The EU and its institutions

EP president Martin Schulz has called on member states to come up with concrete measures to create jobs and growth in the coming weeks to avoid Europe sinking deeper into economic and social turmoil. Mr Schulz made the appeal in a bold speech at the informal EU summit dedicated to growth in Brussels on 23 May. He said: "In the current situation, half-hearted statements of intent are simply not enough."

The need to combine current austerity with growth oriented measures without abandoning the overriding need for fiscal consolidation was underlined by most speakers in a debate in the EP plenary on May 22, one day before the informal EU summit in Brussels dedicated to growth and job creation. Most speakers also stressed Greece's plight, the causes for this and possible consequences.

The crisis and how we deal with it will once more be debated by the EP during the May plenary session in Strasbourg. MEPs will discuss the upcoming EU summit with European Commission president José Manuel Barroso as well as the proposal for a tax on financial transactions and the general strengthening of the EU economy. As always, the summit on Wednesday will open with a debate between EU leaders and Parliament president Martin Schulz.

MEPs will have much to discuss during the Strasbourg plenary session on 21-24 May, ranging from ways to reform the economy to measures to plug the gender pay gap. Parliament will vote on a proposed financial transaction tax on Wednesday as well as on a proposal to maximise the efficient use and recovery of natural resources, while also debating measures to support SMEs. On Thursday MEPs will vote on a resolution addressing the gender pay gap, as women still earn 16.4% less than men on average.

MEPs on the economics committee are set to vote on a series of big ticket items on Monday, including budgetary oversight of eurozone countries and tighter banking rules. Also up for discussion this week are Albania's EU membership prospects.

If you have always been interested in the European Parliament and have been wanting to visit it, now you will have the chance. As part of the Europe Day celebrations, the EU's only directly-elected institution will be opening its doors to the public in Brussels on Saturday 12 May and in Strasbourg on Sunday 20 May from 1000 to 1800 CET.

Parliament debated the achievements and above all the challenges facing the EU in the midst of the current crisis on the occasion of Europe Day on 9 May. This is in honour of a historic declaration by French minister Robert Schuman in 1950, which paved the way for the EU. In the debate led by president Martin Schulz, speakers agreed the Union and its common currency are being challenged like never before, with some asking for more Europe and others insisting on less austerity.

In the midst of electoral upheaval, Europe-wide austerity, increasing unemployment and challenges to people's standards of living, never have European issues seemed so close to home for so many people. Parliament's president Martin Schulz will outline his vision of the future of Europe on 9 May, so-called Europe Day. Political group leaders will also have their say when MEPs gather in plenary at 1500 CET on Wednesday.

MEPs have a busy agenda for the Brussels mini-plenary on 9-10 May, covering anything from roaming charges, airports, piracy to how to support the Arab Spring countries. They will vote on a deal to cut mobile roaming prices further, a resolution calling on the EU foreign policy high representative to secure the release of hostages being held by pirates as well as on a strategy to support the democratic transition in Arab Spring countries.

The EP plays an important role in ensuring other EU institutions behave in a democratic way, but how does it do that? Check out our website's updated supervisory powers section to find out more, for example how it exercises democratic control over the European Commission, including the power to approve and even dismiss the EU executive.