European electoral regions (EERs) are used to elect MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Prior to 1999 the UK operated a first-past-the-post system based on groupings of Westminster constituencies (excepting Northern Ireland, which already had a proportional system). In the 1999 election a proportional representation system of multi-member electoral regions was introduced to the rest of the UK, and was used again in 2004. The number of MEPs in each region varies with population size resulting in the following national distribution:
| Country |
Number of European Electoral Regions |
Number of MEPs (2004 election) |
| England |
9 |
64 |
| Scotland |
1 |
7 |
| Wales |
1 |
4 |
| Northern Ireland |
1 |
3 |
| United Kingdom |
12 |
78 |
The next Euro-election is due in June 2009.