...Professional Training Year at THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Report submitted by Paul Preda Voicu URN: 6183487 In part fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of BSc (Honours) in International Hospitality and Tourism Management School of Hospitality and Tourism Management University of Surrey 2014 Table of Contents List of tables and figures 4 Acknowledgements 5 List of Abbreviations 6 Section A. Organisation evaluation 8 The Executive Summary 8 The Placement Overview 9 1. The Evaluation of the EP’s activities 10 1.1 The EP format 11 1.2 The History of the EP 11 1.3 Geographical Locations and Facilities 12 2. The People 16 2.1 Visions and Strategies 16 2.2 Institutional structure and management 16 2.2.1 External structure 16 2.2.2 Internal Structure 17 2.3 Management of the EP 21 2.3.1 EP’s Political management 21 2.3.2 EP’s Organisational management 22 2.3.3 EP’s Communication Management 23 2.4 Staffing, recruiting and training 24 2.4.1 Staffing 24 2.4.2 Recruiting 27 2.4.3 Training 27 3. The Numbers 27 3.1 Strict rules for efficient and transparent budget implementation 32 3.1.1 Separation of functions 32 3.1.2 Use of standard documents 32 3.2 Controls of the budgetary procedure 32 3.2.1 Internal controls 33 3.2.2 Internal audits 33 3.2.3 External controls 33 4. Evaluation and conclusion 34 4.1 SWOT analysis 34 4.2 Conclusions 35 Section B. Personal and professional development 36 ...
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...drive over the kerb. Unless used as a tool for farm or business, these dinosaurs should be banned or taxed off the roads on both sides of the Atlantic. The other main difference between transatlantic motorcars is the gearboxes. In Europe most cars are manuals, in the States not many people can drive manuals and 99% of cars are automatics. One point that threw me recently was renting a car with no handbrake, I don’t think any European cars are made with foot operated parking brakes, even automatics. Obviously manuals have to have a handbrake for hill starts when both feet would be occupied in operating the clutch and accellerator. As a side issue, on the global warming front, automatics are less efficient than manuals and use more fuel. When Drive is selected and the vehicle is stationary the engine is putting a finite ammount of thrust into the torque converter. This is held against the brake and dissipated as a heat loss, producing even more pollution. To European eyes the American religion scene is bizare, to say the least. In many European countries there is an official State religion and other religeons exist and are, in...
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...majority of the Chamber of Deputies. After a first ballot, an absolute majority shall be sufficient. The President's term is six years. He may not be re-elected until six years after the expiration of his last mandate. No one may be elected to the Presidency of the Republic unless he fulfills the conditions of eligibility for the Chamber of Deputies. It is also not possible to elect judges, Grade One civil servants, or their equivalents in all public institutions to the Presidency during their term or office or within two years following the date of their resignation and their effective cessation of service, or following retirement. Article 50 Upon assuming office, the President of the Republic shall take an oath of fidelity before the Parliament, to the Nation and the constitution, in the following terms: "I swear by Almighty God to observe the Constitution and the laws of the Lebanese Nation and to maintain the independence of Lebanon and its territorial integrity." Article 51 (As amended by the Constitutional Law of October 17, 1927 And by the constitutional law of September 21, 1990) The President of the Republic shall promulgate the laws...
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...is Scottish legislation. When Scotland became the part of the United Kingdom it lost the power to make the law without approval of Westminster parliament under special conditions. As a part of the United kingdom Scotland has a right to make the law under only certain legislations. Scottish parliament has power over matters such as: agriculture, forestry and fisheries, education and training, environment, health and social services, housing, law and order (most commonly within Scotland only), local government, sports and arts, tourism and economic development, transport. The other matters are reserved for the Westminster parliament. The law in Scotland is coming from three sources the first source is UE law which have the highest priority, the second source is the UK law (passed by the UK Parliament – Westminster) which has a lower priority than UE law but higher priority than the last third source which is Scottish Legislation passed by Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood). Example of Scottish legislation: The Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011 (Commencement No.2) Order 2012 Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 The second source of legislation of Scots law is Westminster Parliament which has a more power to make the law than Scottish parliament also any law made by Scottish parliament can be voided by Westminster parliament under special conditions which means if the Scottish legislation is against or in conflict with the UK law than the Scottish legislation would...
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...The Treaty of Lisbon: An Analysis After more than 50 years of European integration, the Treaty of Lisbon is a new step forward but also a deeply contested concept. This essay begins with an overview of how the new Treaty came about and why it was seen as necessary, followed by an analysis of its new developments structured into four parts. Firstly, it considers how the LT is supposed to increase the EU’s effectiveness through more qualified majority voting, the co-decision procedure and through institutional changes including the creation of new leadingpositions.Secondly,democraticvaluesaremoreclearlydefinedandrolesof theEuropeanand national parliaments are reinforced. Thirdly, the LT has attempted to improve citizen’s rights, for example by the new citizens’ initiatives, as well as by making the Charter of Fundamental Rights legally binding. Fourthly, the LT has introduced several political changes, including more cooperation on the common foreign and security policy and how to combat external threats as a global actor with a single voice. Moreover, this essay considers how the LT differs from the Constitutional Treaty, arguing that although no longer a formal constitution, it does maintain constitutional elements. It then looks at some specific issues; in particular, whether legitimacy, transparency and accountability have been improved, and takes the view that while this is the case to some extent, there remains much room to f urther improve. Finally, it also f ocuses on the...
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...Europe. 4 3. The need for a United Europe. 4 4. Which Europe? 5 IV. The European Political Community. 5 5. More info 5 V. The main theories about European construction 5 6. European Economic Community (EEC) 1958-1985 6 7. The customs union 6 8. Policy coordination & harmonization 6 9. Common policies: 3 areas. 6 10. Permanent, single institutions are created 7 11. European social policy & investments 7 12. Surveillance of EU policies 7 13. Stagnation and euro-pessimism (1973-1985) 7 14. European leaders stop using The Luxembourg compromise. 7 15. What does it show? 7 16. Single European act 8 VI. Furthering European integration 8 17. Customs union without harmonization of norms & standards 8 VII. Maastricht treaty 8 VIII. The EU 4 freedoms 9 18. Free movement of goods 9 19. Free movement of persons 9 IX. Theory and practice of integration 10 20. Political view and gradual political process 10 21. international political developments push Europeans to reinforce cooperation 10 X. The different stages of economic union 12 XI. Treaty of Nice 12 XII. The council of European Union 12 22. Responsibilities 13 XIII. European parliament 13 XIV. Council of Europe 13 XV. Decision making in the EU 18 XVII. Bibliography 19 European union The main facts about the UE and its citizen What is the European Union? Unique and most-advanced economic and political integration in the world...
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...European Union The European Union is a multinational government body that is changing the traditional role of the nation state and sovereignty in Europe. This Union was formed willingly by states with similar goals and is unique in its idea and design to the European continent. Although The EU (European Union) is strengthening Europe economically and politically have surrendered considerable amounts of their national sovereignty. The citizens of such a state have the ability to choose a form of government without foreign interference. A sovereign state and its government are also able to set and conduct domestic and economic policy free from external intervention. These qualities are the main factors that define a sovereign state and its capabilities. The European states, forfeited some of these aspects of authority with the goal of creating a stronger more unified Europe. These countries have established a government consisting of several bodies. The European Parliament, the Council Of The European Union, and The European Commission make up the governing forces behind the Union. In addition to these bodies are the European Court of Justice and the Central Bank of Europe. Each state delegates certain amounts of power to the EU central government and thereby surrenders a portion of its sovereignty. As states, they have accepted to open their borders completely to travel and trade coming from within the Union. These are just some of the ways in which these countries have...
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...Presidential System? OBJECTIVES * To point out the good sides of the Parliamentary system. * To discuss the process of legislation of the Parliamentary Government. * To tackle the important topic about Parliamentary system. * To form a good information to the readers about the essence of Parliamentary system. SIGNIFICANCE * This term paper gives information to the reader about the system of Parliamentary Government. * This paper will benefit the ones who search information about the essence of Parliamentary system. III. Introduction Parliament, (from Old French: parlement; Latin: parliamentum) the original legislative assembly of England, Scotland, or Ireland and successively of Great Britain and the United Kingdom; legislatures in some countries that were once British colonies are also known as parliaments. The British Parliament, often referred to as the “Mother of Parliaments,” consists of the sovereign, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. Originally meaning a talk, the word was used in the 13th century to describe after-dinner discussions between monks in their cloisters. In 1239 the English Benedictine monk Matthew Paris of the Abbey of St. Albans applied the term to a council meeting between prelates, earls, and...
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...wing political party founded in1993 with overall objective from the United Kingdom to leave the European Union and for UKIP to create a right-wing Britain. UKIP is a minority party in British politics with only one seat in the House of Commons and three seats in the House of Lords History UKIP was created in 1993 by Alan Sked and other members of the cross-party Anti-Federalist League (The Anti-Federalist League being a small cross-party organisation in Britain, formed in 1991 to campaign against the Maastricht Treaty). Alan Sked was then leader from 1993-1997 doing little to move UKIP into mainstream politics mainly due to UKIP being overshadowed by the bigger Referendum Party. Alan Sked then left in 1997 due to the growing influence of radical, far-right opinion in the party's ranks and the idea of taking up MEP places at European Parliament if seats should be won there, instead of focusing on trying to get UKIP seats at Westminster. UKIP slowly gained ground after the resignation of Alan Sked under Michael Holmes (UKIP leader from 1997-2000) and Roger Knapman (UKIP leader from 2002-2006) with Michael Holmes causing UKIP to gain three seats and 7% of the vote in the 1999 European Parliamentary elections. This also helped by the leader of the Referendum Party dying and therefore it being disbanded. Roger Knapman caused UKIP came third with 12 MEPs being elected in the 2004 European Parliamentary elections. In the London Assembly elections the same year, UKIP won two London Assembly...
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...Pakistan has been awarded the status of GSP Plus recently till 2017. 406 members of the European Parliament voted in favor of Pakistan whereas 186 voted against. It is expected that with this status, Pakistan can increase its exports by $2 billion. The status will allow 20% of Pakistani products to enter EU with zero tariff whereas, 70% will be exported on preferential rates. Recent statistics show that Pakistan’s GDP has increased from 3.6% to 5.1% which maybe an indicator of country’s direction. GSP Plus will help Pakistani textile manufacturers to compete with the regional players like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka which already have duty-free access to EU. Most of the textile products will enjoy this concession in tariff. It is projected that the textile industry will earn profit of 1 trillion rupees per year. The current exports to EU of $9.5 billion are more than half of the total exports (of $13.1 billion) to European Union. According to Chairman APTMA Punjab, Pakistan’s textile exports will rise from $13 billion to $26 billion in next five years. Recently, Germany has increased the textile orders by 30% and it is expected that Pakistan will be able to attract famous German brands like PUMA, ADIDAS, Marc O’Polo, HUGO Boss, and Tom Tailor towards Pakistan as their sourcing destination. Although, it is very clear that this status will surely help Pakistan stabilize her economy but let’s peek through the reality window. Can Pakistan really take benefit from this status...
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...us. Let’s start with two factors having huge social impact on Bulgaria - the 500-year-rule of the Ottoman Empire and the communist regime. Almost 600 years of our late history the common Bulgarian citizens spent in obeying to the established rule and living with the decisions someone else made for them. For hundreds of years our will, individuality and creativity was surprised by the Ottoman empire and less than a hundred years after this rule ended – we adopted another one – the communist. The constant presence of foreign political pressure and the disappointment from the Bulgarian government made the Bulgarian skeptical and reserved towards the State. The low standard of life in Bulgaria compared to the one in the rest of the European countries...
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...House!of!Representatives! Parliament)–!Consists!of!a!group!of!elected!representatives!and!a!person!who!represents!the!Queens.!In!the!federal!parliament!that!person!is!the! Governor>General.!Parliaments!make!the!laws!for!a!country/state! Crown)–!The!monarch!is!represented!by!a!governor/governor>general.!Refers!to!the!position,!power,!or!dominion!of!a!monarch.!The!monarch!as! Head!of!State! Separation)of)Powers)–!The!three!branches!of!power!(executive,!legislative!and!judicial)! Federal)System)–!The!power!to!govern!is!divided!by!the!Commonwealth!and!states.! Bicameral)–!A!bicameral!parliament!consists!of!two!chambers!or!houses! Minister)–!A!minister!is!both!a!member!of!parliament!and!a!member!of!the!executive.!This!means!a!minister!is!usually!in!charge!of!a!government! department!that!is!responsible!for!enacting!the!law! ! Australian Parliamentary System Under!the!Australian!federal!system!of!government,!the!country!is!divided!into!states!and!territories!each!with!its!own!parliament!–!making!a!total!of!9! parliaments.! • Commonwealth,)6)States,)2)Territories! They! are! elected! by! the! people! and! represent! the! needs! of! the! people.! Members! are! also! responsible! to! the! parliament! and! the! people! for! their! actions.!The)APS)is)based)on)the)Westminster)system)that)was)adopted)by)the)Commonwealth)constitution)in)1900,)as)originally)Australia)and)its) states) were) British) Colonies.! The! Commonwealth! and! State! Parliaments! operate! on! a! bicameral...
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...Soldier Magazines 1. The Economist 2. The Spectator 3. The Week Website 1. 10 Downing Street www.number10.gov.uk 2. Direct Gov – public services all in one place www.direct.gov.uk 3. Euro information from the Treasury www.euro.gov.uk 4. HM Treasury www.hm-treasury.gov.uk 5. Home Office www.homeoffice.gov.uk 6. Home Office – Working in the UK www.workingintheuk.gov.uk 7. Information for local government from central government www.info4local.gov.uk 8. Information on policies and standards for e-government www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/govtalk.aspx 9. Independent software development and consultancy firm (provides links to central and local government websites) www.tagish.co.uk/links 10. UK Parliament www.parliament.uk If you are working towards a pass you must attempt all the pass criteria | If you are working towards a merit you must attempt all the pass and merit criteria | If you are working towards a distinction you must attempt all the pass, merit and distinction criteria | Part | Grading Criteria | Completed? | a) outline the responsibilities...
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...Institutions of European Union Introduction The European Union is a unique economic and political partnership between 28 European countries that together cover much of the continent, created in the aftermath of the Second World War. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), formed by the inner six countries in 1951 and 1958, respectively. Through successive enlargements, the Union has grown from the six founding states—Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands—to the current 28. It took around 60 years from the Treaty of Brussels, 1948, to the Treaty of Lisbon, 2009, to get its final form. In 1993, under Maastricht Treaty the name European Economic Community was changed to European Union, which reflects the evolution of an economic union to an organization standardizing system of law to maintain common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. Human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights: these are the core values of the EU. During the formation and development of European Union the number, structure, cross-link and interdependency of institutions and other bodies increased (Figure 1). In our work we will explain the history and development of political and legal institutions of European Union. Figure 1, Power structure of main political and legal institutions of European Union . European Parliament ...
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...BTEC PUBLIC SERVICES ASSESSMENT 2 Understanding the Democratic Election process in the UK Introduction: What is UK Election? A formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a political office or other position in UK is called Election. According to fixed term parliament act on 15th September, 2011 the next election will be held on 7th of May 2015.The act provides for general elections to be held on the first Thursday in May every five years. There are two provisions that trigger an election other than at five year intervals. A motion of no confidence is passed in Her Majesty's Government by a simple majority and 14 days elapses without the House passing a confidence motion in any new Government formed A motion for a general election is agreed by two thirds of the total number of seats in the Commons including vacant seats (currently 434 out of 650) Previous to this act, the duration of a Parliament was set at five years, although many were dissolved before that, at the request of the Prime Minister to the Queen. ●text: http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/elections-and-voting/general/ Importance of Election Education: Instructors, counsellors and others who work with young people play an important role in Educating new and future voters about the electoral process. For this reason it is important that those who work with youth do what they can to educate youth about the democratic process. In the 2005 British Columbia general election, only 35% of eligible...
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