EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Inside the European Parliament A guide to its parliamentary and administrative structures OFFICE FOR PROMOTION OF PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY OPPD Publisher: Dick Toornstra OPPD Research and coordination: Christian Meseth with the support of Hannah Günther and María Hidalgo Bautista Manuscript completed in November 2012 © European Parliament - OPPD, 2012 DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation, except for commercial purposes, are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and provided the publisher is given prior notice and supplied with a copy. OPPD - Office for Promotion of Parliamentary Democracy European Parliament - DG EXPO 60, rue Wiertz - Office WIB 03M061 1047 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 (0)2 284 4229 Fax: +32 (0)2 284 9005 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.europarl.europa.eu/oppd EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Inside the European Parliament A guide to its parliamentary and administrative structures OFFICE FOR PROMOTION OF PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Inside the European Parliament: A Guide to its Parliamentary and Administrative Structures Preface 5 Introduction 7 1. Historical overview 11 1.1 From appointed assembly to elected parliament 11 1.2 Enlargements of the EU increased the number of EP Members 11 1.3 Gradual increase in powers: the reform treaties 11 2. Panorama of Parliament’s functions and powers 15 2.1 Participation in the legislative process 15 2.2 Budgetary authority: the power of the purse 17 2.3 Control over the executive 19 2.4 Appeals to the European Court of Justice 21 3.