But not just treaty changes
These changes to the EU ’ s de facto constitution ( the treaties ) were not the only way in which Parliament enhanced its role . Indeed , sometimes treaty changes codified practices developed previously by other means .
On the legislative side , immediately after the first elections , Parliament was presented with an opportunity to strengthen its position within the treaties as they then stood . The 1980 isoglucose judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Communities ( Cases 138 and 139 / 79 ) struck down legislation because the Council had adopted it before Parliament had given its opinion . This ruling confirmed that Parliament ’ s mastery of its own timetable ( something that many national parliaments do not have ) means that it has a de facto delaying power . It therefore changed its internal rules of procedure , so that it could prepare amendments to legislative proposals but delay the formal adoption of its opinion as a whole until it received assurances about whether its amendments would be approved . Clearly , Parliament ’ s bargaining position was stronger when there was pressure for a rapid decision than when there wasn ’ t , but it was a start . It helped to get the Council used to the need to negotiate with Parliament .
On the appointment of the Commission , Parliament unilaterally started holding debates and taking a vote on an incoming Commission , starting with the Thorn Commission in 1981 . The Member States recognised and accepted this practice in their Solemn Declaration on European Union ( at the European Council in Stuttgart in 1983 ), in which they also agreed to consult Parliament ’ s Bureau on the choice of Commission President . In 1985 , the incoming Delors Commission waited for Parliament ’ s vote of confidence before ta-
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