European elections 2009
The 2009 European Parliament elections were held on 4 June. You can find out who your Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is on the UK Office of the European Parliament's website.
In the run up to election day the RCN used its manifesto to lobby MEP candidates across the UK to champion nursing concerns should they win a seat.
RCN members played an active part by contacting their regional candidates via this website, outlining our five priorities and calling for action. We've also held and joined in hustings as well as hosting a fringe event at Congress which saw candidates from the four main parties take part in a question time session.
MEPs have significant decision making powers which can benefit patients and RCN members. They have influence over nurses' working hours and entitlement to compensatory rest; patients receiving treatment abroad; preventing needlestick injuries and workplace violence; control of counterfeit medicines and many other issues that fall within the scope of European law. Taking our opportunity to influence the European health agenda is an essential part of the RCN's mission to represent nurses and nursing across the UK and beyond.