During the fifth term (1999–2004), there were 626 members of parliament divided among the 15 member states. As part of the 2004 enlargement, the national parliaments of the 10 new member states sent a total of 162 observers to the European Parliament from April 2003. On 1 May 2004, upon the countries' accession, the observers became MEPs until the start of the next term (20 July 2004) elected in the June 2004 elections.