{"id":12239,"date":"2018-06-21T15:55:57","date_gmt":"2018-06-21T15:55:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/legalblog.ie\/european-parliament\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T16:03:07","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T16:03:07","slug":"european-parliament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/european-parliament\/","title":{"rendered":"European Parliament"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_63 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/european-parliament\/#Overview_and_Development\" title=\"Overview and Development\">Overview and Development<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/european-parliament\/#Election\" title=\"Election\">Election<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/european-parliament\/#Configuration\" title=\"Configuration\">Configuration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/european-parliament\/#Procedures_and_Institutions_of_Parliament\" title=\"Procedures and Institutions of Parliament\">Procedures and Institutions of Parliament<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/european-parliament\/#Parliamentary_Committees\" title=\"Parliamentary Committees\">Parliamentary Committees<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/european-parliament\/#Electing_and_Dismissing_Commission_and_Others\" title=\"Electing and Dismissing Commission and Others\">Electing and Dismissing Commission and Others<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/european-parliament\/#Holding_Commission_and_Institutions_to_Account\" title=\"Holding Commission and Institutions to Account\">Holding Commission and Institutions to Account<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/european-parliament\/#Budgetary_Role\" title=\"Budgetary Role\">Budgetary Role<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overview_and_Development\"><\/span>Overview and Development<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The European Parliament was originally constituted as the Assembly of the European Community.\u00a0 Its role has been progressively enhanced during the existence of the European Communities and the European Union.\u00a0 Initially, its powers were consultative in nature.\u00a0 The Single European Act introduced new legislative procedures, the so-called assent, and co-decision procedure. These procedures were further extended and enhanced under the Treaty of Amsterdam, \u00a0the Treaty of Nice and the Lisbon Treaty.<\/p>\n<p>The Parliament participates in decision-making procedures in the manner set out in the other chapters.\u00a0 It has both a formal and informal role. The co-decision procedure is now the norm and is known as the normal legislative procedure. The assent procedure is now the consent procedure and applies to a relatively narrow field.<\/p>\n<p>Since 1979 European Parliament has been directly elected.\u00a0 However, its law-making powers are subscribed and it is in broad terms subservient to the Council.\u00a0 It may not initiate legislation.\u00a0 It may not impose taxes by itself. The Treaty on European Union provided for the European Parliament to request the Commission to prepare legislative proposals and provide it for the co-decision (normal legislative0 procedure.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Election\"><\/span>Election<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The European Parliament is elected on the basis of universal suffrage in the various states.\u00a0 Any person qualified to vote in a national election may stand as a candidate for the European Parliament.\u00a0 The European states have the competence to lay down the entitlement to vote and be a candidate. It must do so in accordance with principles of European Union law.<\/p>\n<p>States must respect the principle of equality of treatment which is a basic EU principle. Every citizen of the EU who resides in the state where he is not a national is entitled to vote and be a candidate in elections in that state under the same conditions as nationals.<\/p>\n<p>European Union legislation provides that elections must be by national proportional representation.\u00a0 States may choose a list system or single transferable vote.\u00a0 States may set a minimum threshold vote as a precondition of election to a seat.\u00a0 This may not exceed 5 percent.\u00a0 There may be multi-seat constituencies.<\/p>\n<p>European Union elections take place every five years in the fourth and ninth year of each decade.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Configuration\"><\/span>Configuration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The European Parliament does not comprise a government or opposition.\u00a0 Members sit in groups. A group must have at least 20 members representing at least a fifth of states.\u00a0 There is no strict party discipline.<\/p>\n<p>The seats in the European Parliament are allocated between the states.\u00a0 Germany has 99.\u00a0 The United Kingdom, France, and Italy have 78 each.\u00a0 Spain and Poland 54 each, Romania 35.\u00a0 Greece, Belgium, Portugal, the Czech Republic have 24 each.\u00a0 Sweden has 19, Austria 18.\u00a0 Slovakia, Denmark, and Finland have 14 each.\u00a0 Ireland and Lithuania have 13 each.\u00a0 Latvia has nine, Slovenia seven.\u00a0 Estonia, Cyprus, and Luxembourg have six each.\u00a0 Malta has five.\u00a0 There were 732 seats as of the 2009 election.<\/p>\n<p>In broad terms, national parties affiliate themselves with groups in the European Parliament.\u00a0 There are a number of political groups<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Group of the European People\\&#8217;s Party (Christian Democrats)<\/li>\n<li>Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats<\/li>\n<li>European Conservatives and Reformists Group<\/li>\n<li>Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe<\/li>\n<li>Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left<\/li>\n<li>Group of the Greens\/European Free Alliance<\/li>\n<li>Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group<\/li>\n<li>Europe of Nations and Freedom Group<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Not all members belong to groups.<\/p>\n<p>Funding of parties at European level from the EU budget may not be used directly or indirectly in funding national parties.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Procedures_and_Institutions_of_Parliament\"><\/span>Procedures and Institutions of Parliament<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The European Parliament adopts its own rules or procedures.\u00a0 It elects a President, 14 Vice Presidents and six other assistants for two and a half year periods.\u00a0 It seeks to take account of overall representation of member\u2019s views, states\u2019 and political views.<\/p>\n<p>The members of the European Parliament enjoy almost the same privileges and immunities traditionally enjoyed by members of national parliaments. \u00a0This includes freedom of movement to and from meetings in Parliament, immunity from proceedings in respect of opinions expressed and votes cast in Parliament.\u00a0 The immunity may be waived by the Parliament itself if a member commits a criminal offence.<\/p>\n<p>The Parliament may adopt resolutions following a debate on the basis of a motion put by a member or Committee.\u00a0 Resolutions are not generally binding.<\/p>\n<p>The President chairs debates and deals with certain administrative and disciplinary functions.\u00a0 He may represent the Parliament in international relations on ceremonial occasions and in certain administrative, legal and financial matter.<\/p>\n<p>The President may delegate powers to Vice President. The President, Vice President, and Quaestors comprise the Parliament Bureau which organises and administers the Parliament.<\/p>\n<p>The Quaesters have observer status.<\/p>\n<p>The Conference of Presidents is made up of the President of the Parliament and the Chairman of the main groups.\u00a0 It organises the Parliament\\&#8217;s work and legislative program.\u00a0 It deals with relationships with other bodies and National Parliament.\u00a0 It determines membership of committees both \u00a0Standing or Committees of Inquiry.<\/p>\n<p>The Parliament has a Secretary-General and Secretariat which deals with the organisational matters.<\/p>\n<p>The European Parliament holds an annual session.\u00a0 It may hold an extraordinary session on request of the majority of members or of the Council or Commission.<\/p>\n<p>The European Parliament session run from March to March. There is a holiday break in August.<\/p>\n<p>There were 12 four-day plenary sessions in Strasbourg and six two-day plenary sessions in Brussels.\u00a0 Two weeks a month are given to Parliamentary Committees and inter-Parliamentary delegations.\u00a0 These delegations maintain relations with parliaments of non-member states.<\/p>\n<p>The normal procedure for making legislation is now for co-decision with the laws made jointly by the European Parliament and Council.\u00a0 This now covers the areas of freedom, justice and security.\u00a0 It covers judicial cooperation in criminal matters, asylum, immigration, police cooperation and Europol.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Parliamentary_Committees\"><\/span>Parliamentary Committees<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The European Parliament may establish committees.\u00a0 They may be Standing Committees, General Committees or Specialised Committees.\u00a0 They may examine into particular matters, prepare opinions on request by the Council and prepare resolutions on new initiatives.<\/p>\n<p>There are 20 permanent committees which meet once or twice a month which deals with specific aspects of community affairs.\u00a0 They make the legislative process more efficient by preparing reports for debate in the full Parliament and liaising with Commission and Council on relevant issues.<\/p>\n<p>Temporary committees may be formed from time to time for periods up to 12 months.\u00a0 Committees of Inquiries may investigate alleged contraventions or maladministration of community law.\u00a0 These inquiries have to submit its report within 12 months.\u00a0 This may be extended to a maximum of 18 months.<\/p>\n<p>The European Parliament may establish joint Parliamentary Committees with parliaments of states associated with the community or in negotiations for accession.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Electing_and_Dismissing_Commission_and_Others\"><\/span>Electing and Dismissing Commission and Others<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The European Parliament must approve the appointment of the Commission and members of the Commission.\u00a0 The Commission\\&#8217;s annual legislative and work program must be presented.\u00a0 An annual general report must be presented on the activities of the Communities which also reports on the application of community law. Parliament may censor an EU body.<\/p>\n<p>The Parliament approves the nomination of the Commission President and College of Commissioners.\u00a0 It may examine the proposed Commissioners.\u00a0 The Parliament must agree to the appointment of the President, Vice President and Executive Board of the European Central Bank.\u00a0 It appoints the European Ombudsman.<\/p>\n<p>The Parliament may require the Commission as a created body to resign.\u00a0 It may not require particular Commissioners to resign.\u00a0 This occurred in 1999 when the whole Commission was dismissed. \u00a0There are particular procedures required. \u00a050 percent of MEPs must vote and a two-third majority is required.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Holding_Commission_and_Institutions_to_Account\"><\/span>Holding Commission and Institutions to Account<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Parliament may ask questions of the Commission and Council on any matter.\u00a0 There is provision for written questions and oral questions.\u00a0 There is provision for question time.\u00a0 Written questions must be answered within a certain period.\u00a0 Oral questions can be posed with the approval of the Bureau of Parliament to the Council and Commission.\u00a0 Oral questions may be put through a Parliamentary Committee or political group.<\/p>\n<p>The Parliament has the right to examine annual programs of action and periodic reports by EU institutions.\u00a0 Each of the Commission, Council, and Central Bank submit annual reports and details of its work program to the Parliament. Each must report on the results and outcomes of its policies and work.\u00a0 Ministers from the Council may participate in debates of the Parliament.\u00a0 With the consent of the President of the Parliament, they may make statements.<\/p>\n<p>The European Council Summit is preceded by a report and declaration by the President of the Parliament setting out the position of the Parliament on the matters on the agenda. The European Council must submit a written report to the Parliament on the activities and progress achieved by a European Union.<\/p>\n<p>The Parliament may request the Council to submit proposals for legislation on matters which it considers the Union should legislate on in order to fulfill its obligations under the EU treaty.\u00a0 The Commission is not obliged to do so.<\/p>\n<p>The Permanent Committees may invite members of the Commission to present proposals for legislation and answer questions.<\/p>\n<p>Citizens may petition the parliament.\u00a0 The petition must relate to matters within the EU\\&#8217;s competence which affects the person making the petition.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Budgetary_Role\"><\/span>Budgetary Role<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The European Union budget is made up of a set proportion of certain taxes.\u00a0 This includes one percent of VAT on goods and services in the Union, customs duties, agricultural levy and contributions by states (capped at 1.27 percent of GNP, miscellaneous resources).<\/p>\n<p>The Parliament has a right to reject the budget as a whole. The Commission prepares a draft budget based on estimates of expenditure placed before the Council not later than 1st October in the preceding year.\u00a0 The Council may make amendments by qualified majority.\u00a0 The draft budget must be referred to parliament by \u00a05<sup>th<\/sup> October. The Parliament has 45 days in which to accept, reject or amend the budget.<\/p>\n<p>The power to amend expenditure depends on the type of expenditure involved.\u00a0 Compulsory expenditure based on treaty obligations and legislation is subject to limited modification. The \u00a0Council has the ultimate right of approval.\u00a0 In the case of non-compulsory expenditure, the Parliament has greater power; acting by a majority of all MPs, it may make amendments.<\/p>\n<p>That Council must undertake a second reading within 15 days.\u00a0 It may modify the budget in accordance with the amendments.\u00a0 If it does not accept the amendments and the proposed amendment increases compulsory expenditure, the Council acting by a qualified majority must accept it or it is deemed rejected.<\/p>\n<p>If it does not increase compulsory expenditure, the Council must reject or alter it and if it does not do so, it is deemed accepted.\u00a0 If the amendments or alter they refer to the European Parliament for a second reading.\u00a0 The second reading must be completed within 15 days.\u00a0 It is deemed adopted together with amendments modified by the Council unless the European Parliament otherwise resolve.<\/p>\n<p>The Parliament may change non-compulsory expenditure acting by a majority of members and 3\/5th of the votes cast or reject alterations by the Council for the amendments.\u00a0 This terminates the procedure and the budget is deemed declared.<\/p>\n<p>The European Parliament by a majority of its members and 2\/3rd of votes cast may reject the budget as a whole.\u00a0 If this occurs, the process must recommence.<\/p>\n<p>The European Parliament may add an amount of non-compulsory expenditure equivalent to half the annual rate of increase.\u00a0 If the budget is rejected, the institutions must operate on the basis of one-twelfth of the previous year\\&#8217;s budget per month.<\/p>\n<p>The parliament was given a further enhanced role in approving the budget under the Lisbon Treaty which took effect in 2009.\u00a0 It has the final say in relation to all expenditure including that under the structural funds and the common agricultural policy.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/themify_builder_static--><\/p>\n<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-12239\" data-postid=\"12239\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-12239 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n    <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview and Development The European Parliament was originally constituted as the Assembly of the European Community.\u00a0 Its role has been progressively enhanced during the existence of the European Communities and the European Union.\u00a0 Initially, its powers were consultative in nature.\u00a0 The Single European Act introduced new legislative procedures, the so-called assent, and co-decision procedure. These [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[121],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12239"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12239"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12239\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18267,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12239\/revisions\/18267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}