How do their roles and powers compare? EuroparlTV followed representatives from each side of the pond.

Back to back: Parliament in Strasbourg, Congress in Washington

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/11987349/m003-0304-enx.srt

Much is said about the special relationship  between the US and Europe,

the Transatlantic Partnership  to beat all others.

The legislatures of both sides  are a crucial part of the equation.

The European Parliament here, the two  Houses of Congress in Washington.

Reporter skims across the pond  to compare and contrast.

Two politicians walk us through  some of the complexities

Erik Paulsen, Republican from Minnesota,  a Congressman for 7 years;

Bernd Lange,  Socialists and Democrats, from Germany

and historian Vincent Morelli  from the Congressional Research Service.

I wouldn't say there were significant  power differences between the two,

both are unique institutions  with their own strengths and weaknesses.

But subtle differences separate what  each legislature can actually do and initiate.

Congress rose out of the ashes  of the War of Independence in the 1770s.

Today, its two Chambers - the House  of Representatives, 435 members,

and the Senate, 100 members -  both are dominated by the Republican party

making it problematic  for Democrat President Barack Obama

The European Parliament  is a single Chamber

that rose from the ashes of World War II.

It has seven main political groups  from the EU's 28 Member States.

It's dominated by the centre-right,  the centre and the centre-left.

Congress: the federal budget,  foreign policy, tax collection,

senior appointments and the removal  of the President by impeachment.

The European Parliament has  co-decision and blocking powers

over the budget, election of the Commission  and some supervisory powers.

It can't initiate legislation or raise taxes,  on foreign relations it can only advise.

Every member of Congress on any given  day can introduce a piece of legislation,

whereas in the EP you wait for the  Commission for the big pieces of legislation.

the Transatlantic Trade  and Investment Partnership

being negotiated by the European  Commission and the US.

Parliament is not directly involved  in the negotiations.

Nonetheless, today finds  its International Trade Committee head,

Now we are going to the Hill,  and we will meet some Congressmen

and give them a clear signal that we expect  a more ambitious position from the US side.

And this advice to EU negotiators:  -Take our points on board.

otherwise it will be problematic to get  an agreement through the Parliament.

The times when trade agreements were  negotiated behind closed doors are over.

Onto Capitol Hill,  and a meeting with Erik Paulsen,

a Republican representative  deeply involved in TTIP

and very aware of the machinery  and powers

- sometimes the lack of them -  of the European Parliament.

Parliament plays a role  reflecting public opinion,

making sure the Commission is on track  to follow certain negotiating guidelines,

so we want to ensure a full conversation  about what those guidelines should be.

We do the same in Congress as we advise  our President in those negotiations,

and our trade ambassador,  and we think that'll bring better results.

Mr Paulsen is also aware  that key trade agreements

have been rejected by Parliament before,

like ACTA,  the anti-counterfeiting trade agreement,

signed by several major economies,  but rejected by the EU

after MEPs felt  it eroded the rights of citizens.

They aim to ensure they respond  to what their constituencies find important.

And I think the system is  a little similar to the US,

as the parliamentarians are ultimately trying  to give guidance to the Commissioner.

A new trade agreement with Europe will  level the playing field for US companies.

They do things differently in the States,  no doubt about that.

But they see more similarities  than differences with the EU

in the implementation of democracy.  And that's important.

It brings the Houses closer,  gets them listening to each other.

The European negotiations  are going to have more support

because these are  our best friends, our best allies,

our values are the same.  Stronger bipartisan support...

So I think excitement will build  about these negotiations

as time goes on, knowing full well  it'll still take up to a year or thereabouts

What next in the evolution of  the European Parliament's powers?

The 2009 Lisbon Treaty  handed more of them to it,

making the Commission and  European Council less obscure bodies

managing legislation affecting 500 million  citizens from behind closed doors.

But any new powers  would have to be made by a new EU treaty

Foreign and security policy hasn't been  made an EU competence yet,

But there are a couple of policy areas  which aren't fully developed yet.

But on the whole the Lisbon Treaty greatly  increased the powers of the Parliament,

In the case of ACTA, a really big wake-up  call was sounded to the Commission.

Nevertheless, a tension  and a division of power remains.

Much still resides  in the hands of Member States

individually and collectively  acting through the European Council.

Until 2009, the prevalent opinion in the  Commission and in many Member States

was that international agreements were to  be negotiated without the Parliament's say.

I think nowadays  trade agreements and other agreements

must be negotiated in the presence  of parliamentarians.

power is a fluctuating thing, never still.

It diminishes and increases through epochs  as much in the United States as in Europe.

And right now, here, say MEPs,  it's changing gradually to their advantage.

Back to back: Parliament in Strasbourg, Congress in Washington

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