The European Parliament
It is the citizens in the member states who have elected the 720 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in general elections. The task of the MEPs is to represent the people’s interests when the European Parliament adopts new legislation together with the Council of the European Union. The European Parliament also takes decisions on the EU budget and oversees and approves the European Commission. In total, 21 MEPs come from Sweden.
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Committees are responsible for different policy areas

As in the national parliaments such as the Riksdag in Sweden, the MEPs work in various committees which are responsible for different subject areas. In the European Parliament, there are 20 standing committees and three sub-committees, each responsible for specific subject areas, for example, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Committee on Fisheries. The Parliament can establish temporary committees if necessary, such as the Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The European Parliament's committees on the European Parliament website

The committees examine proposals for new EU legislation

The committees play a central role in the work of the European Parliament. When a legislative proposal from the European Commission is presented to the European Parliament, it is referred to the committee responsible for the subject area in question. If, for example, the proposal concerns the environment, it is considered by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.

The committee that receives a legislative proposal on its table appoints a rapporteur from among its members. The rapporteur then has overall responsibility for the committee's work with the legislative proposal. The task of the rapporteur is to read up on the matter and to prepare a report, that is, a proposal as to how the European Parliament should decide on the legislative proposal. The rapporteur also negotiates with the Council of the European Union regarding the formulation of the law.

Decision in the European Parliament

After a legislative proposal has been considered by a committee, it is time for a debate and decision in the European Parliament. During such a meeting in plenary, that is, with all the members of the European Parliament, the rapporteur first presents the committee's proposed position on the matter. A debate is then held among the members, and finally the vote is held. The European Parliament's decisions are taken with the support of a majority of the members participating in the vote, unless otherwise stated in the EU treaties, that is the rules determining how the EU should work. In some cases, more stringent rules are required for decision-making. If both alternatives in a vote receive an equal number of votes, the matter is referred back to the committee which reworks the matter before a new vote can be held. Decisions in the European Parliament are often referred to as resolutions or legislative resolutions.

How an EU law is made – How does the EU make decisions

The work is led by the President

The work of the European Parliament is led by a President, who also represents the Parliament in various meetings. At summits in the European Council, the President of the European Parliament always holds an opening speech to the EU heads of state and government. The President is elected by the Parliament for a period of 2 1/2 years, corresponding to half a term of office. The current President is the Maltese Roberta Metsola from the party the EPP. She holds the position of President since the European elections 2024.

Swedish MEPs in political groups and committees

In the European Parliament, 21 of the 720 MEPs are from Sweden. They represent eight Swedish political parties. The Swedish MEPs belong to different political groups in the European Parliament. Most of the European Parliament's committees have Swedish members.

Different Swedish parties can be part of the same political group

The 21 Swedish MEPs all belong to one of the eight Swedish political parties represented in the European Parliament during the 2024–2029 term of office. At the same time, the parties are all part of one of the European Parliament's political groups. Different political parties can be part of the same political group in the European Parliament. Swedish MEPs from the Moderate Party and the Christian Democrats are part of the same political group and MEPs from the Centre Party are in the same political group as MEPs from the Liberal Party.

All MEPs on the European Parliament website

Each of the Swedish MEPs are also members of two or more of the European Parliament's committees, as ordinary members or substitutes. There are MEPs from Sweden in most of the committees.

The committees on the European Parliament website