**Executive Summary**
Council Decision (EU, Euratom) 2025/2427 of 17 November 2025 amends the Council's Rules of Procedure by updating Annex III, which contains the population figures for each Member State used to calculate qualified majority voting. The amendment is based on data available from the Statistical Office of the European Union on 30 September of the preceding year. This decision will be applied from January 1, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendment of Annex III:**
* Annex III to the Council's Rules of Procedure is replaced with updated population figures for each Member State and the corresponding indicative percentage of the population of the Union.
* **Qualified Majority:**
* The updated population figures are used to implement provisions concerning qualified majority voting in the Council.
* When an act is to be adopted by the Council acting by qualified majority, it has to be verified that the Member States constituting the qualified majority represent at least 65% of the population of the Union.
* **Effective Date:**
* The decision enters into force upon publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
* It applies from 1 January 2026.
**Impact Analysis**
**Council of the European Union**
* **Impact:** Must use the updated population figures in Annex III when calculating qualified majority voting.
* **Action Required:** Implement the updated population figures for qualified majority voting calculations from 1 January 2026.
**Member States**
* **Impact:** The relative voting weight of each Member State in the Council is affected by the updated population figures.
* **Action Required:** Be aware of the changes in relative voting weight and their implications for Council decisions.
Key Entities Referenced
Council's Rules of Procedure: The document being amended, which governs the operational aspects of the Council of the European Union.
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: A foundational treaty that establishes the powers and functions of the European Union, specifically Article 240(3) related to qualified majority voting.
Council of the European Union: The main institution responsible for amending its Rules of Procedure.
Treaty on European Union: A foundational treaty of the European Union.
European Atomic Energy Community: Relevance comes from Article 106a of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community; Article 240 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union applies to the European Atomic Energy Community
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2025/2427 27.11.2025
COUNCIL DECISION (EU, Euratom) 2025/2427
of 17 November 2025
amending the Council’s Rules of Procedure
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 240(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) When an act is to be adopted by the Council acting by qualified majority, it has to be verified that the Member States
constituting the qualified majority represent at least 65 % of the population of the Union.
(2) That percentage is calculated according to the population figures set out in Annex III to the Council’s Rules of
Procedure(1) (the ‘Rules of Procedure’).
(3) Article 11(6) of the Rules of Procedure provides that, with effect from 1 January each year, the Council is to amend
the figures set out in Annex III thereto, in accordance with the data available to the Statistical Office of the European
Union on 30 September of the preceding year.
(4) The Rules of Procedure should therefore be amended accordingly for the year 2026.
(5) In accordance with Article 106a of the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, Article 240 of
the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union applies to the European Atomic Energy Community,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Annex III to the Rules of Procedure is replaced by the following:
‘ANNEX III
Figures concerning the population of the Union and the population of each Member State for implementing
the provisions concerning qualified majority voting in the Council
Indicative percentage of the population of the Union
Member State Population
(%)
Germany 83 502 300 18,47
France 68 635 943 15,18
Italy 59 635 202 13,19
Spain 49 093 546 10,86
Poland 37 475 594 8,29
Romania 19 036 031 4,21
Netherlands 18 191 086 4,02
Belgium 11 900 123 2,63
Czechia 10 921 096 2,42
(1) Council Decision 2009/937/EU of 1 December 2009 adopting the Council’s Rules of Procedure (OJ L 325, 11.12.2009, p. 35, ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2009/937/oj).
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2427/oj 1/2EN
OJ L, 27.11.2025
Indicative percentage of the population of the Union
Member State Population
(%)
Portugal 10 749 635 2,38
Sweden 10 583 000 2,34
Greece 10 409 547 2,30
Hungary 9 539 502 2,11
Austria 9 180 000 2,03
Bulgaria 6 437 360 1,42
Denmark 5 985 790 1,32
Finland 5 626 971 1,24
Slovakia 5 456 246 1,21
Ireland 5 440 278 1,20
Croatia 3 874 350 0,86
Lithuania 2 890 664 0,64
Slovenia 2 130 850 0,47
Latvia 1 860 565 0,41
Estonia 1 369 995 0,30
Cyprus 982 966 0,22
Luxembourg 680 084 0,15
Malta 574 250 0,13
EU-27 452 162 974
Threshold (65 %) 293 905 933’.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
It shall apply from 1 January 2026.
Done at Brussels, 17 November 2025.
For the Council
The President
M. BJERRE
2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2427/oj