Commentary on Sections Part 2: Gibraltar Section 9: Combination of Gibraltar with existing electoral region
25.The 2002 Act divides the UK into 12 electoral regions for the purpose of European Parliamentary elections. Section 9 provides that Gibraltar should be combined with an existing electoral region in England or Wales for the purposes of European Parliamentary elections taking place after 1 April 2004. That region is referred to in the Act as the combined region. The average electorate for the regions is 3.7 million people. Gibraltar's electorate is about 17,000 people.
26.The choice of region is restricted to the 9 English regions and Wales which forms a region on its own. The necessary legislative and administrative arrangements must be in place by the time of the next European Parliamentary elections in 2004.