The EU Parliament

Question 1

What is the main role of the EU Parliament?

Answer 1

It is the directly-elected EU body with:
1. legislative
2. supervisory 
3. budgetary 
responsibilities
-together with The Council, it's the EU's LAW-MAKING BODY

Question 2

Who makes up the EU Parliament?

Answer 2

It’s made up of 705 MEP directly elected by EU citizens every 5 years

Question 3

What does the EU Parliament do?

Answer 3

3 main roles:

1. LEGISLATIVE= it passes EU laws together with the Council based on the EU Commission’s proposals; it decides on international agreements and enlargement and it reviews the Commission’s work program and asks it to propose legislation
2. SUPERVISORY= democratic supervision over all EU institutions; it elects the President of the Commission and approves the Commission as a body; it establishes an ENQUIRE COMMISSION to verify whether EU law is being implemented at national level; it appoints the EU Ombundsperson
3. BUDGETARY= it establishes the EU budget together with the Council and it approves the EU’s long-term budget known as the “Multiannual Financial Framework”

Question 4

What is the composition of the EU Parliament?

Answer 4

• it is composed by 705 MEP from 27 MS of the EU
• the number of seats each country has depends on its population (DEGRESSIVE PROPORTIONALITY)= Germany is the EU’s most populous country (83M) so it has 96 seats in the EU Parliament while Malta (population under 500000) just has 6 seats
• there are 8 main political groups –> MEPs are grouped by POLITICAL AFFILIATION, not by nationality
• the EU Parliament has over 20 committees –> they meet to discuss different policy areas such as human rights or food safety

Question 5

How does the EU Parliament work?

Answer 5

It’s work comprises 2 main stages:
1. COMMITTEES –> to prepare legislation
-the Parliament numbers over 20 committees & 3 subcommittees each handling a particular policy area
-the committees examine proposals for legislation (from the Commission) and MEPs and political groups can put forward amendments or propose to reject a bill
-these issues are also debatable within the political groups
2. PLENARY SESSION –> to pass legislation
-this is when all MEPs gather in the chamber to give a final vote on the proposed legislation and amendments
-CO-DECISION with the Council –> if they are also satisfied with the EP’s position= the legislative proposal is adopted and becomes law!
BUT if the Council is not satisfied –> the proposal can be amended and re-read
-it’s normally held in Strasbourg for 4 days a month, but sometimes there are additional sessions in Brussels