The European Union and the making of European laws

The European Union is responsible for making European-wide rules and regulations. They only have powers on certain issues. These include regulation of manufactured goods and some aspects of transport, especially travel between countries.

The structure of Europe

The political structures of the European Union are complex and there are many different groups and procedures. The following outlines the main ones.

The Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers is made up of government ministers from each member state. The specific minister who attends depends on the subject of the meeting (e.g. agriculture, economy, finance). The Council is responsible for passing EU legislation, deciding on political objectives, co-ordinating national policies and resolving differences between the member states.

European Council

This is made up of heads of states or governments and the president of the European Commission.

European Commission

Each member state is represented by one commissioner. The Commission drafts legislation, and manages the budget and community programmes. The Commission is divided into Directorate-Generals (DGs), with responsibility for different policy areas. Each DG is further divided into divisions and units. For example, the Directorate-General Employment and Social Affairs includes the Social Inclusion Unit, the Anti-Discrimination Unit, the Disability Unit, and others.

European Parliament

This is made up of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from member states. In some cases it shares power with the European Council to amend and pass legislation, in others it only has the power to suggest amendments to legislation and power rests with the European Council. It has shared responsibility with the European Council for the budget. It also has the power to vote on the activities of the European Commission.

The Court of Justice

The Court of Justice is responsible for ruling on disputes involving European law.

The Court of Auditors

The Court of Auditors monitors money spent.

The Economic and Social Committee

The Economic and Social Committee acts as a consultative group for the Council, Commission and Parliament.

The Legislative Process

• Legislation is proposed by the Commission
• The Parliament First Reading amends and approves the proposal
• If the Council agrees the amendments made by Parliament, the legislation can become law
• If the Council does not agree with the Parliament amendments it will adopt a Common Position. The Commission gives an opinion on this position, then the legislation is passed back to the Parliament
• In the Parliament, the legislation will receive a second reading
• If the Parliament approves the legislation and no action is required, then the legislation becomes law
• If the Parliament rejects the Common Position by absolute majority, then the proposal is rejected
• If the Parliament amends the Common Position by absolute majority it is passed back to the Council
• If the Council approves the amendments by a qualified majority then the legislation will be adopted
• If the Council cannot approve the amendments, it will convene a joint Council / Parliament Conciliation Committee
• The Conciliation Committee will discuss the legislation and either a joint text will be approved by both Council and Parliament within 6 weeks or there will be no agreement and the proposal will be rejected

Where can I find information on what Europe is making decisions about?

To find out what the European Parliament is discussing, look at their website or contact the UK European Parliament Information Office on telephone 020 7227 4300.

Influencing Europe

There are many ways that you can influence European policies, rules and regulations. The most direct is to contact your MEPs but you can also use the media or take part in other actions such as protests. In addition, influencing the UK government can help to put pressure on Europe.

Each region of the UK is represented by seven MEPs.

To find out who your MEPs are, and how to contact them, look at www.europarl.eu or www.writetothem.com or call the UK European Parliament Information Office on 020 7227 4300.

Your MEPs divide their time between the region of the UK that they represent and Brussels. This may mean that you have to wait a while if you want to meet them.

Your MEPs are busy people. Before you write to them or meet them, think about what your important points are and what it is you want them to do. Try to be clear and concise.

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