The Parliament

Question 1

Political bodies of the EP

Answer 1

1. Conference of Presidents: President of the EP + Political group chairs + 1 representative of non-attached members
2. The Bureau: President of the EP + 14 Vice-Presidents + 5 Quaestors (advisory; elected for 2.5 years)
3. College of Quaestors: 5 Quaestors - also members of Bureau
4. Conference of Committee Chairs: chairs of all the standing and temporary committees + its chair
5. Conference of Delegation chairs: chairs of EP’s 45 standing delegations and of the 3 committees that work on international relations; incl. Chair of Conference

Question 2

How many vice-presidents does the EP have?

Answer 2

14 vice-presidents

Question 3

Conference of Presidents - What and functions

Answer 3

President of the EP + Political group chairs + 1 representative of non-attached members
- Organisation of EP business and legislative planning
- Deciding responsibilities and membership of committees and delegations
- Relations with other EU institutions; national parliaments & non-EU countries

Decision by consensus or by weighted vote (based on Nr of members in group); duties laid down in the Rules of Procedure

meets 2/month; meetings not held in public; minutes translates into official languages & distributed to members; gives members the opportunity, outside plenary sittings to obtain info about Commission proposals

Question 4

The Bureau - What and functions

Answer 4

President of the EP + 14 Vice-Presidents + 5 Quaestors (advisory; elected for 2.5 years)

• lays down rules for the Parliament
• draws up EP’s draft budget (prepares preliminary draft estimates of EP’s expenditure)
• decides all admin, staff and organisational matters (also decisions on organisation of meetings)
• matters related to internal running of EP
• appoints SECRETARY-GENERAL who is responsible for running EP’s administration
• meets 1/month
• if tied vote; President decides
• minutes translated into official languages; printed & distributed to all MS

Question 5

College of Quaestors - What and functions

Answer 5

5 Quaestors - also members of Bureau
- responsible for administrative and financial matters directly concerning members and working conditions
- EP elects Quaestors after election of the President and 14 VPs
- elected by majority secret ballot in three rounds: absolute majority first two rounds; relative majority third round

Term of office: 2.5 years; advisory role in Bureau; meet 1/ month

Question 6

Conference of Committee Chairs - What and functions

Answer 6

chairs of all the standing and temporary committees; elects its chair
- works for better cooperation between the committees
- 1/month in Strasbourg during plenary sittings
- makes recommendations to the Conference of Presidents on the committees’ work and the agendas for plenary sittings
- can also advise Conference of Presidents if there is disagreement as to which committee should be responsible
- The BUREAU + CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS may delegate certain tasks to Conference of COMMITTEE chairs

Question 7

Conference of Delegation Chairs (CDC)

Answer 7

chairs of EP’s 45 standing delegations and of the 3 committees that work on international relations: Committees on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Development (DEVE) and International Trade (INTA)
1 of the 45 delegation chairs elected to be Chair of Conference (for 2.5y)

• coordinates work of the House’s 45 standing delegations
• ensures that delegations work efficiently and in coordination with other EP structures

Question 8

How many Committees of the EP?

Answer 8

20 Parliamentary Committees (a committee consists of between 25 and 88 MEPs; has a chair, bureau & secretariat); pol. makeup of a committee reflects plenary assembly
does preparatory work for EP’s plenary sittings

EP can also set up sub-committees and special temporary committees to deal with specific issues; EP also empowered to create formal committees of inquiry under supervisory remit (maladministration)

Committee chairs coordinate work of committees in Conference of Committee Chairs