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May 16, 2019
The European Parliament and U.S. Interests
A Key EU Institution
basis, with the number of MEPs elected in each EU country
Between May 23 and May 26, 2019, the 28 member states
based roughly on population size. Although voter turnout
of the European Union (EU) are due to hold elections for
varies greatly from country to country, average turnout in
the next European Parliament (EP). As the only EU
EP elections is usually relatively low (43% in the last EP
institution that is directly elected, the 751 members of the
elections in May 2014) and of ongoing concern to the EU.
EP represent the roughly 513 million citizens of the EU.
The EP has accumulated more power over time, most
Political Groups
recently with the EU’s 2009 Lisbon Treaty, in an attempt to
Once elected, MEPs caucus according to political ideology
improve democratic accountability and transparency in EU
rather than nationality. A political group must contain at
policymaking. Enhanced powers have made the EP a more
least 25 MEPs from a minimum of seven EU countries. No
important actor on several issues of U.S. concern, including
single group in the EP has an absolute majority, making
trade, data privacy, and countering terrorism. Congress-EP
compromise and coalition-building key features of the
ties are longstanding, and Congress may be increasingly
legislative process. The relative size of the political groups
interested in EP activities given the EP’s potential to
helps to determine EP leadership positions and committee
influence key aspects of U.S.-EU relations.
posts. In the 2014-2019 EP, there were eight political
groups—containing over 200 national political parties—
Role and Responsibilities
that spanned the political spectrum, as well as a number of
The EP plays a role in the EU’s legislative and budget
“non-attached” or independent MEPs (see Figure 1).
processes and has a degree of oversight responsibility. The
EP works closely with the two other main EU institutions:
Historically, the center-right European People’s Party
the European Commission, which represents the interests of
(EPP) and the center-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists
the EU as a whole and functions as the EU’s executive, and
and Democrats in the European Parliament (S&D) have
the Council of the European Union (or the Council of
been the two largest political groups and have tended to
Ministers), which represents the interests of the EU’s
dominate the EP by cooperating in unofficial “grand
national governments.
coalitions.” At the same time, voting blocs on specific
pieces of legislation vary according to different issues and
Although the European Commission has the right of
interests. In the 2014-2019 EP, the centrist and liberal
legislative initiative, the EP shares legislative power with
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and
the Council of Ministers in most policy areas, giving the EP
the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists
the right to accept, amend, or reject the vast majority of EU
(ECR) both played a “kingmaker” role at times by
laws (with some exceptions, such as taxation and most
exercising decisive swing votes.
aspects of foreign policy). Both the EP and the Council of
Ministers must approve a European Commission proposal
In the 2014 election, candidates and parties considered to be
for it to become EU law in a process known as the ordinary
“euroskeptic”—that is, critical of the EU or anti-EU to
legislative procedure or co-decision. The EP must also
varying degrees—won an increased number of seats.
approve the accession of new EU member states (or a
Although most euroskeptic parties are on the right or far
member state’s withdrawal) and has the right to approve or
right (and are predominantly nationalist and anti-
reject international accords, including EU trade agreements.
immigration), some are on the left or far left. The ECR was
one of three right-wing euroskeptic groups in the 2014-
The EP decides how to allocate the EU’s budget jointly
2019 EP. The ECR consisted of MEPs concerned about a
with the Council of Ministers (although neither the EP nor
loss of national sovereignty in the EU. Further to the right,
the Council of Ministers can affect the size of the EU’s
the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD)
annual budget, which is fixed as a percentage of the EU’s
group strongly objected to any further EU integration. Both
combined gross national income). In addition, the EP has a
the ECR and the EFDD included MEPs from the United
supervisory role over the European Commission and some
Kingdom (UK) who supported the UK’s decision to leave
limited oversight over the activities of the Council of
the EU (known as “Brexit,” which remains pending). In
Ministers. The EP monitors the management of EU
2015, a smaller but more stridently anti-EU, nationalist
policies, can conduct investigations and public hearings,
group formed—the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF).
and must approve each new slate of European
Commissioners every five years.
The other two groups in the EP are on the left of the
political spectrum. The Greens/European Free Alliance
Structure and Organization
(Greens/EFA) comprises pro-environment parties and
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) serve five-
several regional parties (e.g., Scottish, Welsh, Catalonian,
year terms. Voting for the EP takes place on a national
and Basque) with leftist outlooks. The far-left European
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The European Parliament and U.S. Interests
United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) includes former
In the current EP, however, euroskeptic parties have
communist parties and some EU critics.
struggled to form a cohesive opposition due to competing
political agendas and different views on numerous issues
Figure 1. European Parliament 2014-2019
(including EU reforms). Some euroskeptic politicians are
Political Groups and Seats
seeking to forge a more unified force in the next EP. In
April 2019, Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s far-right Lega
party, launched an alliance with other far-right euroskeptic
parties, including from France, Germany, the Netherlands,
Austria, Denmark, and Finland. This new group
incorporates most of the ENF, as well as some parties in the
ECR and EFDD. Many analysts remain doubtful, however,
about the ability of such diverse euroskeptic parties to work
together. Others note that most euroskeptic parties (even the
most hardline ones) now largely advocate for EU reform
Source: Graphic created by CRS, based on data from the European
rather than a dissolution of the EU or national withdrawal
Parliament, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/search/table.
from the EU (in part due to the UK’s difficulties with
Brexit).
EP Leadership, Committees, and Delegations
MEPs elect a president of the European Parliament every
The outcome of the EP election is expected to influence the
two-and-a-half years (twice per parliamentary term). The
selection of the next president of the European Commission
president oversees the work of the EP and represents it
(due to take office in late 2019), which could prove
externally. In recent parliaments, the EPP and S&D have
controversial. The Lisbon Treaty requires EU leaders to
agreed to split the position of EP president over each five-
take the EP election results into account in choosing the
year term. Antonio Tajani, an Italian MEP from the EPP,
next commission president. The main European political
has served as EP president since January 2017.
parties have nominated “lead candidates” for the post, but
many EU leaders contend that they are not limited to
The EP has 20 standing committees that are key actors in
selecting from among these specific candidates. Some
the adoption of EU legislation. In terms of their importance
suggest that the EP may reject any nominee for commission
and power, EP committees rival those in the U.S. Congress
president who was not a lead candidate during the EP
and surpass those in most national European legislatures.
election.
Each committee considers legislative proposals put forward
by the European Commission that fall within its jurisdiction
The United States and the EP
and issues a recommendation to the full EP on whether to
Over the last decade, the EP has gained a more prominent
adopt, amend, or reject the proposed legislation. The EP
role in some aspects of U.S.-EU relations, particularly in
also plays a role in the EU’s international presence with 44
light of the EP’s right to approve or reject international
delegations that maintain parliament-to-parliament relations
agreements. In 2010, for example, the EP initially rejected a
throughout the world (including with the U.S. Congress).
U.S.-EU agreement on countering terrorist financing due to
EP concerns about U.S. data privacy safeguards. The EP
Location and Administration
would also have to approve a possible future U.S.-EU trade
Strasbourg, France, is the official seat of the EP. This
accord. More generally, the EP’s role in EU lawmaking
location, close to the border with Germany, was chosen to
may affect certain U.S. political or economic interests. The
symbolize post-war European reconciliation. Plenaries are
EP was central to shaping the EU’s new General Data
held in Strasbourg once per month, while EP committee
Protection Regulation, which applies to many U.S.
meetings and some part-plenary sessions occur in Brussels,
companies doing business in Europe.
Belgium. A Secretariat of roughly 5,000 non-partisan civil
servants, based in both Brussels and Luxembourg, provides
Congress-Parliament Relations
administrative and technical support. MEPs and political
Inter-parliamentary exchanges between Congress and the
groups also have their own staff assistants.
EP date back to the 1970s. The Transatlantic Legislators’
The Upcoming 2019 Election
Dialogue (TLD) has been the formal mechanism for
engagement between the U.S. House of Representatives and
In the upcoming May 2019 EP election, 751 seats will be
the EP since 1999. Two TLD meetings usually take place
contested. The UK will participate in the EP election as it
each year to discuss a wide range of political and economic
remains an EU member. If the UK leaves the EU during the
issues. Many MEPs have long argued for enhancing
upcoming EP term, the UK’s 73 MEPs would depart, and
cooperation with Congress further, and some U.S. analysts
the overall number of MEPs would fall to 705, but certain
suggest that it might be in U.S. interests for Congress to
EU countries would gain additional seats (according to a
forge stronger ties. Those with this view contend that there
previously agreed post-Brexit seat redistribution).
have been instances in which legislation passed by either
Polls suggest that the EPP and the S&D will retain their
Congress or the EU has contributed to U.S.-EU tensions
positions as the two largest political groups in the next EP,
and argue that enhanced consultations could have avoided,
but both are expected to lose seats amid gains for anti-
or at least reduced, such frictions. Others assess that
establishment, populist, and/or euroskeptic parties. Experts
structural and procedural differences between Congress and
suggest that this could further fragment the EP. EU
the EP would likely impede effective cooperation.
supporters are primarily concerned that further gains by
euroskeptic candidates or parties may enable them to block
Kristin Archick, Specialist in European Affairs
legislation and hinder EP (and EU) decisionmaking.
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