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Brief facts on the European Parliament

Fri May 29 04:18PM
What does the European Parliament do?

The European Parliament represents people living in the 27 member countries of the European Union (EU). It has powers in a range of areas that affect member countries:

  • animal rights
  • consumer rights
  • the environment
  • international trade
  • regional economic development
  • workers' rights

It has the power to approve, amend or reject new European laws.

How is it made up?

The European Parliament is made up of 785 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who are elected by 27 EU member countries. The UK is represented by 72 MEPs. In the UK, there are 12 European electoral regions and each region is represented by between three and ten MEPs.

Who is my MEP?

You can go to the website of the European Parliament to find out and who represents your area.

How many of our laws come from Europe?

Roughly 75%

When is the vote?

4th June 2009. Results announced on 7th June.

 

Related content: Who will get your vote on June 4th?

 

Comments11 - 20 of 112

  1. Why is a title impoprtant?
    .
    The following are the titles of a few recent blogs, with their date and time of publication, and number of responses

    received at a set time (8 o'clock here). I offer it as a point of discussion, particularly when viewing how opinions

    are formed. And I apologise: I will be posting the same message on at least three blogs.
    .
    Title: June 4th is a referendum on Europe
    Posted: Fri May 29 12:55PM
    No Views @ 19:00 BST: 44
    .
    Title: Brief facts on the European Parliament
    Posted: Fri May 29 04:18PM
    No Views @ 19:00 BST: 10
    .
    Title: Who will get your vote on June 4th?
    Posted: Fri May 29 04:20PM
    No Views @ 19:00 BST: 310
    .
    These articles all discuss the same subject.
    .
    The mention of 'facts' (2nd discussion): frightens people away before they even read it - too dry.
    .
    A referendum on Europe (1st disussion) (not that anybody is too interested in the article or results) general support

    for the EU; mainly from people who do/have lived abroad or grant such support grudgingly - not what they voted for,

    but...
    .
    'Who will you vote for..?' (3rd discussion): anything from reasoned argument to pure vitriol

    computacoach2004 From computacoach2004 on Fri May 29 07:20PM

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  2. I don't wish to be part of Europe and never have wanted to be part of Europe. As an Island we will always survive. We always have. I think Sniper Traffic must be in hospital probably on the Psych ward.

    sanddhi From sanddhi on Fri May 29 08:01PM

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  3. What an absolute @#$% andyjmck is, what sort of a response was that to conservation_chris.

    Iv never been bothered about politics until recently but now iv read enough and heard enough to know this current government are just @#$%s and need to be out. While im not all for what the BNP say i agree with most of it and they will certainly be getting my vote.

    @#$% all these soft liberal @#$%s, BNP all the way!

    chloeleejohny From chloeleejohny on Fri May 29 08:37PM

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  4. Vote Libertas, at least they will fight against the Lisbon treaty. I think that there should be an campaign of civil disobedience until our so called elected representives start working for us, the people.

    d_murdoch From d_murdoch on Fri May 29 09:11PM

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  5. Well said Jonk47. i cannot believe there are still people left in this country who don't or won't believe what is going on in the EU.
    Ask yourself why we are not being allowed to vote re The Lisbon Treaty.
    Ask yourself why France, The Netherlands and Eire voted NO.
    Ask yourself why we are paying the EU £40m each and every day
    Ask yourself why it is illegal for a company to continue when auditors won't sign balance sheets, yet the EU's balance sheets have never been signed.
    Ask why we have no industries left and who got them.
    Ask why we have a parliament of thieving, criminal MP's, yet 75% (and rising), of our laws come from the EU.
    Ask why Gordon Brown cannot do anything without Angela Merkel's sayso.
    Ask why Peter Mandelson and Kenneth Clarke were brought back into politics.
    Ask why we may never have another General Election.
    Ask yourself where our Human Rights have gone and with it our Democracy.
    Ask yourself why you would even consider voting next week for LIB LAB or CON.

    sarahledsom From sarahledsom on Fri May 29 09:16PM

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  6. For me - B.N.P. all the way - an opportunity to not yet again fall into the time immemorial trap of the limp wristed, namby pamby, don't rock the boat manifetos,sound bites that the main parties regurgitate election after election. Lets have clean sweep of the street - get rid of all the foreign workers and seal the borders so tight that a fart would not be able to get in. In addition to which, get all the idle @#$% - the sick, lame and more so the downright bloody lazy back to work. No work - no benefit - simple !! If you can draw benefit - you can get your arse out of bed at 6AM to do a days work - whether in a factory or at a P.C.!!! As for the E.U.(a gravy train that even surpasses that of the U.N.) out,out,out - of the E.U. that is, NOT Europe !!

    labandontherun From labandontherun on Fri May 29 10:42PM

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  7. http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~iits/newalliance/intlaw.htm
    A
    Nation Free to Choose

    pennyjcjones From pennyjcjones on Fri May 29 11:00PM

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  8. SAY NO TO EUROPEAN UNION THE UK DOES NOT WANT TO BE A PART OF IT.
    MYSELF AND EVERYBODY AGREE WITH THIS..THERE ARE TOO MANY PAKI'S,POLISH,BLACKS IN THE UK WHO ARE LET IN TOO EASILY.
    Soft touch britian yeh that's us hahaha.

    kayleelumbard From kayleelumbard on Fri May 29 11:05PM

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  9. AAAAAAAH !!!! its like the NAZIS all over again!

    mattilib From mattilib on Fri May 29 11:33PM

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  10. The EU is even more corrupt than our own governement - kick the lot out!

    We would be better off out of the stinking mess that Euroland is!

    lunapilot From lunapilot on Fri May 29 11:42PM

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