ANALYSIS BUDGET 2011
‘Meddling' threw 2011 budget talks off course
By Constant Brand - 16.12.2010 / 05:16 CET
MEPs are unhappy at the tactics used during budget negotiations
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© 2012 European Voice. All rights reserved.
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Former Parliament president quits as as president of the European University Institute. |
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Centre-left and centre-right MEPs line up to prevent committee votes being recorded. |
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Costs are too high for European Parliament delegation. |
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EP
Fact file
SUPPORT FOR CITIZENS' INITIATIVE
MEPs overwhelmingly endorsed a regulation on Wednesday (15 December) that sets out how the European citizens' initiative (ECI) will operate in practice.
The Parliament voted 628 to 15, with 24 abstentions, to adopt a compromise accord reached with member states on the functioning of the EU-wide participatory democracy tool introduced by the Lisbon treaty. Member states are expected to give their final approval before the end of the year.
“We tried to conceive the simplest procedure possible so we can include all citizens,” said Alain Lamassoure, a French centre-right MEP involved in drafting the regulation.
The aim of the ECI is to increase participatory democracy in the EU, giving citizens a way to bypass national governments or EU institutions when they call for changes to EU legislation or demand new EU rules.
The signatures of at least one million European citizens from at least seven member states are required on an initiative before it can be submitted for review by the Commission, which will have three months to accept or reject it. Citizens must be at least 18 years old to sign a petition and their identities have to be verified by member states.
Petitions have to be registered with the Commission via a special website and have to undergo an initial “admissibility check” by the Commission to ensure the subject matter falls within the EU's remit. The initiatives must also respect EU values and rights. Member states will have one year to implement the ECI regulation at national level.
MEPs say more must be done to tackle crisis.
Parliament's leadership exempts hotel rooms costing less than €300 a night from transparency requirements.
Parliament to back tax on shares and trades.
The bearer of bad news in the European Parliament.
MEPs argue over bottled water.
