The Impacts on the European Parliament of a Changing EU

The European Parliament has become much more powerful. Recent changes, however, are testing its new-found strength. The Eurozone crisis did require new EU laws but many of the new initiatives were non-legoslative and the EP had fewer formal powers. In all policy areas the volume of new co-decision legislation is only a fraction of what it was. The migration crisis, terrorism and foreign policy challenges on Europe's doorstep pose challenges in areas where the EP is less obviously powerful. Moreover, the EP is trying to influence the Brexit process, even before it is called upon to give its assent to the Article 50 divorce settlement, the longer-term EU-UK relationship and any transitional deal.

This paper assesses the EP's response to these challenges. It looks at the Parliament's enhanced involvement in the non-codecision aspects of the legislative cycle as well at how the EP is attempting to maximize its influence in other non-legislative matters, including its role on Eurozone and non-Eurozone matters. It also looks at how the Parliament is seeking to leverage its veto powers in the Brexit process Finally, the paper examines the the impact on the EP's Secretariat, on its internal organisation, the development of new research capacity, and its general search for greater professionalism. The days when the European Parliament.has been constantly gaining new powers are probably over, and a key new challenge for the EP and its Secretariat is how to make more skilful use of the formal and informal powers that it already has