PRESIDENT

The president oversees all the activities of Parliament and its bodies and has full powers to preside over Parliament’s deliberations and to ensure that they proceed smoothly. He opens, suspends and adjourns sessions; he hands over the floor to speakers and takes it back. He rules on the admissibility of amendments, on questions addressed to the Council and Commission and on the conformity of reports with the rules. He also addresses to committees the communications that come within their remit. However, the president may take the floor in a debate solely to present the state of play on the issue; if he wishes to participate in the debate, he must step down from his seat until the debate is closed. The president also represents Parliament in the international arena, during ceremonies and for administrative, judicial or financial acts.

VICE-PRESIDENTS

When the president is absent or if he wishes to participate in a debate, he is replaced by one of the vice-presidents, who takes on the president’s role, such as representing Parliament during ceremonies or specific acts.

BUREAU

The Bureau is composed of Parliament’s president and 14 vice-presidents. The quaestors are members of the Bureau in an advisory capacity. The Bureau settles financial, organisational and administrative matters concerning MEPs, Parliament’s internal organisation, its Secretariat and bodies and questions related to sessions. It adopts provisions concerning non-attached MEPs and directives for the quaestors. It also appoints the secretary-general, establishes Parliament’s preliminary draft estimates and establishes the organisation chart of the Secretariat and regulations on the administrative and pecuniary situation of civil servants and other EP agents. The Bureau is in charge of authorising committee meetings held outside the usual meeting places.

In case of a tie, the president has the casting vote. With every new election of Parliament, the outgoing Bureau remains in office until the first session of the newly elected Parliament.

CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS

The Conference of Presidents is made up of the chairs (or another member) of the political groups and has the task of building consensus on the matters submitted to it, either relations with the other European Union bodies and institutions or with national parliaments. It is also responsible for relations with third countries and with non-EU institutions or organisations.

The Conference of Presidents is in charge of organising a structured dialogue with European civil society on key issues. This competence may involve the organisation of public debates on subjects of general European interest open to participation by interested citizens. The Bureau appoints a vice-president responsible for implementing this dialogue who reports to the Conference of Presidents.

The Conference of Presidents is the body in charge of authorising own-initiative reports.

QUAESTORS

The quaestors are responsible for administrative and financial matters directly concerning MEPs, acting on directives issued by the Bureau.

OMBUDSMAN

The ombudsman informs Parliament of cases of maladministration that come to his attention. He presents a report to Parliament on his investigations at the end of each annual session. The relevant committee draws up a report that is presented to Parliament for deliberation. The ombudsman may also provide information to the relevant committee if requested to do so or may be heard by it on his own initiative.

COORDINATORS

The political groups may appoint one of their members as a coordinator. Referred to as committee coordinators, they may be convened by the EP committee chairs to prepare the committee’s decisions, particularly in connection with procedure and designation of the rapporteur. The coordinators may not take decisions concerning the adoption of reports, opinions or amendments. The coordinators may only act if they obtain a majority, considering the sizes of the different political groups, and consequently seek to build consensus.