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Who Decides What in Wales 3 - at the European Level

European Union
From just six member states when it began in 1958 to its current twenty seven, the EU has grown tremendously both geographically and in its influence over its Members States. From what was an economic trading block, the European Union has become a powerful political entity that influences a wide range of economic, cultural, agricultural, immigration and employment fields.

There are however significant policy areas, such as health and social care, where the EU hardly influences member states at all.

Two key policy fields in which the EU has been particularly active and exercise significant authority are agriculture and the free movement of goods, services and people within the EU.

The main institutions of the EU are the Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers), the European Commission, and the European Parliament. Without question, the most important of these is the Council of Ministers, which makes most the key EU decisions. The Council is made up of representatives from Member States’ governments.

The European Parliament has 626 members, including four from Wales. As of June 2009, Wales has one Labour MEP, one Conservative MEP, one Plaid Cymru MEP and one UKIP MEP.

Links and contact details

Name: BBC – Politics News
Web: news.bbc.co.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info: BBC – Politics News

Name: BBC Wales – Politics News
Web: news.bbc.co.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info: BBC – Politics News

Name: National Assembly for Wales – list of Assembly Members (AMs)
Web: www.assemblywales.org
Email:
Tel:
Info: National Assembly for Wales – list of all Assembly Members (AMs) and their contact details. We all have five local AMs – one is out local constituency AMs and four are ‘regional’ AMs – covering a wider part of Wales. You can contact any or all of them.

Name: Westminster Parliament – list of Members of Parliament (MPs)
Web: www.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/index.cfm
Email:
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Info: Government website listing all MPs by name and by constituency

Name: DirectGov – contact details for all Welsh councils
Web: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/DG_065241
Email:
Tel:
Info: DirectGov – contact details for all Welsh councils and their websites. Your local council can provide details of all of your local councillors.

Name: European Parliament UK Office website – list of all UK MEPs
Web: www.europarl.org.uk/section/your-meps/your-meps
Email:
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Info: European Parliament UK Office website – list of all UK MEPs with contact details.

Name: National Assembly for Wales
Web: www.assemblywales.org
Email:
Tel: 0845 010 5500
Textphone: 0845 010 5678
Info: The National Assembly for Wales is the democratically elected body that represents the interests of Wales and its people, makes laws for Wales and holds the Welsh government to account.

Name: Welsh Assembly Government
Web: www.wales.gov.uk
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Info: The Welsh Assembly Government is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Wales, including the economy, health, education, and local government.

Name: Westminster Parliament
Web: www.parliament.uk
Email:
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Info: The official website for the UK House of Parliament.

Name: The Prime Minister’s office (UK)
Web: www.number10.gov.uk
Email:
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Info: The official website for the Prime Minister’s office.

Name: European Parliament UK Office website
Web: www.europarl.org.uk
Email:
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Info:

Name: Europa – the European Union’s portal web site
Web: europa.eu
Email:
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Info: EUROPA is the European Union’s portal web site. It provides all the information made available on the Internet by the institutions and bodies of the European UnioEUROPA is administered by the European Commission in partnership with the other European institutions.

Name: The Labour Party
Web: www.labour.org.uk
Email:
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Info:

Name: Plaid Cymru
Web: www.plaidcymru.org
Email:
Tel:
Info:

Name: The Conservative Party
Web: www.conservatives.com
Email:
Tel:
Info:

Name: The Liberal Democrats
Web: www.libdems.org.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info:

Name: The Green Party
Web: www.greenparty.org.uk
Email:
Tel:
Info:

Name: UK Independence Party
Web: www.ukip.org
Email:
Tel:
Info:

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