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Elections are held every five years, and every EU citizen is entitled to vote, and to stand as a
candidate, wherever they live in the EU.
Parliament thus expresses the democratic will of the Union's citizens (more than 490 million people), and
represents their interests in discussions with the other EU institutions. The present parliament has 785
members from all 27 EU countries. Nearly one third of them are women. In principle, the number of
Members of the European Parliament shall not exceed 736 from the next parliamentary term on (i.e. 2009 –
2014). Since Bulgaria and Romania joined the Union in the course of the 2004-2009 parliamentary term, the
current maximum number of 732 seats in the EP will be temporarily exceeded.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) do not sit in national blocks, but in seven Europe-wide
political groups. Between them, they represent all views on European integration, from the strongly
profederalist to the openly Eurosceptic.

Task 9. Match the words on the left with their definitions on the right. Use them in the sentences of
your own.

1. to promote a) provide or give (a service, help, etc.)
2. to nominate b) document giving permission or authority
3. quorum c) propose or formally enter as a candidate
for election or for an honour or award
4. to render d) support or actively encourage (a cause,
venture, etc.); further the progress of
5. authorization e) a minimum number of members in an
assembly, society, board of directors

Task 10. Topics for discussion.
1. Choose one specialized agency of the UNO and prepare a report
on it
2. Discuss the role of World Trade Organization in the form of the dialogue.
3. Touch upon the history of EU.
4. Discuss the tasks of EU.
5. Describe the main bodies and functions of the European Parliament

Supplementary tasks

Task 1. Read and translate the text.
International Organizations – the UN specialized Agencies
There are some specialized agencies of the UN. They are characterized by the following features.
They are intergovernmental, independent, autonomous organizations, which exist at the cost of Member
states.
The specialized agencies are divided into 5 main groups.
1). Financial group: International Monetary Fund (IMF); International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD); International Finance Corporation (IFC); International Development Association
(IDA); Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD).
2). Economic group: Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO); the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO).
3). Technical group: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); International
Telecommunication Union (ITU); World Meteorological Organization (WMO); Universal Postal Union
(UPU).
4). Social Group: International Labour Organization (ILO); World Health Organization (WHO).
5). Humanitarian group: the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO); World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Task 2. Find in the text English equivalents to the following words.
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