The 736 newly-elected members of the European Parliament will meet for the first time on July 14 in Strasbourg, the European Parliament said in a media statement on June 10.
 
Their first job will be to form themselves into trans-national political groups and then to elect a President and 14 Vice-presidents who will serve for the next two and a half years.
 
New members may also probably have to vote on whether to give Jose Barroso another five-year term as president of the European Commission. Barroso officially confirmed his candidacy earlier this week and has had a number of endorsements, including from German chancellor Angela Merkel.
 
Leaders of EU countries will next week hold their first summit on June 18 and 19 since EU voters gave the centre-right a clear mandate on the European elections. At that summit, the bloc’s government leaders must decide who to nominate for the key position of European Commission President.
 
For a European Commission President to be appointed, a majority of MEPs must vote to support the nomination. The victory of the centre-right at the European elections has strengthened Barroso's position. The vote for Barroso's candidacy is provisionally scheduled to take place on July 15.
 
The rest of the college of Commissioners will be chosen later in the autumn. The European Parliament's 20 committees - on everything from foreign affairs to fisheries - will meet in the weeks after July 20.
 
As to the parliamentary groups, discussions about which group each national party will enter will have already started in earnest as soon as the election results became clear.
 
For some parties they already have a natural home in the European Parliament although others have decided to shift allegiances - the most notable being the 25 British Conservatives who are leaving the European People's Party.
 
To form a recognised political group - with all the access to the parliament's agenda that goes with it - requires 25 members from seven different countries.
 
The Strasbourg sitting of July 14-16 will see members take their seats from the very first day.
 
The opening session also sees the formation of the Parliament's Bureau which comprises the President, the 14 Vice-presidents and 6 Quaestors who look after financial matters concerning members.
 
Key dates
 
June 18 and 19: EU leaders meet to nominate Commission President.
July 14 to 16: EP Constituent session.
July 15: Vote on Barroso candidacy (to be confirmed).