European Parliament Information Office in the UK 32 Smith Square, Westminster, London www.europarl.org.uk http://europetalk.tumblr.com Tel: 0207 227 4300 Elisabeth Sweeney European Civil Servant elisabeth.sweeney @ep.europa.eu
May 09, 2015
European Parliament Information Office in the UK
32 Smith Square,
Westminster, London
www.europarl.org.uk
http://europetalk.tumblr.com
Tel: 0207 227 4300
Elisabeth Sweeney
European Civil Servant
elisabeth.sweeney @ep.europa.eu
“Decision Making in the EU -
How am I represented ?”
EUROPEAN COURT OF
HUMAN RIGHTS in Strasbourg
• Is NOT an EU Institution
• 1959 Treaty between 47 countries across
Europe – Britain, like many other countries
including Russia&Azerbaijan, is a
signatory with Treaty obligations to meet.
European Union
Candidate countries
EU 27
Budget of the European Union Revenue 2012
10,9%
13,2%
74,7%
GNI resource
VAT resource
Custom duties
Other revenue
1,2%
Sugar levies
0,1%
Estimate % of total revenue Total: EUR 129,1 billion
29,9%
5,6%
35,8%
10%
6,4%
10,9%
1,4%
EU as a
global
player
Cohesion
Administration
Rural
development,
environment
& fisheries
Agriculture
Total: EUR 129,1 billion
Citizenship, Freedom,
Security & Justice
Competitiveness
1,86 % increase on 2011
0,98 % of EU 27 GNI
Budget of the European Union Expenditure 2012
Areas of European law • Consumer Protection
• Food Labelling
• Cheaper airfares –
• Compensation for delayed flights –
• Mobile phone international rates
• Employment Law
• Holiday entitlements
• Working time
• Environmental Law
• Recycling targets
Key figures of the European Union
Martin Schulz President of the
European Parliament
Herman Van Rompuy
President of the European Council
Jose Manuel Barroso President of the
European Commission
Catherine Ashton
High Representative
Cyprus Presidency of the
Council of the European Union
European Parliament
Democratic Supervision of EU
754 members representing 500 million
EU citizens
European Commission
27 commissioners Recommended by National Governments
– Right of initiative – Guardian of the Treaties
Council of
Ministers
27 Ministers (eg Agriculture)
representing National Governments
AND THE ROLE OF OUR UK PARLIAMENT ?
Role of the European Scrutiny
Committee – House of Commons • Monitor business in the Council and the
lines taken by UK Ministers
• Assess political and/or legal importance of
EU documents, and recommend debates
• Be a source of analysis and description
• Keep EU developments under review
• Supervise the scrutiny system
Documents covered at Scrutiny
Committees of
House of Commons & House of Lords
• Draft Regulations, Directives & Council of Ministers’ Decisions
• Budgetary documents
• Commission Green and White Papers
• Commission’s Work Programme etc.
• Reports of the Court of Auditors
Types of EU Legislation
• EU REGULATIONS (No transposition into
national law – directly applicable in all 27
countries)
• EU DIRECTIVES (eg UK decides how to
implement to achieve overall objective)
% of UK Laws passed in the EU
• 6.8% of primary legislation (Statutes)
• 14.1% of secondary legislation (Statutory Instruments)
Source: House of Commons Library 1997-2009
Hou
se of
Com
mon
s
Libr
ary:
•
199
7 -
200
9:
–
6.8
% of
prim
ary
legis
latio
n
(Stat
ues)
–
14.1
% of
seco
ndar
y
legis
latio
n
(Stat
utor
y
Instr
ume
nts)
Budgetary power
Parliament decides the EU
annual budget together with
the Council of Ministers
EU 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
Ministers
Parliamentary control
Parliament supervises other
EU institutions and can pass
a vote of no-confidence in the
European Commission
European Parliament
Member State Seats Member State Seats
Germany 99 Austria 19
France 73 Bulgaria 18
United Kingdom 73 Denmark 13
Italy 73 Finland 13
Spain 54 Slovakia 13
Poland 51 Ireland 12
Romania 33 Lithuania 12
Netherlands 26 Latvia 9
Belgium 22 Slovenia 8
Czech Rep. 22 Estonia 6
Greece 22 Cyprus 6
Hungary 22 Luxembourg 6
Portugal 22 Malta 6
Sweden 20
Seat distribution: 754 MEPs 500
million people
754
No Work permit
No Visa required
• Hundreds of thousands of British expats
live and work in Spain, France, Italy & EU
• They can vote or stand for election at local
elections and European elections
• EU citizens residing in the UK can do the
same
Standing as a Candidate
at European Parliament elections Minimum 18 years of age
Individuals or party member under
system of Proportional Representation (UK= closed list)
Citizen of any Member State resident in EU
Deposit of £5,000 (2.5% of votes cast or lose it)
Term is 5 years – next election 2014
Electoral Commission Administers Election Rules
EUROPE IN THE SOUTH EAST
HOW DOES THAT WORK THEN?
MEPS elected every 5 years by a system of Proportional Representation (closed party list) 73 MEPs represent the UK (www.votewatch.eu) 754 MEPs for 27 Member States – 500 million
Parties in the 2009 election
Votes 2009
% votes 2009
Seats (10 in total)
Conservative Party 812,288 34.79 4
United Kingdom Independence Party 440,002 18.84 2
Liberal Democrat Party 330,340 14.15 2
Green Party 271,506 11.63 1
Labour Party 192,592 8.25 1
British National Party 101,769 4.36
English Democrats Party 52,526 2.25
Christian Party “Proclaiming Christ’s Lordship” 35,712 2.25
No2EU: Yes to Democracy 21,455 0.92
Pro democracy: Libertas.eu 16,767 0.72
Socialist Labour Party 15,484 0.66
United Kingdom First 15,261 0.65
Jury Team 14,172 0.61
Peace Party- Non violence, Justice, Environment 9,534 0.41
Roman Party. Avel 5,450 0.23
Total valid votes 2009 2,334,858 -
Spoiled / rejected 17,724 -
Total of votes 2009 2,352,607 -
Electorate 2009 6,231,875 -
Region's turnout 2009 37.75% -
UK turnout 2009 34.70 % -
Position
Name Party
1. Daniel HANNAN Conservative
2. Nigel FARAGE UKIP
3. Richard ASHWORTH Conservative
4. Sharon BOWLES Liberal Democrat
5. Keith TAYLOR * Green
6. Nirj DEVA Conservative
7. Marta Andreasen UKIP
8. James ELLES Conservative
9. Peter SKINNER Labour
10. Catherine BEARDER Liberal Democrat
South East Region – Results
European Election 2009
* Keith TAYLOR took up the seat from Caroline LUCAS in June 2010
Committee on Fisheries
Nigel FARAGE
The Old Grain Store Church Lane Lyminster Nr. Littlehampton West Sussex BN17 7QJ Tel: 01903 885573 [email protected] www.nigelfaragemep.co.uk
UK INDEPENDENCE
Party MEPs
PO Box 1410 Woking, Surrey GU22 2LW Tel: 014 8372 9077 [email protected] www.martaandreasen.com
Committee on Budgets and Budgetary Control
Marta ANDREASEN
Europe for Freedom and Democracy Group
Keith TAYLOR Green Party
Constituency Office
Office of the Green MEPs
CAN Mezzanine
49 - 51 East Road
London. N1 6AH
Tel: 00207 250 8415
www.keithtaylormep.org.uk
Group of the Greens / European
Free Alliance
Committee on Development
Committee on Transport and
Tourism
Substitute on Petitions
Committee
Delegation for relations with
Afghanistan
Committee on Development and Human Rights
Nirj DEVA
96 Vine Lane Hillingdon Middlesex UB10 OBE Tel: 01895 470 463 [email protected] www.nirjdeva.com
Conservative MEPs
5 Hazelgrove Road Haywards Heath West Sussex RH16 3PH Tel:01444 474858 [email protected] www.richardashworth.org
Committee on Budgets and Foreign Affairs
James ELLES
European Conservatives and Reformists Group
Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Daniel HANNAN
The Coach House Worthy Park Winchester Hampshire SO21 1AN Tel: 00 322 284 5137 [email protected]
www.hannan.co.uk
Conservative MEPs
Disraeli House 12 Aylesbury End Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire HP9 1LW Tel: 01494 673745 [email protected] www.jameselles.com
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Richard ASHWORTH
European Conservatives and Reformists Group
Committee on Economic & Monetary Policy
Sharon BOWLES
Felden House Dower Mews High Street Berkhamsted Hertfordshire HP4 2BL Tel: 01442 875962 [email protected] www.sharonbowles.org.uk
Liberal Democrat MEPs
27 Park End Street Oxford OX1 1HU Tel: 01865 249838 [email protected] www.bearder.eu Substitute on Committee on International Trade
Committee on Regional Development
Committee on Transport
Delegation on ACP
Catherine BEARDER
Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
for Europe
Peter SKINNER Labour
Constituency Office
Suite 5
Fort Pitt Business Centre
New Road, Rochester
Kent ME1 1DU
Tel: 01634 840930
www.peterskinnermep.eu
Group of the Progressive
Alliance of Socialists and
Democrats in the European
Parliament
Committee on Economic and
Monetary Affairs
SO WHAT DOES AN MEP DO ?
Legislative Role:
Amends Proposals from the Commission
Compromise among pan-european
political groups
(Coordinator & Rapporteur)
Representative Role:
Tabling Questions/Writing Letters/Surgeries
Visitors to Brussels/Strasbourg Parliament
Parliamentary committees
• Committee on Foreign Affairs • Committee on Development • Committee on International Trade • Committee on Budgets • Committee on Budgetary Control • Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs • Committee on Employment and Social Affairs • Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety • Committee on Industry, Research and Energy • Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection • Committee on Transport and Tourism • Committee on Regional Development • Committee on Agriculture • Committee on Fisheries • Committee on Culture and Education • Committee on Legal Affairs • Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs • Committee on Constitutional Affairs • Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality • Committee on Petitions
20
European Parliament
Chamber in Strasbourg
European Political Groups
• EPP: Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats)
• Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialist and Democrats in the European Parliament
• ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
• ECR: European Conservatives and Reformists Group
• Greens/EFA: The Greens/European Free Alliance
• GUE/NGL: Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left
• EFD: Group "Europe of Freedom and Democracy“
• NA: Group of non-attached Members
Parliament’s calendar: 2012
PLENARY
SESSIONS
COMMITTEE
MEETINGS
EXTERNAL
PARLIAMENTARY
ACTIVITY
POLITICAL
GROUP
MEETINGS
Stay in touch!
Social network sites
www.europarltv.europa.eu
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Twitter under @eurocrat