Did you know that...?

Did you know that…..?

·        In the European Parliament there are 754 members.

·        They are choosen by universal suffrage for a 5 years period.

·        Equality of the sexes and a secret ballot.

·        The voting age is 18 (Austria 16).

·        There are 23 languages.

·        The president is renewable every 2.5 years.

·        There are14 vice-presidents.

·        There are 12 plenary in Strabourg and 6 in Brussels.

·        The seats are shared out proportionately to the population (Max:99 and min:6).

·        The members have a common salary.

·        There are 7 political groups.

·        25 members are needed to form a political group.

·        There are 20 standing committees.

·        The standing committees consists of between 24 and 76 MEP’s.

·        They meet 1 or 2 times a month in Brussels.

·        Their debates are held in public.

·        There are 41 delegations with 12 to over 70 members.

·        The bureau consists of the President of the European Parliament and the 14 vice-presidents.

·        There are 5 quaestors.  They are also members of the Bureau.

·        The Parliament meets in plenary session every month (exept August) in Strasbourg. 6 times a year, they also meet in Brussels.

·        The 2012 EP budget amounts to 1,718 billons of which 37% is for staff expenses.