▁to ▁retain ▁them ▁until ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁election . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁European ▁Parliament ▁had ▁ 7 6 6 ▁members ▁( ME P s ). ▁This ▁included ▁three ▁legacy ▁members ▁from ▁Germany ▁serving ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁their ▁term ▁and ▁twelve ▁new ▁members ▁from ▁Cro atia ▁who ▁joined ▁the ▁Union ▁on ▁ 1 ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁Nice ▁system ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁European ▁parliament ary ▁elections ▁were ▁conducted ▁under ▁the ▁rules ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁Nice ▁Tre aty ▁which ▁provided ▁for ▁a ▁maximum ▁number ▁of ▁ 7 3 6 , ▁although ▁that ▁figure ▁had ▁been ▁bre ached ▁on ▁the ▁acc ession ▁of ▁new ▁members ▁to ▁the ▁EU , ▁these ▁states ▁being ▁allowed ▁parliament ary ▁representation ▁without ▁a ▁corresponding ▁reduction ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁M EP s ▁all otted ▁to ▁other ▁member ▁states . ▁This ▁happened ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁on ▁the ▁acc ession ▁of ▁Roman ia ▁and ▁Bulg aria , ▁when ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁seats ▁tempor arily ▁increased ▁to ▁ 7 8 5 . ▁It ▁subsequently ▁returned ▁to ▁ 7 3 6 ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁election . ▁ ▁A ▁total ▁of ▁ 7 3 6 ▁seats ▁for ▁about ▁ 5 0 0 ▁million ▁EU ▁citizens ▁meant ▁that ▁there ▁were ▁on ▁average ▁ 6 7 0 , 0 0 0 ▁citizens ▁represented ▁by ▁each ▁M EP . ▁Some ▁states ▁divide ▁the ▁elect or ate ▁for ▁their ▁allocated ▁M EP s ▁into ▁sub