The European Parliament. 4th edition

Abstract:

In the five years since the third edition of this well-respected text the nature of the European Parliament has changed considerably. This edition aims to contribute towards improving the level of knowledge and understanding of this one directly elected institution in the European Union. The book is in four parts: Part I: The framework, puts the Parliament into context, looks at its electoral system and some functional issues such as where it meets, languages spoken and its cycle of activities. Part II: The actors and working structures, examines the individual members, including their rights and obligations and the backgrounds of those members elected in 1999; political groups, their structures, working methods and activities; leadership structures; Parliamentary committees; interparliamentary delegations; plenary; intergroups; and the Parliament secretariat. Part III: the powers of the Parliament, analyses the Parliament and legislation including the consultation, cooperation and co-decision procedures; the budgetary role; appointment and dismissal, for example, appointments to the Central Bank and European Monetary Institute, to the Court of Auditors and Office of Ombudsman; scrutiny and control of the executive; a discussion of the Parliament as a forum and channel for communication; and constitutional change.
Finally, Part IV contains the appendices which include the results of the European Parliament Elections in 1999 by country, a list of MEPs from the 1999 elections divided by country, by European Parliament Political Group and by national party (as of October 1999), contact details of Parliament offices and sources of primary and secondary sources of information on the Parliament.
This is a very welcome updating of this authoritative source on the European Parliament.
Richard Corbett is a British Labour MEP and spokesperson on constitutional affairs in the Parliament for the Socialist Group. Francis Jacobs is Head of the Division within the Parliament Secretariat responsible for the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection. Michael Shackleton is Head of the Division within the Parliament Secretariat responsible for conciliation under the co-decision procedure.