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'The European Parliament, far from maturing into a parliament that can discuss foreign policy, alternative economic strategies, relations with the US, or even the admission of new members, is stuck as a technocratic forum for harmonising arcane regulations' (New Statesman, February 2005). The detailed work of a European Parliament committee is no more technical or arcane than that of our House of Commons equivalents.
On the floor of the full Parliament, meanwhile, Messrs Buttiglione, Berlusconi and Barroso might well disagree that there is a lack of any proper political debate. During the 2005 UK Presidency, Messrs Blair, Straw and Clarke also experienced forthright debate in the European Parliament on the key issues of the day: future of the EU; Iraq; counter-terrorism strategies.
As for external EU policy, the European Parliament's Assent is required for the conclusion of any international agreements and, most importantly, for any enlargement of the EU to take in new Member States.
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