European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
historical note
A stepping stone towards gender equality: the Ad Hoc Committee on Women’s Rights 1979-1981
Written by Claudia Touceira The European Parliament has a long history of interest and involvement in women’s rights and gender equality. As early as 1957, the Treaty of Rome included the principle of equal pay for male and female workers (Art. 119 : Each Member State shall during the first stage ensure and subsequently maintain the … Continue reading
Visits to the European Parliament by spiritual leaders
Written by Claudia Touceira Da Silva See also the related publication: Les relations entre le Saint-Siège et les institutions européennes : un dialogue ouvert When visiting the Vatican in October 2013, European Parliament President Martin Schulz invited His Holiness Pope Francis to address Members during a formal sitting in Strasbourg on 25 November 2014. According to … Continue reading
From Santer to Barroso: how strongly EP supported them?
Written by Alexandra Devantier and Kristina Svobodova The new Juncker Commission has now been approved by the European Parliament and will start its term of office on 1 November 2014. In the European Parliament’s vote on Wednesday 23 October, the incoming Commission gained 423 votes in favour, 209 against, while 67 MEPs abstained. But do … Continue reading
From Hallstein to Prodi – Statements of Presidents of the European Commission before the European Parliament
Since the early days of the European Communities, it has always been the tradition for each new President of the Commission, on taking office, to deliver a general policy statement before the European Parliament.The Historical Archives Unit has gathered together these statements by Commission Presidents, from Walter Hallstein, President of the first Commission of the … Continue reading
The first hemicycle of the European Parliament
During its first years of activity, the European Parliament held its plenary sittings in different locations, made available by other Institutions or by the hosting countries. It was only in 1973, with the construction of the Schuman building in Luxembourg, that the European Parliament decided to equip its premises with a hemicycle for its meetings. … Continue reading
Blue and 12 stars. The European Flag
Can you imagine the European Union having another flag and not the current one showing a circle of 12 golden stars against a blue background? It seems that in the 1960’s a lot of people actually imagined the emblem of the Communities in many other ways. In the ’60s The European institutions needed to be … Continue reading
Les archives historiques du Président Plumb
Les Archives historiques du Parlement européen vous permettent de découvrir les documents issus de l’activité des Cabinets des Présidents depuis 1979 et Secrétaires généraux depuis 1952. Nous souhaitons vous présenter dans cet article le fonds d’archives du Cabinet Plumb. Lord Henry PLUMB a été élu député dans le cadre des premières élections directes en 1979 … Continue reading
L’élection de Simone Veil
Simone Veil et les 1ères élections directes du PE En juin 1979 pour la première fois les citoyens des neuf pays membres élisent au suffrage universel direct leurs députés européens. Le scrutin de liste nationale “à la proportionnelle” adopté en France est propice à l’intégration des femmes sur les listes proposées par les partis. Le … Continue reading
Direct European Elections : The history of the right to vote
With this 8th edition of the European elections in 2014, European Union citizens will once more have the opportunity to vote for their representatives in the European Parliament. The first EP elections took place in 1979, but the discussion on the importance of active participation of citizens of the Member States already began in the … Continue reading
Spinelli’s legacy: the federal path
6 language versions available in PDF format Das Vermächtnis von Altiero Spinelli: der Weg zu einem föderalen System El legado de Spinelli: la vía federal L’héritage d’Altiero Spinelli: la voie du fédéralisme Il lascito di Spinelli: la via del federalismo Spuścizna po Spinellim: federalizm Spinelli’s legacy: the federal path The 1984 Draft Treaty establishing the … Continue reading
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