INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES OF THE EU
Particularities of the functioning of the EU institutions
- The European Council, which brings together national and European leaders, sets the general priorities of the EU. It marks the general political direction of the EU, but has no power to pass laws. It meets at least twice each semester for two or three days, with its President at the head - currently Donald Tusk - and is composed of the national Heads of State or Government, as well as the President of the Commission.
- Members of the European Parliament, elected directly, represent European citizens.
- The European Commission, whose members are appointed by national governments, promotes the interests of the EU as a whole
- Governments defend the national interests of their own countries in the Council of the European Union.
Three main institutions are involved in the development of EU legislation:
- The European Parliament, which represents the citizens of the EU and is directly elected by them.
- The Council of the European Union, which represents the governments of each of the Member States; Member States share the rotating Presidency of the Council.
- The European Commission represents the interests of the Union as a whole.
Together, three institutions develop, through the "ordinary legislative procedure" (formerly called "codecision") the policies and laws that apply across the EU. In principle, the Commission proposes new laws, and Parliament and the Council adopt them. Next, the Commission and the Member States apply this legislation and the Commission ensures that laws are correctly enforced.
Two other institutions play important roles:
- The Court of Justice ensures compliance with European legislation
- The Court of Auditors controls the financing of EU activities.
The powers and responsibilities of all these institutions are set out in the Treaties, which form the basis of all EU activities. The Treaties also establish the rules and procedures to be followed by the EU institutions. They are agreed upon by the Heads of State or Government of all the countries of the EU and ratified by their Parliaments.
Other institutions and inter-institutional bodies
-The European External Action Service (EEAS) assists the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, currently Federica Mogherini, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Council and directs the Common Foreign and Security Policy, while guaranteeing coherence and coordination of the EU's external action.
-The European Economic and Social Committee represents civil society, employers and employees
-The European Committee of the Regions represents the regional and local authorities
-The European Investment Bank finances EU investment projects and helps small businesses through the European Investment Fund
-The European Ombudsman investigates allegations of mismanagement by EU institutions and bodies
-The European Data Protection Supervisor protects the privacy of citizens' personal data
-The Publications Office publishes information about the EU
-The European Personnel Selection Office recruits staff from EU institutions and other bodies
-The European School of Management offers training in specific areas to EU staff
-A large number of specialized and decentralized agencies deal with a series of technical, scientific and management tasks
The main decision-making method in the EU is known as the ordinary legislative procedure (formerly called "codecision"). It means that the European Parliament, directly elected, must approve the EU legislation together with the Council, formed by the governments of the 28 member countries.
Projects of EU legislation
Before proposing new initiatives, the Commission assesses its possible economic, social and ecological consequences through "impact evaluations", which analyze the advantages and disadvantages of possible options.
The Commission also consults interested parties, such as non-governmental organizations, local authorities and representatives of industry and civil society. There are also groups of experts who advise on technical issues. In this way, the Commission guarantees that the legislative proposals correspond to the needs of the interested parties and avoids unnecessary procedures.
Citizens, companies and organizations can participate in the consultation procedure through the public consultation website.
National parliaments can officially express their reservations if they think it is better to deal with a matter at a national rather than a European level.
Review and adoption
The European Parliament and the Council review the Commission's proposals and propose amendments. If the Council and Parliament do not agree on the amendments, a second reading is made.
In that second reading, the Parliament and the Council can propose modifications again. Parliament can block the proposed legislation if it does not agree with the Council.
If the two institutions agree on the modifications, the proposed legislation can be adopted. Otherwise, a conciliation committee will look for translations available from the previous try to find a solution. Both the Council and Parliament can block the legislative proposal in the final reading.
The sessions of the European Parliament and some of the sessions of the Council can be seen live on the Internet.
How are decisions in the EU made?
