Members are divided up among 20 specialised standing committees.
These committees instruct legislative proposals through the adoption of reports, propose amendments to Plenary and appoint a negotiation team to conduct negotiations with the Council on EU legislation. They also adopt own-initiative reports, organise hearings with experts and scrutinise the other EU bodies and institutions.
A committee consists of between 25 and 73 full members and an equivalent number of substitutes.
Each committee elects a chair and up to four vice-chairs amongst its full members, forming together the 'committee bureau', for a two and a half year mandate. The political make-up of the committees reflects that of the plenary assembly.
Parliament can also set up sub-committees and special temporary committees to deal with specific issues, and is empowered to create committees of inquiry to investigate alleged contraventions or maladministration of EU law.
At conciliation stage, a specific Conciliation Committee is set up.
The parliamentary committees normally meet in Brussels, and their work is supported by a secretariat. Their debates are held in public and, in principle, webstreamed.
The committee chairs coordinate the work of the committees in the Conference of Committee Chairs.