initiative of Parliament has both good and bad points. The principal criticism is that lobbies could persuade Parliament to satisfy them before other citizens. On the other hand, legislative initiative is the best way for Parliament to defend itself against possible encroachments to its power. European Union The European Commission has a near monopoly for legislative initiative, whereas in many Parliamentary systems there is a mechanism whereby members of the parliament may introduce bills. This ranges from insignificant in the UK Parliament (see Private Members' Bills in the Parliament of the United Kingdom), through quite significant in the Israeli Knesset, to being the only way bills can be introduced in the US Congress. In most parliaments, the ability of members to introduce legislation is severely limited in practice. Under the Treaty of Maastricht enhanced by the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament has an indirect right of legislative initiative that allows it to ask the Commission to submit a proposal, though to reject the request the Commission only needs to "inform the European Parliament of the reasons". Member states also have an indirect right of legislative initiative concerning the Common Foreign and Security Policy. Over 80% of all proposals by the Commission were initially requested by other bodies. Some politicians, including Jean-Pierre Chevènement and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, feel that the Commission's monopoly on legislative initiative prevents the emergence or development of real democratic debate. Citizens also have legislative initiative in the EU by the procedure of a European Citizens' Initiative, in which at least a million signatures by EU citizens need to be obtained in at least a quarter of EU member states. Further reading Glossary of Legislative Terms {Act} at okhouse.gov Assemblée nationale - LA PROCÉDURE LÉGISLATIVE Speech by José Manuel BARROSO, President of the European Commission, At the inauguration of the Academic Year 2004-2005, College of Europe, Bruges, 23 November 2004 EUROPA - Glossary - Right of initiative See also Article One of the United States Constitution Constitution of the Republic of China Legislature References External links Report on the Legislative Initiative and Annex, Venice Commission (2008) Legislative legal terminology Statutory law