The European Parliament & European Union

The European Parliament represents, in the words of the 1957 Treaty of Rome 'the peoples of the States brought together in the European Community'. Some 457,900 million European citizens in 25 Member State countries are represented by 732 directly elected Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). 78 MEPs represent the United Kingdom.

Along with the Council of Ministers and the European Commission, it is one of three decision-making bodies of the EU and the only directly elected European institution.

Enlargement

On 1st May 2004 ten new countries joined the European Union, making the EU the biggest single market in the world. For more information about EU enlargement, click here. European Parliament elections across the enlarged EU were held on 10-13th June 2004.

Brussels and Strasbourg

The European Parliament is based both in Brussels, Belgium and Strasbourg, France, with administrative offices also located in Luxembourg. The Parliament meets in Strasbourg for one week each month for Plenary Sessions to amend and vote on draft legislation. Preparatory meetings of political groups and committee work take plae largely in Brussels. Given the disruption and expense of moving between the cities (around £200 million pa before the accession of ten new countries), the UK Conservative Delegation and many other MEPs support a single seat for the Parliament, but this needs the national Governments to agree a revision of the treaties.

Committees

The main work of the Parliament is, in fact, carried out in Committees. The Committees of the Parliament 1999-2004 were:
- Agriculture and Rural Development
- Budgets
- Budgetary Control
- Citizens Freedoms and Rights
- Justice and Home Affairs
- Constitutional Affairs
- Culture, Youth, Education, Media and Sport
- Development and Cooperation
- Employment and Social Affairs
- Environment, Health and Consumer Protection
- Fisheries
- Foreign Affairs
- Industry, External Trade and Internal Market
- Petitions
- Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism
- Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities.

The European People's Party - European Democrats

MEPs sit in pan-European political groupings. UK Conservatives are allied to the Group of the European People's Party and European Democrats (EPP-ED), making up the European Democrat component, but have freedom to vote differently to the rest of the EPP-ED.

Legislative and Budgetary Power

The normal legislative procedure is co-decision. It puts the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers on an equal footing when considering the European Commission's legislative proposals, and leads to the adoption of joint Council and Parliament acts. The codecision procedure applies to the free movement of workers, creation of the internal market, research and technological development, the environment, consumer protection, education, culture and health.

The Parliament shares budgetary powers with the Council of Ministers and has final say over the level and composition of EU spending (with the exception of the Common Agricultural Policy).

For more information about the powers of and relationship between the European institutions, including the Commission, Council, Parliament and Court of Justice, click here.