The European Parliament and U.S. Interests

Summary:

The European Parliament (EP) is the only directly elected institution of the 27-country European Union (EU). The EP’s 705 members represent the EU’s roughly 445 million citizens. The most recent EP elections were in May 2019. The EP has accumulated more power over time as part of EU efforts to improve democratic accountability and transparency in EU policymaking. Since the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, the EP has become a more important actor on several issues of U.S. concern, including trade, data privacy, and counterterrorism. Congress-EP ties are  longstanding, and the EP’s potential to influence key aspects of U.S.-EU relations may be of interest to Congress.

Further Information:

This In Focus was first published in May 2019. The latest update was published in November 2022. All updates can be checked on the Primary Source link provided below.

• Primary Source