The European Parliament has real power, as one of the two pillars of decision making on EU laws (the other being elected governments). Yes, the European Commission proposes laws, but it is the parliament and EU governments who decide what happens (despite what you may hear in the media or from certain politicians).
Do EU laws matter? Can the parliament make a difference? Yes in both cases.
- If you care about climate change (and everyone should), EU laws are vital for ensuring that we invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency. They are also helping make our products more energy efficient, saving money, emissions and generating innovation around the world.
- If you care about waste, it’s the European Parliament that pushed through a 50% recycling target (which has meant that the coalition Government has had to continue backing recycling) – and the next parliament is likely to be voting on higher recycling targets, with a proposal due from the Commission later this year
- If you care about nature, it’s EU laws that protect many of our best nature reserves – while EU laws also control what pesticides can be used & EU funding pays farmers for good & (unfortunately) bad practice.
Convinced? Make sure you vote on 22nd May.
But it’s not just about you – how about telling your friends and family why the EU Parliament elections are important – and why they should vote!
If you want (a little bit) more info, here's a simple two page briefing "The European Parliament - What's the point?".
Who should you vote for?
That's up to you - if you care about climate change, there's a handy summary here of how different UK MEPs have been voting & what's in their manifestos.
