European Parliament

WHY IN NEWS?

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) deferred the vote on a joint motion criticizing India’s Citizenship until the second half of March this year.

ABOUT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

• The European Parliament (EP) is the legislative branch of the European Union and one of its seven institutions.
• Together with the Council of the European Union, it adopts European legislation, normally on a proposal from the European Commission.
• The Parliament is composed of 705 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
• The Parliament represents the second-largest democratic electorate in the world (after the Parliament of India) and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world (375 million eligible voters in 2009).
• The Members of the European Parliament are directly elected by voters in all Member States to represent people’s interests with regard to EU law-making and to make sure other EU institutions are working democratically.
• The European Parliament has legislative, budgetary and supervisory powers.
• The Lisbon treaty, which came in force in late 2009, brought new law-making powers to the European Parliament and put it on an equal footing with the Council of Ministers in deciding what the EU does and how money is spent.

Prelims Question

Q. Which of the following comprise the institutions of the European Union (EU) as listed in the Treaty on European Union?
1. European Parliament
2. European Council
3. Council of the European Union
4. European Commission
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
a. 1,2 and 3 only
b. 2,3 and 4 only
c. 1,3 and 4 only
d. 1,2,3 and 4

Answer to the Prelims Question