The History of the European Parliament
When the construction of Europe first began the "European Parliament" was designed to be a consultative assembly, called the Common Assembly of the European Community of Steel and Coal (ECSC). It comprised national parliamentarians.
The ECSC Common Assembly became the European Parliamentary Assembly with the Rome Treaty (1957). In 1962, the Assembly renamed itself "Parliament".
Robert Schuman held the position of president of the European Assembly from 1958 to 1960.
The political history of the European Parliament started in 1974, during the Paris Summit: on the initiative of French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, it was decided to elect the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, which was confirmed by an act adopted by the Council in 1976. The European Parliament then became a true Parliament, provided with real power.
In June 1979: for the first time citizens from the nine member countries elected their MEPs by direct universal suffrage.
Since 1979, the Parliament has benefited from democratic legitimacy on which it relies to increase its powers.
The Single Act (1986) : introduces the "collaboration procedure" between the European Parliament and the Council in the legislative process.
The European Union Treaty (Maastricht Treaty , 1992) : achieves a major qualitative step forward by introducing the codecision procedure which transforms the European Parliament into a true legislator on an equal footing with the Council in a certain number of limited areas: for example, the internal market, free movement, education.
The Amsterdam (1997) and Nice Treaties (2000) lead to a significant increase in the number of areas to which the codecision procedure is applied: the European Parliament decides on an equal footing with the Council in 35 areas (health policy, the fight against fraud, vocational training, certain aspects of the environment policy etc .)
The Amsterdam (1997) and Nice Treaties (2000) lead to a significant increase in the number of areas to which the codecision procedure is applied: the European Parliament decides on an equal footing with the Council in 35 areas (health policy, the fight against fraud, vocational training, certain aspects of the environment policy, etc.)
With the Lisbon Treaty (2009), the European Parliament now enjoys budgetary, legislative powers and a significant amount of control.
- the new treaty extends the co-decision procedure to 40 new paragraphs and notably to areas as sensitive as the common agricultural policy and policies relative to border control, asylum and immigration.
- With regard to the budget the European Parliament now has the same right to decision as the Council of Ministers and votes on all of the Union’s spending.
- Finally the election of the President of the Commission by Parliament on the proposal of the European Council should take on board the majority that won together with the results of the European elections. The legal framework outlined in the Lisbon Treaty will be a key element in the consolidation of the role played by MEPs.
Source: Data assembled and put together by the Robert Schuman Foundation, © FRS
Photos: Credit © European Communities, 2009
Presentation
On 9th May 1950, whilst he was Foreign Minister he delivered the famous Schuman Declaration in the Salon de l'Horloge at the Quai d'Orsay; with this speech he defined the means for community integration: Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity. This method then served as inspiration for European integration and from then on Robert Schuman was considered the Father of Europe.