Dear User,
The fifth direct elections to the European
Parliament are approaching fast. On 10, 11 and 13 June 1999, around 298 million voters in
the 15 EU Member States will be asked to choose 626 Members of the European Parliament
(MEPs) to represent them.
In the run-up to the
elections, we are producing a series of six publications, containing facts and figures on
the outgoing Parliament as well as highlights of the work done by MEPs over the last five
years.
Of course, we see this information, and
therefore present it, from a European angle. Parliament has always regarded itself as the
institution that stands up for the interests of all EU citizens and over the last
five years has done its best to put a genuinely European stamp on the EU’s decisions. |
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True, not all Parliament's goals have been
achieved but without its efforts many of the European Union’s plans would have fallen
foul of national interests - or indeed would not have been taken up at European level at
all. Since the last elections Parliament has expanded its role as a law-making body
alongside its traditional function of democratic scrutiny over the Council and Commission.
As we move into the 21st century, the
newly-elected MEPs will face major challenges. They must use the extra powers Parliament
gained under the Amsterdam Treaty responsibly and for the good of all. They must involve
the public in discussions on the next stages of the introduction of the euro. Last but not
least, they must make sure that enlargement of the EU strengthens democracy, peace and
stability in Europe.
Before you cast your vote, our publications
will give you all the information you need on:
- the laws governing the European
Parliament elections;
- the composition and structure of the
outgoing Parliament;
- the highlights of its legislative,
budgetary and political work over the last five years;
- the names of candidates standing at the
1999 elections.
After the elections, two further
publications will tell you the essential facts about the new Parliament.
This information can also be found on the
European Parliament's two websites: http://www.europarl.eu.int/election and http://election.europarl.eu.int
(the latter will be available at a later date).
If you have any questions about these
publications, please contact the person named in this brochure who speaks your own
language.
The Press Service |
