The European Parliament represents the citizens of the 27 member states in the European Union: about 454 million people.

The Parliament has 785 members, known as MEPs. Since 1979 they have been elected directly by voters across Europe every five years.

The most recent elections to the European Parliament were held in June 2004, a month after ten countries - mostly from the former Eastern Bloc - joined the EU.

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Members of the European Parliament sit in political groups, not national delegations. MEPs who do not sit in a political group are known as "non-attached" Members. There are currently seven political groups in the European Parliament.

British citizens are represented by 78 MEPs. The 28 UK Conservative MEPs sit in the Group of the European People's Party and European Democrats (EPP-ED), the 19 Labour MEPs are part of the Group of the Party of European Socialists (PES) and the 12 Liberal Democrats sit as part of the Group of the Alliance of European Liberal Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

And the 11 members of the UK Independence Party belong to the Independence/Democracy Group.

Members of the European Parliament spend one week each month in full session in Strasbourg. For two weeks each month committee meetings are scheduled: these take place in Brussels.

In many areas of European legislation, the Parliament now has powers of "co-decision" with the Council of Ministers, which represents the national governments of member states.

However, in some areas, including taxation and agricultural prices, the Parliament has only consultative powers.

The European Parliament is also responsible for scrutinising the work of the European Commission and approving the appointment of its President and the Commission as a whole.

The Commission initiates much European legislation and ensures that policies, once passed, are implemented. Its current President is former Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barosso.

Each member state appoints either one commissioner, but they are expected to act independently of national interests.

The commissioner currently appointed by the UK is the former MP for Hartlepool Peter Mandelson.

The Record: Europe is broadcast on BBC Parliament on Saturdays at 2300, Sundays at 1630 and Mondays at 1030 (all GMT) and also on BBC World and BBC News 24.