link to page 2 
Updated May 26, 2021
The European Parliament and U.S. Interests
A Key EU Institution
Political Groups
The European Parliament (EP) is the only directly elected
Once elected, MEPs caucus according to political ideology
institution of the 27-country European Union (EU). The
rather than nationality. A political group must contain at
EP’s 705 members represent the EU’s roughly 445 million
least 23 MEPs from a minimum of seven EU countries.
citizens. The most recent EP elections were in May 2019.
Currently, the EP has seven political groups—containing
The EP has accumulated more power over time as part of
almost 200 national political parties—that span the political
EU efforts to improve democratic accountability and
spectrum, as well as a number of “non-attached” or
transparency in EU policymaking. Enhanced powers since
independent MEPs (see Figure 1). Although the majority of
the 2009 Lisbon Treaty have made the EP a more important
MEPs hail from political parties that support the EU
actor on several issues of U.S. concern, including trade,
project, some belong to parties considered to be anti-
data privacy, and counterterrorism. Congress-EP ties are
establishment and euroskeptic—that is, critical of the EU or
long-standing, and Congress may be interested in EP
anti-EU to varying degrees. Most euroskeptic parties are on
activities given the EP’s potential to influence key aspects
the right or far right (and are predominantly nationalist and
of U.S.-EU relations.
anti-immigration), but a few are on the left or far left.
Role and Responsibilities
No single group in the EP has an absolute majority, making
The EP plays a role in the EU’s legislative and budget
compromise and coalition-building key features of the EP’s
processes and has a degree of oversight responsibility. The
legislative process. Historically, the center-right European
EP works closely with the two other main EU institutions:
People’s Party (EPP) and the center-left Progressive
the European Commission, which represents the interests of
Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European
the EU as a whole and functions as the EU’s executive, and
Parliament (S&D) have tended to dominate the EP by
the Council of the European Union (or the Council of
cooperating in unofficial “grand coalitions.” At the same
Ministers), which represents the interests of the EU’s
time, voting blocs may vary on specific pieces of
national governments.
legislation. The relative size of the political groups also
helps to determine EP leadership and committee posts.
Although the European Commission has the right of
EP Leadership, Committees, and Delegations
legislative initiative, the EP shares legislative power with
MEPs elect a president of the European Parliament every
the Council of Ministers in most policy areas, giving the EP
two-and-a-half years (twice per parliamentary term). The
the right to accept, amend, or reject the vast majority of EU
president oversees the work of the EP and represents it
laws (with some exceptions, such as taxation and most
externally. David Sassoli, an Italian MEP from the S&D,
aspects of foreign policy). Both the EP and the Council of
was elected as EP president in July 2019. The EP has 20
Ministers must approve a European Commission proposal
standing committees that are key actors in the adoption of
for it to become EU law in a process known as the ordinary
EU legislation. In terms of their importance and power, EP
legislative procedure or co-decision. The EP also must
committees rival those in the U.S. Congress and surpass
approve the accession of new EU member states (or a
member state’s withdrawal) and has the right to approve or
those in most national European legislatures. Each
reject international accords, including EU trade agreements.
committee considers legislative proposals put forward by
the European Commission that fall within its jurisdiction
The EP decides how to allocate the EU’s budget jointly
and issues a recommendation to the full EP on whether to
with the Council of Ministers (although neither the EP nor
adopt, amend, or reject the proposed legislation. The EP
the Council of Ministers can affect the size of the EU’s
also may establish temporary committees on specific issues
annual budget, which is fixed as a percentage of the EU’s
or committees of inquiry on breaches of EU law. The EP
combined gross national income). In addition, the EP has a
plays a role in the EU’s international presence with 44
supervisory role over the European Commission and some
delegations that maintain parliament-to-parliament relations
limited oversight over the activities of the Council of
throughout the world (including with the U.S. Congress).
Ministers. The EP monitors the management of EU
Location and Administration
policies, can conduct investigations and public hearings,
Strasbourg, France, is the official seat of the EP. This
and must approve each new slate of European
location, close to the border with Germany, symbolizes
Commissioners every five years.
Europe’s postwar reconciliation. Plenaries typically are
Structure and Organization
held in Strasbourg once per month, and committee meetings
and some part-plenary sessions occur in Brussels, Belgium.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) serve five-
A Secretariat of roughly 5,000 nonpartisan civil servants,
year terms. Voting for the EP takes place on a national
based in both Brussels and Luxembourg, provides
basis, with the number of MEPs elected in each EU country
based roughly on population size.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The European Parliament and U.S. Interests
administrative and technical support. MEPs and political
groups also have their own staff assistants.
Figure 1. European Parliament Political Groups and Seats
Source: Graphic created by CRS, based on data from the European Parliament, as of May 26, 2021, at http://www.europarl.europa.eu/.
2019 Elections
The withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the EU
In the May 2019 EP elections, the pro-EU center-right EPP
(Brexit) on January 31, 2020, and the resulting departure of
and the center-left S&D retained their positions as the two
the UK’s 73 MEPs, affected the size and composition of the
largest groups in the EP but lost their combined majority, as
EP. According to a post-Brexit seat redistribution, the
euroskeptic, liberal, and green parties gained seats. The
overall number of MEPs decreased from 751 to 705, but
resulting fragmentation boosted the influence of the
certain countries gained additional seats. These changes
centrist, liberal, pro-EU Renew Europe group (formerly the
resulted in some groups losing seats (such as S&D and
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, or ALDE).
Renew Europe) but have not significantly altered the
The increase in seats for the Greens/European Free Alliance
balance of power within the EP.
(Greens/EFA), composed of pro-environment parties and
leftist regional parties (e.g., Catalonian, Corsican), appears
The United States, Congress, and the EP
to reflect heightened voter concern about climate change
Following the Lisbon Treaty, the EP has gained a more
and other environmental issues.
prominent role in some aspects of U.S.-EU relations,
particularly with the right to approve or reject international
Many experts suggest that pro-EU parties were largely
agreements. In 2010, the EP initially rejected a U.S.-EU
successful in overcoming challenges from euroskeptic
accord on countering terrorist financing due to concerns
parties. Pro-EU groups (EPP, S&D, Renew Europe, and
about U.S. data privacy safeguards. The EP also would
Greens/EFA) hold a combined 495 seats (70%). Although
have to approve any possible future U.S.-EU free-trade
euroskeptic parties secured up to 25% of seats in 2019, this
agreement. More generally, the EP’s role in EU lawmaking
is roughly the same percentage as in the previous EP.
may affect certain U.S. political or economic interests. The
Analysts point to higher average voter turnout (51% in
EP, for example, was central to shaping the EU’s General
2019 versus 43% in 2014) as a key factor in boosting
Data Protection Regulation, which applies to many U.S.
support for pro-EU parties.
companies doing business in Europe. EP wariness about an
EU-China investment agreement because of China’s human
Although concerns persist about the influence of
rights and labor practices largely aligns with concerns
euroskeptic parties, such parties often have struggled to
voiced by some U.S. officials ; in May 2021, the EP froze
form a cohesive opposition in the EP; observers question
work on ratifying the accord following China’s sanctioning
their ability to work together to block legislation or hinder
of several EU entities and officials , including five MEPs.
EU policymaking, given that they hold a range of different
policy views, including on EU reforms. The largest
Interparliamentary exchanges between Congress and the EP
euroskeptic group in the EP currently is Identity and
date back to the 1970s. The Transatlantic Legislators’
Democracy (ID), an alliance of far-right parties, including
Dialogue (TLD) has been the formal mechanism for
from Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria,
engagement between the U.S. House of Representatives and
Denmark, and Finland. ID largely grew out of the former,
the EP since 1999. TLD meetings are intended to take place
stridently anti-EU Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF).
twice a year to discuss various political and economic
The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) is
issues. Many MEPs have long argued for further enhancing
considered a more moderately euroskeptic group concerned
cooperation with Congress, and some U.S. analysts suggest
about the loss of national sovereignty in the EU. The Left
it might be in U.S. interests for Congress to forge stronger
group—previously known as the European United
ties with the EP to help improve U.S.-EU relations and
Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)—includes former
reduce frictions. Others assess that structural and procedural
communist parties and some far-left EU critics.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The European Parliament and U.S. Interests
differences between Congress and the EP likely would
Kristin Archick, Specialist in European Affairs
impede more extensive legislative cooperation.
IF11211
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permissio n of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11211 · VERSION 6 · UPDATED