The European Parliament, as declared by the 1957 Rome Treaty,
represents the "people of the States united in the Community".
Currently, approximately 457 million Europeans in 25 countries
participate, through their 732 deputies elected to the European
Parliament, in the construction of Europe. The work of the European
Parliament, which has its seat in Strasbourg, is concentrated
in three centres: Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg. The choice
was made for historical reasons: Brussels and Luxembourg are the
two cities where European institutions have principally been located
since their creation. Symbol of French-German reconciliation,
since 1952, the European Parliament holds most of its sessions
in Strasbourg.
The European Parliament was elected for the first time by universal
suffrage in June 1979. Only 34 years after the end of the Second
World War, the people of the once-devastated European nations
went to the polls to elect a single assembly. This was undoubtedly
the most meaningful symbol of reconciliation that Europeans could
have given themselves.
Legitimatised by direct universal suffrage, the European Parliament
– whose members are elected every five years - has been
granted increasingly more power by those treaties that followed
the Treaties of Rome. In particular, the 1992 Maastricht Treaty,
the 1997 Amsterdam Treaty and the 2000 Nice Treaty turned the
European Parliament into an authentic legislative assembly with
powers comparable to those of the national parliaments. In fact,
in accordance with the Council of Ministers, it now approves most
of the European "laws".
Italy considers the European Parliament to be of major importance
and is actively committed to all of its activities, legislative
and political. This commitment fully reflects the key role played
by Italy in the institution, where we are currently represented
by 78 deputies and where three Parliamentary Committees are currently
headed by Italian MP: the Legal Affairs Committee (Hon. Giuseppe
Gargani), the Committee on Transports and Tourism (Hon. Paolo
Costa) and the Committee on Development (Hon. Luisa Morgantini).
The Coordination office with the European Parliament within the
Permanent Representation of Italy to the European Union shows
the importance given by Italy to this community institution. Its
main function is to be the link between the Italian Public Administrations
and the Parliamentary Assembly. On the one hand, the office informs
the Italian Administrations on Parliamentary Committees activities
and on legislative matters which are discussed and vote by the
MPs, on the other the office updates the Italian European Members
on the positions taken by Italy in the Council on different matters.
For further information, the European Parliament's Internet site
may also be consulted in Italian, at:
http://www.europarl.eu.int/home/default_it.htm
.
