You've heard about it, but what exactly does it do? Blink gives us the lowdown on the European Parliament and the work of its 754 MEPs from all over the EU.

A-Z: P for Parliament

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15907321/j002-0105-en_mf.srt

Commission, Parliament, Council -  what do they mean?

I must explain  or you'll never understand Europe.

To function, the EU relies  on several organisations,

The Commission  is like the EU government,

the Council of Ministers  represents the countries,

and the European Parliament  represents the citizens - you and me.

The Parliament represents  the interests of all Europeans.

Its 754 Members are directly elected  by the people.

Since 1979, European elections  have taken place

in the 27 Member States  every five years.

It's the only elected body to bring together  so many countries and languages.

The Parliament's seat  is in Strasbourg, France.

That's where all MEPs meet  once a month for plenary sessions.

Additional sessions are held in Brussels,

which is also where political groups  and thematic groups hold meetings.

so the EP has three bases,  and three main purposes:

to vote on the budget;  to control EU institutions and policies.

1. The Parliament forms the link  between the EU and the citizen.

In the Hemicycle, the 754 MEPs  discuss and adopt European laws.

Their decisions have an impact on our  daily lives - on the quality of what we eat,

on the balance between  security and our privacy,

or on the opening of our borders  to foreigners.

Eight out of ten laws adopted in the Member  States were first adopted by the EP.

But it shares the power to adopt laws  with the Council of Ministers,

which represents the EU countries  and their leaders.

2. The EP also votes on one part  of EU budget.

This role is also shared with the Council.

This allows it to influence EU policies.

3. The EP has a certain level of  political control over EU institutions.

Above all, it controls the Commission  which is like the EU government.

To take up their posts, Commissioners  must appear in a hearing before MEPs.

In case of fraud, for example,  they can throw the Commission out.

Since its birth  the Parliament has grown and grown.

It has gone from 78 MEPs in 1958  to 754 in 2012.

As the people's representative, it has  more influence over European decisions.

Today the EP doesn't only give its opinion,  it decides alongside the EU Council.