Welcome to the
European Parliament
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
European Union
EU 27
Accession countries
Candidate countries
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Institutional triangle
European Commission
27 commissioners
Right of initiative
Implementation of the European policies and budget
European Parliament
Council of the EU
754 members representing the European
citizens
27 ministers representing the Member
States
Adoption of legislation and budget
Adoption of legislation and budget
Democratic supervision
Concluding international agreements
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Lisbon Treaty: Main innovations
European Commission
Subsidiarity check by national parliaments
European citizens initiative
European Parliament
Council of the EU
Codecision: the ordinary legislative
procedure
More voting by qualified majority
More control over the budget
2014: double majority
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Key figures of the European Union
Jose Manuel Barroso
Martin Schulz
President of the
European Commission
President of the
European Parliament
Herman
Van Rompuy
President of the
European Council
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Cyprus
Presidency of the
Council of the European Union
Catherine
Ashton
High Representative
European Parliament
Parliament’s powers
Legislative power
Parliamentary control
Most EU laws are adopted
jointly by the European
Parliament and the Council of
the EU
Parliament supervises other
EU institutions and can pass
a vote of no-confidence in the
European Commission
Budgetary power
Enlargement decisions
Parliament decides the EU
annual budget together with
the Council
Parliament‘s assent is
required for the accession of
any new Member States
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Seat distribution
Member State
754
Germany
France
United Kingdom
Italy
Spain
Poland
Romania
Netherlands
Belgium
Czech Rep.
Greece
Hungary
Portugal
Sweden
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Seats
Member State
Seats
99
74
73
73
54
51
33
26
22
22
22
22
22
20
Austria
Bulgaria
Denmark
Finland
Slovakia
Ireland
Lithuania
Latvia
Slovenia
Estonia
Cyprus
Luxembourg
Malta
19
18
13
13
13
12
12
9
8
6
6
6
6
Political groups
EPP: Group of the European People’s Party
(Christian Democrats)
S&D: Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists
and Democrats in the European Parliament
58
ALDE: Group of the Alliance of Liberals
and Democrats for Europe
85
271
Greens/EFA: Group of the Greens /
European Free Alliance
ECR: European Conservatives and
Reformists Group
190
57
GUE/NGL: Confederal Group of the
European United Left / Nordic Green Left
EFD: Europe of Freedom and
Democracy Group
Non-attached
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
29
34
30
Situation as of 14 December 2011
Parliamentary committees
20
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Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
on Foreign Affairs
on Development
on International Trade
on Budgets
on Budgetary Control
on Economic and Monetary Affairs
on Employment and Social Affairs
on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
on Industry, Research and Energy
on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
on Transport and Tourism
on Regional Development
on Agriculture
on Fisheries
on Culture and Education
on Legal Affairs
on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
on Constitutional Affairs
on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
on Petitions
Parliament’s calendar: 2012
COMMITTEE
MEETINGS
POLITICAL
GROUP
MEETINGS
PLENARY
SESSIONS
EXTERNAL
PARLIAMENTARY
ACTIVITY
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Budget of the European Union
Expenditure 2012
EU as a
global
player
Agriculture
6,4%
29,9%
35,8%
10,9%
Cohesion
10%
Rural
development,
environment
& fisheries
5,6%
1,4%
Citizenship, Freedom,
Security & Justice
Administration
Competitiveness
Total: EUR 129,1 billion
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
1,86 % increase on 2011
0,98 % of EU 27 GNI
Budget of the European Union
Revenue 2012
GNI resource
74,7%
13,2%
10,9%
Other revenue
1,2%
VAT resource
Sugar levies
0,1%
Total: EUR 129,1 billion
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Custom duties
Estimate % of total revenue
The ordinary legislative procedure
Schematic overview
European Commission
Right of initative
European Parliament
Council of the EU
First reading
First reading
Second reading
Second reading
Third reading
Third reading
Conciliation committee
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Sakharov prize
for freedom of thought
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1980
1989
1988
Arab Spring activists
Guillermo Fariñas
Memorial
Hu Jia
Salih Mahmoud Osman
Alexandre Milinkevitch
Ladies in White, Hauwa Ibrahim and Reporters Without Borders
Zhanna Litvina, President of the Belarus Association of Journalists
Secretarul General ONU, Kofi Annan, si intregul staff ONU
Oswaldo Jos Pay Sardias
Izzat Ghazzawi, Nurit Peled-Elhanan and Dom Zacarias Kamwenho
¡ Basta Ya !
José Alejandro 'Xanana' Gusmão
Ibrahim Rugova
Salima Ghezali
Wei Jingsheng
Líela Zana
Taslima Nasreen
Oslobodjenje
Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo
Adem Demaçi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Alexander Dubcek
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela and Anatoli Marchenko (postum)
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit
Stay in touch!
www.europarl.europa.eu
www.europarltv.europa.eu
Social network sites
© 2012 European Parliament, Visits and Seminars Unit