The 20 standing Committees (plus three sub-Committees), special Committees and Committees of inquiry of the European Parliament (EP).

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are assigned to the various Committees.

The Committees inform the EP's preparatory work on legislative proposals including via the adoption of reports, proposing amendments to plenary and appointing a negotiating team to conduct informal trialogue discussions with the Council of the EU. They can also adopt own-initiative reports, organise hearings with experts and scrutinise the other EU bodies, institutions and certain EU secondary legislation.

The Committees meet in Brussels throughout the year.

For further information, see Practice note, European Parliament: Parliamentary committees.