Originally posted by archer_007
Question i felt like this would be the best place to ask:
What is the point/function of the European Parliament?
When do you see, if you see it at all, Europe intergrated into one state?
What do you see being the primary language?
How widespread is the English language in European nations?
Would you prefer being ruled from Brussels (or any other site that could be chosen) or by your current government?
Do you see the US as a threat to European intergration?
Powers of the European Parliament
Like all parliaments, the European Parliament has three fundamental powers: legislative power, budgetary power and supervisory power. Its political role within the European Union is growing.
1) Legislative power
The EP adopts European legislation with the Council
The normal legislative procedure is codecision. This procedure puts the European Parliament and the Council on an equal footing, and together they adopt legislation proposed by the Commission. Parliament has to give its final agreement.
Codecision is an essential power of the European Parliament, which enhances its ability to influence European legislation. Codecision applies, among other things, to the free movement of workers, the establishment of the internal market, research and technological development, the environment, consumer protection, education, culture and health. It has enabled the European Parliament to be instrumental in the adoption of legislation whereby, to quote only a few examples,
the member states can rule that certain major sporting events must be broadcast in unencrypted form within their territory,
much stricter anti-pollution rules apply to fuel and motor oils,
the Commission can apply emergency safeguard measures to animal feed,
health warnings on cigarette packets are stricter and more visible,
the use of heavy metals - lead, mercury and cadmium - in the manufacture of vehicles is to be barred from 2003, so that derelict cars can be disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way; the cost of recycling scrap vehicles is to be met by manufacturers; recycling of electrical equipment is also to be improved.
Although codecision is the standard procedure, there are important areas in which Parliament simply gives an opinion; these include taxation and the annual farm price review.
As well as reinforcing Parliament's codecision powers, the Amsterdam Treaty established its position as a driving force behind EU policy making. At the instigation of one or other of its committees Parliament frequently adopts reports designed to steer EU policy in a particular direction.
Parliament's legislative work is organised for the main part as follows:
the Commission submits a legislative proposal to Parliament; one of the standing committees (the 'committee responsible') is instructed to draw up a report and appoints a rapporteur ( i.e. a member of the Committee who is charged with the task of drafting the Committee's report). One or more other committees may be asked to deliver opinions. Each adopts its opinion and forwards it to the committee responsible;
MEPs - and the committees asked to deliver opinions - can table amendments to the draft report drawn up by the rapporteur; it is then adopted, possibly with some changes, by the committee responsible;
the political groups examine the report from their own political standpoint;
finally, the report is discussed in plenary session. Amendments to it may be tabled by the committee responsible, the political groups or a number of Members. Parliament votes on the report, thereby adopting its position on the original proposal
2) Budgetary power
The European Parliament and the Council are the two arms of the budgetary authority. In other words, they share the power of the purse, just as they share legislative power. The preliminary work on Parliament's decision-making in this area is done by its Committee on Budgets in cooperation with the other standing committees.
By exercising its budgetary power the European Parliament expresses its political priorities. It establishes the budget for the following year each December. The budget does not come into force until it has been signed by the President of Parliament. Since 1986 annual expenditure has been part of a multiannual framework - the 'financial perspectives' - adopted jointly by Parliament and the Council.
Parliament has the last word on most expenditure in the annual budget, such as spending on the less prosperous regions, spending on training to help reduce unemployment etc. In the case of agricultural expenditure Parliament can propose amendments, but the Council has the final say. Parliament and the Council consider the Commission's budgetary proposals in two readings (between May and December) in the course of which they agree on how much money is to be spent, and on what.
Parliament can also reject the budget if it believes that it does not meet the needs of the Union. The budgetary procedure then starts all over again. Parliament has rejected the budget on two occasions in the past, but has not used this weapon since it began defining a multiannual financial framework jointly with the Council.
3) Supervisory power
Parliament exercises democratic oversight of all Community activities. This power, which was originally applied to the activities of the Commission only, has been extended to the Council of Ministers and the bodies responsible for the foreign and security policy. To facilitate this supervision the European Parliament can set up temporary committees of inquiry. It has done so on several occasions, as in the case of mad cow disease, when Parliament's inquiry led to the establishment of a European Veterinary Agency in Ireland. Parliament also secured the creation of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
4) The Commission and Council
The European Parliament plays a central role in appointing the Commission. It ratifies the appointment of the Commission President, holds confirmation hearings of the nominee Commissioners and then decides whether or not to appoint the Commission, as a whole, by a vote of confidence.
Parliament also has the right to censure the Commission: a 'motion of censure' against the Commission adopted by an absolute majority of MEPs and two-thirds of the votes cast would force the Commission to resign. To date Parliament has never adopted a motion of censure, but its power to do so acts as a powerful deterrent.
Parliament routinely exercises its supervisory powers by examining a large number of reports that the Commission submits to it on the implementation of policies, legislation and the budget.
A parliamentary committee, a political group or a given number of Members can put oral questions to the Council and Commission. These questions, on topics of political importance, usually lead to a debate. Topical issues relating to events that have aroused a high level of public interest in Europe are also the subject of regular debates. In both cases the debate is usually followed by the adoption of a resolution. During plenary sessions 'Question Time' with the Council and Commission provides a forum for a series of questions and answers on topical issues. Individual Members can address written questions to the Council and Commission; these receive written replies. More than 5,000 questions are asked every year by Members and political groups.
The Council Presidency presents its programme and half-yearly report to Parliament It also informs Parliament of the preparation for and outcome of European Councils and the progress of important legislative activities. The Council is represented, sometimes at ministerial level, at meetings of Parliament's committees.
integration into one state:
maybe in a 100/150 years (so very longterm)
primary language: none
To preserve the cultural diversity, all the diff. languages are official
english widespread: pretty good exept for the elder people or less educated
ruled from Brussels or own government: (this is a strange question in my situation) I would have to answer both, they all make mistakes.
US a threath:
hmmm, don't really know. The US welcomes are more unified European market because it's good for business but the increasing power of the EU economically will cause some irritation i suppose
No.
[/frustrated by EU cashing in and never giving back German]
