The former Commission Vice President and the Spanish Commissioner for Relations with the EU Parliament, transport and energy from 1999-2004. She is the younger sister of the Spanish Foreign Minister A [..]

A B-point on the agenda is a point for discussion and maybe for decision at meetings of the Commission and the Council. An A-point is not for discussion. When the meeting is closed all A-points are re [..]

German town close to Belgium and the Netherlands. Capital of Charlemagne's empire in the 9th century. Charlemagne's tomb is located here. The name is associated with modern efforts for [..]

International agreement linking environmental and human rights. It was also signed by the EU and entered into force on 30 October 2001.     The convention allows citizens freedom of access to informat [..]

Every EU member state pays contributions to finance the EU. In 1984 Margaret Thatcher negotiated a special rebate for the UK. It is calculated annually. The reduction is technically called the abateme [..]

Former member of the European Parliament 1999-2004. He was a vice-chair of the EU Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee and a substitute member of the Convention on the Future of Europe. Elect [..]

Expulsion of a foetus from the womb before it is able to survive.  The EU has no formal competence to legislate on whether to allow or ban abortion. However, in September 1991, the European Court of J [..]

in the European Parliament Usually the European Parliament takes its decisions by a simple majority of those members taking part in a vote.  In many cases, for example in the ordinary legislative proc [..]

According to the Treaties, EU citizens have a right of access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. In May 2001, the EU adopted a regulation on public access to these.  On 9 Novemb [..]

In order to join the EU the would-be member state must submit an application for membership to the Council of the European Union, which will then ask the European Commission to assess the applicant&am [..]