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MEPs under Lisbon Treaty  <<back  next>>  On 25 November the
European Parliament paved the way to taking on a further 18
members. However, they will not be allowed to vote or speak in
the plenary until EU governments agree and ratify a legal basis
for their full mandate.  The new MEPs will be allowed to speak
in committee meetings, but will not have the right to table
amendments, draft reports, vote or speak in the plenary
sessions. Their limited powers are a result of the legal
complications following the transition from EU's old rulebook to
the Lisbon Treaty, which will come into force on 1 December.
When the Lisbon Treaty was drafted, EU governments decided to
expand the legislature from 736 to 751 members. Elections for
the current European Parliament took place in June, however,
when the Lisbon Treaty's future was still uncertain following
its rejection by referendum in Ireland, so 736