EP/Council Division of Power

• Commission proposes law, EP response based on one of three models:

• Co-decision (most issues, currently) – policy goes to EP, EP can amend it themselves, passes to Council for debate, amendment, and vote. Passes back and forth between EP and council until it is approved in identical form by both. May go to a joint committee to iron out the details and agree on a common language

• Consultation – Commission proposes, EP can consult, meaning they can ask for amendments to a piece of legislation; however, the EP does not have the power to make amendments, only to suggest them. Policy must then be approved by the EP prior to passing it on to the Council.

• Assent (least common) – EP gets an up/down vote. No amendment power.

How EU laws are made

Citizens, interests groups, experts: discuss, consult

Commission: makes formal proposal

Parliament and Council of Ministers: decide jointly

Commission and Court of Justice: monitor implementation

National or local authorities: implement

How many people live in the EU?

Population in millions, 2007

497 million8

2.4

63

.4

60

.9

59

.1

44

.5

38

.2

21

.6

16

.3

11

.2

10

.6

10

.5

10

.3

10

.1

9.0

8.3

7.7

5.4

5.4 5.3

4.3

3.4

2.3

2.0

1.3

0.8

0.5

0.4

Fra

nc

e

Sp

ain

Sw

ed

en

Po

lan

d

Fin

lan

d

Ita

ly

Un

ite

d K

ing

do

m

Ro

ma

nia

Gre

ec

e

Bu

lga

ria

Hu

ng

ary

Po

rtu

ga

l

Au

str

ia

Cze

ch

Re

pu

bli

c

Irel

an

d

Lit

hu

an

ia

La

tvia

Slo

va

kia

Est

on

ia

Den

ma

rk

Net

he

rla

nd

s

Bel

giu

m

Slo

ve

nia

Cyp

rus

Lu

xe

mb

urg

Ma

lta

Ger

ma

ny

Council of Ministers – number of votes per country

345Total:

3Malta

4Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovenia

7Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Finland

10Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden

12Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary and Portugal

13Netherlands

14Romania

27Spain and Poland

29Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom

“Qualified majority” needed for many decisions:255 votes and a majority of member states

United Kingdom

The European Parliament – voice of the people

13

24

78

78

14

Italy

Ireland

24Hungary

Greece

99Germany

France

Finland

6Estonia

14Denmark

24Czech Republic

6Cyprus

18Bulgaria

24Belgium

18Austria

Decides EU laws and budget together with Council of MinistersDemocratic supervision of all the EU’s work

Total 785

78

19Sweden

54Spain

7Slovenia

14Slovakia

35Romania

24Portugal

54Poland

27Netherlands

5Malta

6Luxembourg

13Lithuania

9Latvia

Number of members elected in each country

Video Break

• Just a quick look at the EP, from the British press, leading up to the 2009 vote:

• http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0F3A63EF76B7DAB4&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&v=UxhD-99SnZA

The European political parties

Number of seats in the European Parliament

per political group (March 2008)

European UnitedLeft - Nordic Green Left

41

Socialist Group215

Greens/EuropeanFree Alliance

43

Independence/Democracy

24

Alliance of Liberals andDemocrats for Europe101 European People’s Party

(Christian Democrats)and European Democrats288

Union for Europeof the Nations44

Non-attached members andtemporarily empty seats29

Total : 785

2009 EP Election Results

• http://www.europarl.europa.eu/parliament/archive/elections2009/en/index_en.html

EP Election Turnout

More turnout numbers (from 2004)

Civil Society in Europe

NGO: European Women’s Lobby