2. CONSTITUTIONAL-TYPE POWERS AND POWERS OF RATIFICATION
Since the Single European Act (SEA), all treaties marking the accession of a new
Member State and association treaties are subject to Parliament's assent. The
SEA also established this procedure for international agreements having
important budgetary implications for the Community (replacing the conciliation
procedure established in 1975). The Maastricht Treaty introduced it for
agreements establishing a specific institutional framework or entailing
modifications to an act adopted under the codecision procedure. Parliament
must also give its assent to acts relating to the electoral procedure (since the
Maastricht Treaty). Since the Amsterdam Treaty, its assent is further required if
the Council wants to declare that a clear danger exists of a Member State
committing a serious breach of the European Union's fundamental principles,
before addressing recommendations or penalties to this Member State. On the
other hand, any revision of the Statute for Members of the European Parliament
has to receive the consent of the Council. Since the entry into force of the Lisbon
Treaty Parliament can take the initiative for treaty revision and has the final say
over whether or not a convention has to be convened in preparation of a future
treaty amendment.
3. THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: POWERS
• The assertion of Parliament's institutional role
in European policy-making is a result of the
exercise of its different functions. Respect of
democratic principles at the European level is
ensured through its participation in the
legislative process, its budgetary and control
powers, its implication in treaty revision and
its right to intervene before the European
Court of Justice.
4. Democratic control
• In his origin this competition was referring only to the action
of the Commission, but at present there have been extended
the Cabinet, to the European Advice and to the Organs of
political cooperation that produce accounts to the Parliament.
This way so, nowadays the Parliament exercises a democratic
control on the set of the community activity.
• - The written or oral questions raised to the
Commission, to the Advice, to the Conference of
Secretaries of State.
• - The approval of the appointment of the
president of the European Commission and of the
Commissioners.
5. • - The power to force the European Commission to resign
for the vote of a motion of censorship (for majority of two
thirds of the votes).
• - The power to force the European Commission to resign
for the vote of a motion of censorship (for majority of two
thirds of the votes).
• - The Power to ask the Commission submit an offer to the
Advice (power of initiative).
• - The power to constitute, to order of a fourth part of his
members, a temporary commission of survey that
examines the eventual infractions or cases of bad
administration in the application of the community law.
6. • - The right of resource before the Court of
Justice.
• - The European Parliament receives requests of
every citizen on a topic related to the
European Union and that him concerns
directly.
• - The European Ombudsman chosen by the
European Parliament for a mandate of 5 years,
examines the claims of the citizens against the
Institutions or the community Organs.
