▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Co al ▁and ▁Ste el ▁Community " ▁the ▁smaller ▁states ▁( Bel g ium , ▁Luxemb ourg , ▁and ▁the ▁Netherlands ) ▁were ▁concerned ▁about ▁being ▁under - re present ed ▁and ▁hence ▁they ▁were ▁granted ▁more ▁seats ▁than ▁their ▁population ▁would ▁have ▁allowed . ▁M emb ership ▁increased ▁to ▁ 1 4 2 ▁with ▁the ▁Assembly ▁expanded ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁Econom ic ▁and ▁At omic ▁Energy ▁Commun ities . ▁ ▁It ▁then ▁grew ▁further ▁with ▁each ▁en larg ement . ▁M emb ership ▁reached ▁ 6 2 6 ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁with ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Amsterdam ▁setting ▁a ▁limit ▁of ▁ 7 0 0 . ▁The ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Nice ▁increased ▁this ▁to ▁ 7 3 2 ▁and ▁set ▁out ▁the ▁future ▁distribution ▁for ▁up ▁to ▁ 2 7 ▁states . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Roman ia ▁and ▁Bulg aria ▁joined ▁with ▁ 3 5 ▁and ▁ 1 8 ▁members ▁respectively ▁tempor arily ▁pushing ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁members ▁over ▁the ▁ce iling ▁to ▁ 7 8 5 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁members ▁decre ased ▁to ▁ 7 3 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁an ▁am end ment ▁had ▁tempor arily ▁increased ▁the ▁Lis bon ▁limit ▁to ▁ 7 5 4 . ▁This ▁allowed ▁member ▁states ▁who ▁gained ▁seats ▁under ▁Lis bon ▁to ▁take ▁them ▁before ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁election , ▁while ▁allowing ▁Germany ▁which ▁lost ▁seats ▁under ▁Lis bon