past_the_post_electoral_system) in 78 one member constituencies and 3 members from Northern Ireland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland) using the Single transferable vote (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_transferable_vote) in a single constituency.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_note-:0-3) The act also prevented any increase in the powers of the Assembly from being ratified unless approved by a further Act of Parliament. The first elections (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom) took place on Thursday 7 June 1979._[citation needed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation\needed)] The United Kingdom, with the exception of Northern Ireland, was the only member state which did not choose to use some form of proportional representation.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_note-:0-3) The subsequent elections had been meant to happen in 1978, but they were delayed due to the electoral system for Great Britain not being proportional.[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_note-4) Subsequent developments [edit (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&action=edit&section=1)] The whole act was repealed by section 16 of, and schedule 4 to, the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliamentary_Elections_Act_2002), which came into force on 24 October 2002.[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_note-5) See also [edit (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&action=edit&section=2)] • European Parliamentary Elections Act 1993 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliamentary_Elections_Act_1993) • European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliamentary_Elections_Act_1999) • European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Parliamentary_Elections_Act_2002) • Elections in the United Kingdom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_the_United_Kingdom) • Acts of Parliament of the United Kingdom relating to the European Communities and the European Union (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom_relating_to_the_European_Communities_and_the_European_Union) Notes [edit (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&action=edit&section=3)] 1. ^ (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_ref-1)Section 9(1). 2. ^ (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_ref-2)The Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Parliament_(Commencement)_Act_1793). References [edit (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&action=edit&section=4)] 1. ^ Jump up to: a (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_ref-:0_3-0)b (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_ref-:0_3-1)Westlake, Martin, ed. (2019), "Being Careful What You Wish For: The British in the European Parliament, Before and After Proportional Representation" (https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/slipping-loose/being-careful-what-you-wish-for-the-british-in-the-european-parliament-before-and-after-proportional-representation/BCDF087F7DEBD6D90A2B3310E71A9833), Slipping Loose: The UK's Long Drift away from the European Union, Agenda Publishing, pp.91–108, ISBN (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISBN_(identifier))978-1-78821-202-1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-78821-202-1), retrieved 20 January 2026 2. ^ (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_ref-4)Lodge, Juliet (1977). "Britain & Elections to the European Parliament" (https://www.jstor.org/stable/45232760). New Zealand International Review. 2 (5): 25–27. ISSN (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISSN_(identifier))0110-0262 (https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0110-0262). 3. ^ (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&diff=1361816971&oldid=1361667233#cite_ref-5)"European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002" (https://legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/24/), legislation.gov.uk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislation.gov.uk), The National Archives (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_National_Archives_(United_Kingdom)), 2002 c. 24 External links [edit (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_Assembly_Elections_Act_1978&action=edit&section=5)] • Text of the European Assembly Elections Act 1978 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/id?title=European+Assembly+Elections+Act+1978) as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislation.gov.uk). • Text of the European Assembly Elections Act 1978 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/id?title=European+Assembly+Elections+Act+1978) as originally enacted or made within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislation.gov.uk).