Institutions and democratic principles
in EU
The functioning of the EU is founded on
representative democracy.
Member States are represented in the European
Council by their Heads of State or Government and
in the Council by their governments, themselves
democratically accountable either to their national
Parliaments, or to their citizens.
Citizens are directly represented at EU level in the
European Parliament.
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The EU does observe the principle of the
equality of its citizens. Every national of a
Member State is a citizen of the EU. Citizenship
of the EU is additional to national citizenship and
can not replace it.
Every citizen has the right to participate in the
democratic life on the EU. Decisions are to be
taken as openly as possible to the citizen.
The European Commission has to carry out
broad consultations with parties concerned in
order to ensure that the EU’s actions are
coherent and transparent.
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Towards a European referendum
Not less than one million citizens who are nationals
of a significant number of Member States may take
the initiative of inviting the European Commission,
within the framework of its powers, to submit any
appropriate proposal on matters where citizens
consider that a legal act of the EU is required for
the purpose of implementing the Treaties.
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The European Parliament
The EP does, jointly with the Council, exercise
legislative and budgetary functions. It shall
exercise functions of political control and
consultation. It shall elect the President of the
Commission.
The EP is composed of representatives of the
EU’s citizens. They shall not exceed seven
hundred and fifty in number, plus the President.
Representation of citizens shall be degressively
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proportional, with a minimum threshold of six
members per Member State. No Member State
shall be allocated more than ninety-six seats.
The EP may, acting by a majority of its
component Members, request the Commission
to submit any appropriate proposal on matters
on which it considers that a EU act is required
for the implementing the Treaties. If the
Commission does not submit a proposal, it shall
inform the EP of the reasons.
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In the course of its duties, the EP may, at the
request of a quarter of its component Members,
set up a 6 to investigate alleged contraventions or
maladministration in the implementation of the EU
law, except where the alleged facts are being
examined before a court and while the case is still
subject to legal proceedings.
Any citizen of the EU has the right to address a
petition to the European parliament on a matter
which comes within the EU’ fields of activity and
when affects him, her or it directly.
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A European Ombudsman, elected by the
European Parliament, shall be empowered to
receive complaints from any citizen concerning
instances of maladministration in the activities of
the EU institutions, with the exception of the
Court of Justice of the EU acting in its judicial
role.
If a motion of censure on the activities of the
Commission is tabled before it, the EP shall vote
openly. If this motion is carried by a two-thirds
majority of the votes cast, representing a
majority of the component Members of the EP,
the members of the Commission shall resign as
a body.
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National Parliaments
National Parliaments contribute actively to the good
functioning of the EU, by assuming various tasks.
They control the respect of the Principle of
subsidiarity. The participate in the legislative
procedure of the EU, in accordance with the Protocol
on the role of national parliaments.
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