European Democratic Group in the European Parliament [ European Conservative Group in the European Parliament ]

European Conservative Group

European Conservative Group

European Conservative Group

decision (EU) [ Commission Decision | Community decision | Council Decision | decision of the European Central Bank | decision of the European Council | decision of the European Parliament | European Council decision ]

political group (EP) [ group (EP) | political group within the European Parliament ]

Group of the European Democratic Alliance [ European Renewal and Democratic Alliance at the European Parliament | Group of European Progressive Democrats ]

Directive 2005/29/EC concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market | Unfair Commercial Practices Directive

S. whereas, almost five years after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, and with a view to future Conventions, relations between the European Parliament and the national parliaments need to be continually developed in the light of new challenges; whereas this makes it necessary to engage in reflection on the experience drawn from the different forms of cooperation between the European Parliament and the national parliaments with a view to givin ...[+++]g ever greater democratic legitimacy to the European integration process and ensuring that democratic scrutiny is exercised in a timely manner and at the level at which decisions are taken and implemented, and that all parties in the legislative process receive the information they require;

8. Considers that the Joint Bureau and Committee on Budgets Working Group on the Parliament budget could, on the basis the work it began in 2012, play a useful role in this reform, by identifying possible savings and reflecting on and presenting to the Committee on Budgets ideas for improving efficiency; notes that the working group has already largely achieved the objectives established for it at the end of 2011, in particular as regards the reduction of travel expenses; in the light of the Group’s preliminary findings based, inter alia, on comparative studies of the European ...[+++] Parliament’s budget with the budgets of the US Congress and a sample of Member States’ parliaments, encourages the continuation of its work and the development of a corresponding action plan, to be presented to both the Committee on Budgets and the Bureau for consideration in the 2014 Parliament budget process; recalls its resolution of 23 October 2012 in which it expressed the expectation that these studies will ‘create long-term savings in the Parliament’s budget and present ideas for improving efficiency in 2013 and the following years’; notes that the European Parliament has lower overall spending per inhabitant than comparable Member State parliaments and the US Congress; notes further that there is a need to strengthen the scrutiny role of Parliament and to provide it with better-targeted research support so that it is able to fulfil its role in democratic representation;

On 15 July 2014, President Juncker presented his Political Guidelines to the European Parliament and pledged enhanced transparency when it comes to contacts with stakeholders and lobbyists, saying: "I would like ordinary people in Europe to know who has been to see who, and who has spoken to whom, and I would like the other institutions to follow suit".

The establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office also increases the democratic legitimacy of Eurojust: the European Parliament and national Parliaments will in future be more involved in the evaluation of Eurojust's activities.