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European Union Introduction
- 1. © 2010 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Institutional triangle
European Parliament
751 members representing the European
citizens
Adoption of legislation and budget
Democratic supervision
European Commission
28 commissioners
Right of initiative
Implementation of the European policies and budget
Council of the EU
28 ministers representing the Member
States
Adoption of legislation and budget
Concluding international agreements
- 2. © 2010 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
European Commission
Lisbon Treaty: Main innovations
European Parliament
Codecision: the ordinary legislative
procedure
More control over the budget
Subsidiarity check by national parliaments
European citizens intiative
Council of the EU
More voting by qualified majority
2014: double majority
- 3. © 2010 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Budgetary power
Parliament decides the EU
annual budget together with
the Council
Enlargement decisions
Parliament‘s assent is
required for the accession of
any new Member States
Legislative power
Most EU laws are adopted
jointly by the European
Parliament and the Council of
the EU
Parliamentary control
Parliament supervises other
EU institutions and can pass
a vote of no-confidence in the
European Commission
European Parliament
Parliament’s powers
- 4. © 2010 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Member States Qualified Majority
Weighting of votes 352
Qualified majority 260 (from at least 15 MS)
Blocking minority 93
Austria 10
Belgium 12
Bulgaria 10
Croatia 7
Cyprus 4
Czech Republic 12
Denmark 7
Estonia 4
Finland 7
France 29
Germany 29
Greece 12
Hungary 12
Ireland 7
Italy 29
Latvia 4
Lithuania 7
Luxembourg 4
Malta 3
Netherlands 13
Poland 27
Portugal 12
Romania 14
Slovakia 7
Slovenia 4
Spain 27
Sweden 10
United Kingdom 29
- 5. © 2010 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
European Commission
European Parliament Council of the EU
First reading
Second reading
Third reading
First reading
Second reading
Third reading
Right of initative
Conciliation committee
The ordinary legislative procedure
Schematic overview
- 6. © 2010 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Parliament’s calendar
PLENARY
SESSIONS
COMMITTEE
MEETINGS
EXTERNAL
PARLIAMENTARY
ACTIVITY
POLITICAL
GROUP
MEETINGS