The EP is actually quite good at producing the right decisions, especially when the public remember that it exists and lobby them over this issue. Unfortunately it's the weakest of the legislating institutions (Parliament/Commission/Council).

Yes. I'd like to have EU institutions which look more like "normal" democratic systems, and greater power for the EU parliament. But it's still a lot better since the Lisbon treaty.

Another excellent decision made by the MEPs that the general public will simply not give a shit about. Your cynicism is too high. Votes for "tax the right", "throw out the immigrants", "abandon the EU" are popularism. Good science and technology votes stand by themselves.

Maybe your right but to my mind there's been a suspiciously high level of superficially praiseworthy pronouncements emanating from Strasbourg just lately.

Given the limited powers of the parliament do they carry any more weight than politicians' pre-election promises?

I don't know where you live 3 billboards on my way to work are now taken up with advertisements on behalf of our local MEP. She had been all but invisible previously.

As I said in a comment lately she has recently been on the radio here claiming credit for another measure that promises much but has been criticised for being easily sidestepped.

As others here have alluded to the powerlessness of the MEPs allows them the freedom to do the right thing.

Well, yes, elected politicians doing things their constituents want so that they'll get re-elected is surely the point of the system.