European Parliament (EP)
The EP works together with the Council as legislator. The plenary sessions will be chaired by the President of Parliament. The term of office of the President of the Parliament and the other members of the Bureau is two and a half years, i.e. half an EP legislative period. The Quaestors are entrusted with administrative and financial tasks directly related to the Members, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Bureau; see Art 29 of the GO.
The European Parliament decides in plenary sessions; its seat is in Strasbourg (further places of work: Brussels and Luxembourg).
The EP is made up of 705 MPs. As with the EU Council of Ministers, dossiers are not passed directly to the plenary but are prepared in the different EP committees.
Any citizen of the EU and any natural or legal person residing or having its registered office in a Member State may, on its own or together with other citizens, petition the EP on matters falling within the fields of activity of the Union directly affecting him or her.
The Council and the EP are being considered in the legislative process by the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee. Both committees must be heard and give opinions.