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 nigel.farage@europarl.europa.eu www.nigelfaragemep.co.uk

UK INDEPENDENCE

Party MEPs

PO Box 1410 Woking, Surrey GU22 2LW Tel: 014 8372 9077 marta.andreasen-office@europarl.europa.eu 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

keith.taylor@europarl.europa.eu

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 office@nirjdeva.com www.nirjdeva.com

Conservative MEPs

5 Hazelgrove Road Haywards Heath West Sussex RH16 3PH Tel:01444 474858 richardjames.ashworth@europarl.europa.eu 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 daniel.hannan@europarl.europa.eu

www.hannan.co.uk

Conservative MEPs

Disraeli House 12 Aylesbury End Beaconsfield Buckinghamshire HP9 1LW Tel: 01494 673745 mes.elles@europarl.europa.eu 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 info@sharonbowles.org.uk www.sharonbowles.org.uk

Liberal Democrat MEPs

27 Park End Street Oxford OX1 1HU Tel: 01865 249838 catherine@bearder.eu 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

southeast@peterskinnermep.eu

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

You can follow me on

Twitter under @eurocrat