The European Parliament

• Inter net www.europarl.eu.int

• Rue Wiertz, 60, B-1047, Brussels

• 1, avenue Robert Schumann, Strasbourg

• Plateau du Kirchberg, Luxembourg

Its political role

• Represents the people of member states

• first elected in 1979• currently has 625

members• all 18+ can vote• all +18 can stand for

election

• Does not sit in opposing sides as UK

• sits in political groups e.g European Socialists, Greens

• committees are the way policy is examined

The role of the parliament

• MEP’s examine proposals for new EU law

• MEP’s have final say on EU’s annual budget

• MEP’s monitor how monies are being spent

• MEP’s hold other institutions to account

• can question Commissioners(EC)

• can question government ministers

• own meetings held in public

Role - 2

• President and Commissioners need EP approval

• MEP’s can fire all of the Commission

• Appoint Chairman of ECB

• MEP’s move between Brussels, Strasbourg and constituencies

• Politcal groups decide what to oppose or support

• all MEP’s sit on at least one committee

Committees

• Foreign Affairs• Budgets• Citizens Rights and

Home Affairs• Economic and

Monetary Affairs• Industry• Employment

• Environment• Agriculture• Fisheries• Regions and Transport• Culture, Youth and

Education• Development• Women’s Rights

Policy making

• Parliament responsible with European Council for new laws and policies

• twice yearly meetings of European Council resolves differences and gives new initiatives

• European Commission is the civil service

• Makes proposals• Draws up spending

plans• 20 Commissioners• 2 from UK

Checks and Balances

• Court of Justice - settles disputes between member States and the Union itself

• Court of Auditors - checks on all monies spent

• Council of the Regions - 222 members

• each MEP receives salary as members of their national parliament

• salary paid by member state

Checks and balances - 2

• Allowances to MEP’s can be cut if they do not take part in committees etc

• 11 official languages• committees meet for

two weeks each month• proposals normally pass

through two readings

• EP has 3 powers:• to legislate• to pursue• supervise executive• pursue centres on the

Budget

The Budget

• Since 1970 budget financed from own resources agreed by member states

• EP consulted on this• 1.27% of GNP• customs duties levied

at external borders

• Agricultural levies on products imported from outside EU

• 1% of VAT receipts from member states

• a fourth resource based on relative prosperity(GNP)

The Budget - 2

• Main expenditure goes to: Agriculture 44%, Structural measures 35%, external activities 9%, internal policies 6%, admin 5%, reserves = balance

• Main income GNP shares 48%, VAT 36%, Agricultural levies 2%, custom duties 12%,miscellaneous 2%

The Budget - 3

• Parliament adopts the budget

• monitors proper use of funds through its Committees

• Parliament gives an annual assessment of Commission’s use of funds

• Then grants permission to proceed with next time period

The EP at work

• Foreign and Defence • development of

common policies• monitoring of policies• increased presence in

world affairs

• Justice and Home Affairs

• asylum• immigration• drug addiction• international fraud• international crime

The EP at work - 2

• Economic and Monetary Union

• works with ECB• ECB accountable to EP• EP appoints senior

officials• ECB President annual

report to EP

• At least four meetings per year with senior ECB officials

EP and world

• Developing countries• works with 71

countries in ACP group

• co-operation on trade, poverty, human rights and democratic government

• Heads of government of non-member States are regularly invited to address EP

How EP works

• The President, elected by Parliament represents EP on outside bodies

• Chairs Bureau - + 14 vice presidents

• elected for two and half years

• Conference of Presidents

• chairs of committees• decides agenda for EP• decides timetable• determines size of

committees

EP at work - 2

• The Secretariat• 3500 permanent staff• also political staff and

Members’ assistants• one third work on

translation and language matters

• Administrative budget = 1% of total funds

• Appoints Ombudsman to watch over EP behaviour

• Any EU citizen can petition EP

Making Decisions

• Plenary Sessions• holds one four day

session per month in Strasbourg

• mini-plenaries in Brussels

• eight political groups elect committee members

• Committees normally meet in Brussels

• prepare business for plenary sessions

• vote on reports drawn up by Rapporteur

• Resolution follows after scrutiny by political groups

Further information

• United Kingdom• 7 Queen Anne’s Gate,

London, SW1H 9AA• tel 0207 222 43 00• email

eplondon@europarl.eu.int

• Internet www.europarl.org.uk