Failure to adhere to this requirement may render the measure taken as invalid.8 The European Court of Justice points out that it is important for the EP to give its opinion in relation to an adoption of legislation.9 Despite having all of these legislative powers, it is more useful to examine these powers in relation to the powers exercised by other institutions responsible in the law-making process in the EU, namely the European Commission and the Council.
Does the Commission have too much power in the EU legislative process?.
OLP can be perceived as a stage that allows for interactions between all of the decision-making bodies in EU. The EP and the Council both have the power to approve or adopt a proposal put forward by the Commission. .
OLP presents the Commission with opportunity to exercise its power to act as a policy-making body, along with the exclusive power of initiating legislation.10 A law-making process with such design effectively put a certain limit to the legislative powers of both the EP and the Council, as they could only exercise their powers in response to the Commission's proposal. .
The EP's power is limited in terms of initiation of legislation. In comparison to a State Parliament, the EP's legislative power is relatively limited. The EP does not have the power to initiate, develop and pass a law in accordance to its own proposals. However, the EP have the right to request the Commission to submit a proposal to address specific issues that the EP thinks are of considerable importance in implementing the Treaties.11 On top of that, this right extends so far as to put an obligation to the Commission to provide reasons to the EP should they decided to reject the proposal.12 Therefore, although the EP does not possess such traditional active legislative powers enjoyed by State Parliaments, it still has some notable powers to influence a proposal of new laws. .
The role played the Commission in the legislative process is not only limited to the initiation of legislation.
