Richard Ashworth

About The European Parliament

1. An Overview Of The Parliament
2. The Work Of The European Parliament
3. EU Legislation
4. History of the European Parliament

History Of The European Parliament

Since the Enlargement of the EU in 2004 to incorporate 10 countries from Central and Eastern Europe each committee and political group has grown in size. To make room for these new MEPs, existing member states had their allocation of seats in the European Parliament reduced. The UK's allocation in 1999 was 87 seats. In 2004 this was adjusted to 78 seats .

Initially the EU was composed of just 6 countries: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Denmark, Ireland and the UK joined in 1973, Greece in 1981, Spain and Portugal in 1986, Austria, Finland and Sweden in 1995. The EU now consists of 25 member states.

The European Parliament's powers have increased with each treaty change. Treaties are agreements or contracts that bind the member states of the EU to its content. To change what is written in a treaty, each member state must agree.

We can see the development of the EU and the Parliament's powers through the following Treaties:

1952 European Coal & Steel Community Treaty

1958 European Economic Community Treaty & European Atomic Energy Community Treaty

(Treaties from 1952 to 1958 are often called the Founding Treaties).

1967 Single Council & Commission Treaty

1971 Treaty of Luxembourg

1978 European Elections Act

1987 Single European Act - Established the present procedure that requires Parliament's assent on all treaties marking the accession of a new member state and any international agreements having important budgetary implications.

1993 Maastricht Treaty - From Maastricht the Parliament's assent was required for acts relating to the electoral procedure.

1998 Amsterdam Treaty - The Parliament now has powers to give assent for penalties on a member state flouting EU rules. By simplifying the codecision procedure, the Parliament and Council are, in principle, on an equal footing. The cooperation procedure was also extended in the Maastricht Treaty which obliges the Council to take into account Parliament's amendments in areas where the Council acts by majority.

For more information on the Parliament's role and any points mentioned above, please visit the European Parliament website www.europarl.eu.int