The European Parliament is the only directly elected
parliamentary institution of the European Union. It has been described as one
of the most powerful legislatures in the world. The Parliament and the Council
of the European Union form the highest legislative body within the Union. The
Parliament is composed of 785 MEPs, who serve the second largest democratic
electorate in the world.
It has been directly elected every five years by universal
suffrage since 1979. Although the European Parliament has legislative power it
does not have legislative initiative like most national parliaments. While it
is the "first institution” of the European Union, the Council has greater
powers over legislation than the Parliament. It has, however, had control over
the EU budget
since the 1970s and has a veto over the appointment of the European Commission.
The European Parliament has two meeting places in Strasbourg,
France, which serves for twelve four-day plenary sessions per year and is the
official seat, and in Brussels, Belgium, which serves for committee meetings,
political groups and complementary plenary sessions. The Secretariat of the
European Parliament, the Parliament's administrative body, is based in
Luxembourg.
The President of the European Parliament (its speaker) is
currently Hans-Gert Pöttering, elected in January 2007. The last Union-wide
elections were the 2004 Parliamentary Elections, however Romania and Bulgaria
joined in 2007 and elected their members in 2007.The next union-wide
parliamentary elections are in 2009.
The Parliament has three jobs:
It can make new laws.
It can check that the EU laws
work and it can choose the people who run the EU.
It gives advice on how EU money
is used.
Exercise
Add necessary suffixes to complete the words.
The European Parliament
The European
Parliament is the only directly elected parliament__ institution of the
European Union. It has been described as one of the most power__ legislatures
in the world. The Parliament and the Council of the Europe__ Union form the
high__ legislative body within the Union. The Parliament is composed of 785
MEPs, who serve the second largest democrat__ electorate in the world.
It has been direct__ elected every five years by
univers__suffrage since 1979. Although the European Parliament has legislat__
power it does not have legislat-__ initiat__ like most nation__ parliaments.
While it is the "first institution” of the European Union, the Council has
great__ powers over legislat__ than the Parliament. It has, however, had
control over the EU budget since the 1970s and has a veto over
the appoint__ of the European Commission.
The European Parliament has two meet__ places in Strasbourg,
France, which serves for twelve four-day plenary sessions per year and is the
official seat, and in Brussels, Belgium, which serves for committee meetings,
politic__ groups and complementary plenary sessions. The Secretariat of the
European Parliament, the Parliament's administrat___ body, is based in
Luxembourg.
The President of the European Parliament (its speak__) is current__
Hans-Gert Pöttering, elect__ in January
2007. The last Union-wide elections were the 2004 Parliament__ Elections,
however Romania and Bulgaria joined in 2007 and elected their members in
2007.The next union-wide parliamentary elections are in 2009.
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