VEF Blog

STRASBOURG: THE PARLIAMENT.

The Parliament.

This body sits in Strasbourg, though many of its activities are carried out in Luxembourg, its administration and in Brussels, its committees.

It was originally called the Assembly and its members were drawn from national parliaments. It was not a directly elected democratic body until 1979. It had the function of supervising and advising. It is a body exerting influence rather than power.

This Institution is one of the five major institutions of the European Union :

• The Council of the Union (composed of the governments of the Member States),
• The European Commission (which is the driving force and executive body),
• The Court of Justice (the court which ensures compliance with EC law),
• The Court of Auditors (a body which oversees the sound and lawful management of the EU budget),
• The European Parliament (the body elected by the peoples of the Member States).

All institutions are equal at least on a formal basis.