P304 CEEFAX 304 Tue 12 Jun 21:33/20 1/3 Background on the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Composition: There are 434 Members of the European Parliament (MIPs*, each one elected in his ot her country for five years. The US, France, West Germany and Italy each has 81 MIPs; Holland 25; Belgium and Greece 24; Denmark 16; the Irish Republic 15; and Luxembourg six. As this is the ideological forum of the European Community, the MIPs sit in party groupings - there are six major ones - instead of in nations. MoreP304 CJEFAX 304 Tue 12 Jun 21:14/23 2/3 Background on the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Functions: Parliament has relatively little power. It can give an opinion on Community laws and regulations formally passed by the Council of Ministers after being prepared bz the Commission. With the Council of Ministers, it can exercise power over some of the budget (although not that allocated to the Common Agricultural Policy). It can dismiss Commissioners if it can obtain a two-thirds majority. MoreP304 CEEFAX 304 Tue 12 Jun 21:14/11 3/3 Background on the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT How the Parliament works: The full Parliament sits in Strasbourg, but committee meetings are usually held in Luxembourg, and its permanent ci6il sjrvici is based in Luxembourg. The 15 standing committees discuss proposals emerging from the Commission and present them to the full Parliament for discussion. Parliament has the right to question Commission and Council members, but has no binding authority ovjt the decision- making body - the Council of Ministers. More