eu4journalists

National and regional EU info

4. EP information offices and the MEPs

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) can be a valuable source of region-specific information. They will value coverage in their regional media, and will usually be happy to talk to a reporter on the record.

The amount of legislative work passing through the Parliament means, however, that few MEPs will be aware of all the details of all proposals. The best chance of finding an MEP with a solid understanding of a particular subject is to find a member of the parliamentary committee which covers the proposal (see Contact Guide). It should be possible to locate a full or ‘alternate’ member of any committee representing a specific country, if not every region. Even when an issue has completed the committee stage and moves on to be debated by the full Parliament, not every MEP will have detailed knowledge of it.

The MEPs usually spend Fridays and weekends in their constituencies, and most have a permanent office with staff based in their home region. MEPs work in Brussels from Monday to Thursday, three weeks in the month, and in Strasbourg during the fourth week.

MEPs from your country

The Parliament also maintains offices, staffed by local officials, in member state capital cities as well as a couple of other major cities. These offices can be a useful source of information on subjects currently being discussed in the Parliament, and can also help you identify appropriate MEPs to interview.

European Parliament information offices