Parliament European

The European Parliament consists of 732 members, elected every 5 years by the citizens of the member states. Given only a consultative role under the 1957 Treaty of Rome, which provided the basis for forming the European Economic Community, the influence of the European Parliament has been extended under subsequent treaties. Differing procedures apply, depending on the legislative aims  

Parhament gives its opinion on a Commission legislative proposal before it can be adopted by the European Council. 

Council adopts common position (Qualified Majority) 

Other important responsibilities of the European Parliament are approval of the European Union budget  

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The adoption of the Fifth Framework Programme is, at the time of writing, in the process of being adopted by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. 

The pressure equipment directive was adopted by the European Parliament and the European Council in May 1997. It harmonises the national laws of the 15 Member States of the European Union relating to equipment subject to the pressure risk. That directive is one of the series of technical harmonisation directives such as for machinery, medical devices, simple pressure vessels, gas appliances and so on, which were foreseen by the Communities programme for the elimination of technical barriers to trade. It therefore aims to ensure the free placing on the market and putting into service of the equipment concerned within the European Union and the European Economic Area. At the same time it permits a flexible regulatory environment, allowing European industry to develop new techniques increasing thereby its international competitiveness. 

With the New Approach the number of directives needed to achieve the internal market target significantly decreased. In addition the European Council and the European Parliament were no longer required to deal with detailed technical requirements. Instead they were called upon only to define essential requirements needed to protect the public interest. The main elements of the New Approach can be summarised as follows ... 

A different system applies to the creation oflegislationat EU level. The EU is based on a series of treaties between member states, which are comparable to constitutional law at national level. Three institutions are involved in the creation of EU law (i) The European Gommission (ii) The Council of the European Union and (iii) The European Parliament. 

EC Directive 2001/82/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on the Community code relating to veterinary medicinal products. 

Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 setting standards of quality and safety for the collection, testing, processing, storage and distribution of human blood and blood components and amending Directive 2001/83/EC Amended by Commission Directive 2003/63/EC of 25 June 2003 amending Directive 2001/83/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use... 

Directive 2004/10/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 on the harmonisation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the application of the principles of good laboratory practice and the verification of their applications for tests on chemical substances... 

Regulation (EC) No. 141/2000 ofthe European Parliament and of the Council ofl6 December 1999 on orphan medicinal products Commission Regulation (EC) No. 847/2000 of 27 April 2000 laying down the provisions for implementation of the criteria for designation of a medicinal product as an orphan medicinal product and definitions of the concepts similar medicinal product and clinical superiority ... 

EC (2000) European parliament and the council of the European union. Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for the community action in the filed of water policy. Official Journal of the European Communities L32, 1-72... 

European Commission (2003). Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament Concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). Brussels E.C. 

Commission of the European Communities (COM) (2004) Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament Stimulating Technologies for Sustainable Development An Environmental Technologies Action Plan for the European Union. 38 final. http //ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/ pdfs/com 004 etap en.pdf. (Accessed May 2010). 

The proposed European Directive (i.e., EU law) on the patenting of computer-implemented inventions [8] has led to a debate in Europe on the desirability of patents on software. The debate recently culminated in a vote by the European Parliament, which rejected the proposed legislation [9]. 

European Parliament Committee on Legal Affairs Recommendation for Second Reading on the Council common position for adopting a directive of the... 

European Parliament and of the Council on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions. Document Number 11979/1/2004—C6-0058/2005— 2002/0047(COD). 

Food coloring is restricted by law to prevent misuse that may lead to deception of consumers related to reduced value or usability. For this purpose, the European Union implemented food colorant guidelines in 1994 based on the understanding that food coloration presents a technological need. While European Parliament and Council Directive 94/36/EC lists colors and their uses in food, the European Commission Directive 95/45/EC contains specific purity criteria for colors in foodstuffs, e.g., a maximal lead content of 20 ppm. " ... 

European Parliament and Council Directive 94/36/EC — This directive provides detailed rules on colors. Schedules attached to these EU regulations set out the following lists ... 

Directive 2002/96/EC ofthe European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) (2003) Official Journal ofthe European Union, L37 13/02/2003, 24-39. 

A proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market was adopted on 16 February 1998, numbered 98/8/EC and published in the Official Journal on 24 April 1998 (reference L 123 pp 1-62). 

Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (2003) Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment in support of Commission Directive 93/67/EEC on risk assessment for new notified substances Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/94 on risk assessment for existing substances Directive 98/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of biocidal products on the market... 

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament Establishment of the working plan for 2009-2011 under the Ecodesign Directive. Brussels, 21.10.2008, COM (2008) 660 final http //eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do uri=COM 2008 0660 FIN EN PDF. 21 Oct 2008... 

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