Context:

• The EU Parliament is taking steps to debate and vote on a resolution asking India to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act. The Indian government, on its part, says the CAA is an internal Indian matter and a law adopted through democratic means.

The European Union has Seven Institutions:

1. 1.The European Parliament,
2. 2.The Council of the European Union,
3. 3.The European Commission,
4. 4.The European Council,
5. 5.The European Central Bank,
6. 6.The Court of Justice of the European Union
7. 7.The European Court of Auditors.

European Parliament:

• The European Parliament is an important forum for political debate and decision-making at the EU level.
• It is the EU’s law-making body, and shares its power with the EU Council.
• It is directly elected by EU voters every 5 years.
• The European Parliament allows the citizens of the EU to participate directly in European political affairs.

What does the Parliament do?

• The Parliament has 3 Main Roles:
• Legislative :
  • • Passing EU laws, together with the Council of the EU, based on European Commission proposals
    • Deciding on international agreements
    • Deciding on enlargements
    • Reviewing the Commission’s work programme and asking it to propose legislation.
• Supervisory –
  • Democratic scrutiny of all EU institutions
  • Electing the Commission President and approving the Commission as a body. Possibility of voting a motion of censure, obliging the Commission to resign
  • Granting discharge, i.e. approving the way EU budgets have been spent
  • Examining citizens’ petitions and setting up inquiries
  • Discussing monetary policy with the European Central Bank
  • Questioning Commission and Council
  • Election observations
• Budgetary:
  • Establishing the EU budget, together with the Council
  • Approving the EU’s long-term budget, the “Multiannual Financial Framework”