Apathy undermines national parliaments' EU power

The EU's national parliaments have a long way to go before they can act as a joint power bloc in Brussels, fresh European Commission figures show.

Data provided to EUobserver by commission officials suggest that national parliaments have to become much more active if they want to make use of provisions in the EU's new Reform Treaty, which gives national parliamentarians a greater say on new EU laws.

The treaty, agreed by EU leaders last month and meant to come into force in 2009...