European Affairs
The European
Parliament, which has 732 directly elected members (MEPs),
including 78 from the UK, plays an increasingly important role in
the legislative process.
The Parliament is consulted about major decisions
and has substantial shared power with the Council of the European
Union over the EC budget. In areas of legislation its role varies
between:
- consultation, where it can influence but
does not have the final say in the content of
legislation
- co-operation and assent procedures, where
its influence is greater
- co-decision, introduced by the Maastricht
Treaty and extended in the Amsterdam Treaty, where a proposal
requires the agreement of both the Council and the European
Parliament
The Parliament meets in full session in
Strasbourg for about one week every month, although its committee
work normally takes place in Brussels.
Elections to the European Parliament take place
every five years, most recently being in June 2004. In the
UK, these were held under a proportional representation system,
bringing the country into line with the other Member States.
Some EC legislation is issued jointly by the
Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, some by
the Council and some by the Commission under delegated powers. It
consists of Regulations, Directives and Decisions:
- Regulations are directly applicable in all
Member States and have the force of law without the need for
implementing further measures
- Directives are equally binding as to the result
to be achieved, but allow each Member State to choose the form and
method of implementation
- Decisions, like Regulations, do not normally
need national implementing legislation. They are binding on those
to whom they are addressed
Each Member State provides one of the judges to
serve in the European Court of Justice, which is the final
authority on all aspects of Community law. Its rulings must
be applied by Member States and fines can be imposed on those
failing to do so. The Court is assisted by a Court of First
Instance, which handles certain cases brought by individuals and
companies.
The UK is also represented on the Court of
Auditors, which examines community revenue and expenditure, to see
that it is legally received and spent.
The
European Parliament Online (link to external website)
UK Office of the European
Parliament (link to external website)