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Encyclopedia > Institutions of the European Union
European Union

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
the European Union Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The European Union or EU is a supranational and international organization of 27 member states. ...

Treaties
Rome · Maastricht (Pillars)
Amsterdam · Nice · Reform
Institutions
Commission

President José Manuel Barroso
Current College (2004-2009) The treaties of the European Union are effectively its constitutional law, making up the EUs primary legislation. ... The Treaty of Rome signing ceremony Signatures in the Treaty The Treaty of Rome refers to the treaty which established the European Economic Community (EEC) and was signed by France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg on March 25, 1957. ... The Maastricht Treaty (formally, the Treaty of European Union, TEU) was signed on February 7, 1992 in Maastricht, Netherlands after final negotiations in December 1991 between the members of the European Community and entered into force on November 1, 1993 during the Delors Commission. ... The Treaty of Maastricht which established the European Union, divided EU policies into three main areas, called pillars. ... Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty of the European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts The Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty of the European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts, commonly known as the Amsterdam Treaty, was signed on... Treaty of Nice The Treaty of Nice is a treaty adopted in Nice by the European Council to amend the two founding treaties of the European Union: the Treaty on European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, which introduced the Euro and the 3-pillar structure of the EU; the Treaty of... The Reform Treaty (also referred to as; future institutional settlement or new legal basis, among others) is a proposed replacement for the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (European Constitution). ... Berlaymont, the Commissions seat The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. ... François-Xavier Ortoli, Romano Prodi, José Manuel Barroso and Jacques Delors The President of the European Commission is notionally the highest ranking unelected official within the European Union bureaucracy. ... José Manuel Durão Barroso (pronunced: IPA, ) (born in Lisbon, March 23, 1956) is a Portuguese politician. ... The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 31 October 2009. ...

Parliament

President Hans-Gert Pöttering
Members (2004-2009) Established 1952, as the Common Assembly President Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP) Since 16 January 2007 Vice-Presidents 14 Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (EPP) Alejo Vidal-Quadras (EPP) Gérard Onesta (Greens – EFA) Edward McMillan-Scott (ED) Mario Mauro (EPP) Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez (PES) Luigi Cocilovo (ALDE) Mechtild... The President of the European Parliament oversees all the activities of the European Parliament and its constituent bodies. ... Hans-Gert Pöttering (often written as Poettering; born September 15, 1945 in Bersenbrück, Lower Saxony) is a German conservative politician (CDU), and has been President of the European Parliament since January 2007. ... A Member of the European Parliament (English abbreviation MEP)[1] is a member of the European Unions directly-elected legislative body, the European Parliament. ... This is a list giving breakdowns of the European Parliamentary session from 2004 to 2009. ...

Council

Presidency: Portugal (Luís Amado)
European Council: José Sócrates Established 1952 Presiding Country Portugal President Luís Amado President in Office José Sócrates Members 27 (at one time) Political parties 7, including: European Peoples Party Party of European Socialists Meeting place Justus Lipsius, Brussels, Belgium, European Union Web site http://www. ... The Presidency of the Council of the European Union refers to the responsibility of presiding over all aspects of the Council of the European Union, when exercised collectively by a government, on a pre-established rota of the member states, of the European Union. ... Luís Filipe Marques Amado (b. ... The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is a body of the European Union which meets around four times a year. ... José Sócrates de Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, GCIH (pron. ...

Court of Justice

President · Members · Auditors
First Instance · Civil Service European Court of Justice building, Luxembourg The Court of Justice of the European Communities, usually called the European Court of Justice (ECJ), is the highest court of the European Union (EU). ... Vassilios Skouris, (b. ... As of August 17, 2006: Categories: | | | ... The European Court of Auditors is one of five institutions of the European Union. ... The Court of First Instance, created in 1989, is a court of the European Union. ... European Union Civil Service Tribunal, since December 2, 2005 a new specialised tribunal within the European Union institutional framework. ...

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There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union. They are outlined in the treaties of the European Union in the following order: the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union (the Council); the European Commission, the Court of Justice of the European Communities and the European Court of Auditors.[1] Elections in the European Union gives information on election and election results in the European Union. ... Elections to the European Parliament were held from June 10, 2004 to June 13, 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. ... In early 2007, Bulgaria and Romania will elect their members of the European Parliament for the first time. ... Elections to the European Parliament will be held in June 2006 in the then–27 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. ... European Parliament electoral system is proportional representation. ... The European political party, or formally political party at European level, is a type of political party organization in the European Union, eligible to receive funding from the Union. ... Political Groups in the European Parliament combine the MEPs from European political parties, informal European political blocs, and independents, into powerful coalitions. ... // Origins of the EU History of the European Union European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) Euratom Single market. ... Austria Poland Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech   Rep. ... The European Union (EU) was created by six founding states in 1957 (following the earlier establishment by the same six states of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1952) and has grown to 27 member states. ... Foreign relations of the European Union Foreign relations of Austria Foreign relations of Belgium Foreign relations of Cyprus Foreign relations of the Czech Republic Foreign relations of Denmark Foreign relations of Estonia Foreign relations of Finland Foreign relations of France Foreign relations of Germany Foreign relations of Greece Foreign relations... The Law of the European Union is the unique legal system which operates alongside the laws of Member States of the European Union (EU). ... In economics, a monetary union is a situation where several countries have agreed to share a single currency among them. ... There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union. ... The agencies of the European Union (or decentralised bodies of the European Union) are bodies which are distinct from the European Unions institutions, in that they have not been created by the treaties but rather by acts of secondary legislation, in order to accomplish a very specific task. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... The treaties of the European Union are effectively its constitutional law, making up the EUs primary legislation. ... Established 1952, as the Common Assembly President Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP) Since 16 January 2007 Vice-Presidents 14 Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (EPP) Alejo Vidal-Quadras (EPP) Gérard Onesta (Greens – EFA) Edward McMillan-Scott (ED) Mario Mauro (EPP) Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez (PES) Luigi Cocilovo (ALDE) Mechtild... Established 1952 Presiding Country Portugal President Luís Amado President in Office José Sócrates Members 27 (at one time) Political parties 7, including: European Peoples Party Party of European Socialists Meeting place Justus Lipsius, Brussels, Belgium, European Union Web site http://www. ... Berlaymont, the Commissions seat The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. ... The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is formally known as the Court of Justice of the European Communities, i. ... The European Court of Auditors is one of five institutions of the European Union. ...

Contents

Background

The first institutions were created at the start of the 1950s with the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community, which was later joined by two similar communities in the 1960s and merged into a single organisation in 1967 with the Merger Treaty. The institutions were largely similar in makeup and role, although smaller due to there being only six states at the time. However at that time, the Parliament (founded as the Common Assembly) was unelected and only consultative. Its first elections were held in 1979 and gained more powers through the successive treaties, as did the Commission.[2][3][4] Members of the European Coal and Steel Community Flag of the European Coal and Steel Community The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was founded in 1951 (Treaty of Paris), by France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands to pool the steel and coal resources of its member... The Merger Treaty, signed in Brussels on 8 April 1965 and in force since 1 July 1967, first gathered together the organizational structures of the then three European Communities (European Coal and Steel Community, European Economic Community and Euratom). ... Austria Poland Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech   Rep. ...


Much of this changing has been the shifting of the power balance away from the Council and towards the Parliament. The role of the Commission has often been to mediate between the two or tip the balance.[5] However the Commission is becoming more accountable to the Parliament: in 1999 it forced the resignation of the Santer Commission[6] and forced a reshuffle of the proposed Barroso Commission in 2004.[7] The Santer Commission was the European Commission that held office from 1995 until 15 March 1999. ... The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 31 October 2009. ...


The development of the institutions, with incremental changes from treaties and agreements, is testament to the evolution of the Union's structures without one clear "master plan". Some such as Tom Reid of the Washington Post said of the institutions that "nobody would have deliberately designed a government as complex and as redundant as the EU".[8] The new Reform Treaty is a further attempt to modify the institutions (see below) after the Constitution, which would have replaced all previous treaties, was rejected.[9] ... The Reform Treaty (also referred to as; future institutional settlement or new legal basis, among others) is a proposed replacement for the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (European Constitution). ...


Political institutions

There are three political institutions which hold the executive and legislative power of the Union. The Council represents governments, the Parliament represents citizens and the Commission represents the European interest.[10] Essentially, the Council, Parliament or another party place a request for legislation to the Commission. The Commission then drafts this and presents it to the Parliament and Council, where in most cases both must give their assent. Although the exact nature of this depends upon the legislative procedure in use. Once it is approved and signed by both chambers it becomes law.[11] The Commission's duty is to ensure it is implemented by dealing with the day-to-day running of the Union and taking others to Court if they fail to comply.[10] The European Union legislative procedure describes the way the European Union creates and enacts legislation across the community. ...


Parliament

Main article: European Parliament
The Parliament is the only directly elected body
The Parliament is the only directly elected body

The European Parliament shares the legislative and budgetary authority of the Union with the Council. The Parliament's President (its speaker) is Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP), who was elected from the Parliament's members in 2007.[11] Established 1952, as the Common Assembly President Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP) Since 16 January 2007 Vice-Presidents 14 Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (EPP) Alejo Vidal-Quadras (EPP) Gérard Onesta (Greens – EFA) Edward McMillan-Scott (ED) Mario Mauro (EPP) Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez (PES) Luigi Cocilovo (ALDE) Mechtild... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 900 pixel, file size: 899 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 900 pixel, file size: 899 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Chamber of the Estates-General, the Dutch legislature. ... The President of the European Parliament oversees all the activities of the European Parliament and its constituent bodies. ... It has been suggested that Speakers of the House be merged into this article or section. ... Hans-Gert Pöttering (often written as Poettering; born September 15, 1945 in Bersenbrück, Lower Saxony) is a German conservative politician (CDU), and has been President of the European Parliament since January 2007. ... The European Peoples Party (EPP) is the largest transnational European political party. ...


Its 785 members are elected every five years by universal suffrage and sit according to the political allegiance. They represent nearly 500 million citizens (which is second largest democratic electorate in the world) and form the only directly elected body in the Union. Despite forming one of the two legislative chambers of the Union, it has weaker powers that the Council in some areas, and does not have legislative initiative. It does however has powers over the Commission which the Council does not. It has been said that its democratic nature and growing powers have made it one of the most powerful legislatures in the world.[12][11][13] A Member of the European Parliament (English abbreviation MEP) is a member of the European Unions directly-elected legislative body, the European Parliament. ... Elections Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Universal suffrage (also general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to all adults, without distinction as to race, sex, belief, intelligence, or economic or social status. ... Political parties Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A political spectrum is a way of visualizing different political positions. ... Citizenship of the Union was introduced by the Maastricht Treaty signed in 1992. ... In government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. ... Legislative initiative is the constitutionally defined power to propose law proposals (bills). ...


Council

Main article: Council of the European Union
The Council is the main decision making body
The Council is the main decision making body

The Council of the European Union (informally known as the Council of Ministers or just the Council) is a body holding legislative and executive powers and is thus the main decision making body of the Union. Its Presidency rotates between the states every six months, but every three Presidencies now cooperate on a common programme. This body is separate from the European Council which is a similar but is composed of national leaders: see below.[14] Established 1952 Presiding Country Portugal President Luís Amado President in Office José Sócrates Members 27 (at one time) Political parties 7, including: European Peoples Party Party of European Socialists Meeting place Justus Lipsius, Brussels, Belgium, European Union Web site http://www. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3888 × 2592 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3888 × 2592 pixel, file size: 3. ... Presidency of the Council of the European Union refers to the responsibility of presiding over all aspects of the Council of the European Union, when exercised collectively by a government, on a pre-established rota of the member states, of the European Union. ... Austria Poland Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech   Rep. ... The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is a body of the European Union which meets around four times a year. ...


The Council meets in various forms depending upon the topic but essentially it is one national minister per state. For example, if agriculture is being discussed, the Council will be composed of each national minister for agriculture. They represent their governments and are accountable to their national political systems. Votes are taken either by majority or unanimity with votes allocated according to population. In these various forms they share the legislative and budgetary power of the Parliament, and also led cooperation in the second and third pillars: the Common Foreign and Security Policy along with Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters.[14] A minister or a secretary is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. ... The Treaty of Maastricht which established the European Union, divided EU policies into three main areas, called pillars. ... The Common Foreign and Security Policy, or CFSP, was established as the second of the three pillars of the European Union in the Maastricht treaty of 1992, and further defined and broadened in the Amsterdam Treaty of 1999. ... Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters is the third of the three pillars of the European Union, focusing on co-operation in law enforcement and combating racism. ...


Commission

Main article: European Commission
The Commission forms the executive

The Commission of the European Communities is the executive arm of the Union. It is a body composed of one appointed from each state, currently twenty-seven, but is designed to be independent of national interests. The body is responsible for drafting all law of the European Union and has a monopoly over legislative initiative within the European Community pillar. It also deals with the day-to-day running of the Union and has a duty to uphold the law and treaties (in this role it is known as the "Guardian of the Treaties").[10] Berlaymont, the Commissions seat The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2816 × 2112 pixel, file size: 4. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2816 × 2112 pixel, file size: 4. ... The Law of the European Union is the unique legal system which operates alongside the laws of Member States of the European Union (EU). ... Legislative initiative is the constitutionally defined power to propose law proposals (bills). ... The European Community (EC) was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... The Treaty of Maastricht which established the European Union, divided EU policies into three main areas, called pillars. ... The treaties of the European Union are effectively its constitutional law, making up the EUs primary legislation. ...


The Commission is led by a President who is nominated by the Council (in practice the European Council) and approved by Parliament. The remaining Commissioners are proposed by member states, in consultation with the President, and then have to be approved by the Parliament as a whole before the Commission can take office. The current President is José Manuel Barroso (EPP), his commission was elected in 2004 and has a mandate until 2009.[10] François-Xavier Ortoli, Romano Prodi, José Manuel Barroso and Jacques Delors The President of the European Commission is notionally the highest ranking unelected official within the European Union bureaucracy. ... The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is a body of the European Union which meets around four times a year. ... José Manuel Durão Barroso (pronunced: IPA, ) (born in Lisbon, March 23, 1956) is a Portuguese politician. ... The European Peoples Party (EPP) is the largest transnational European political party. ... The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 31 October 2009. ...


Acts and procedures

Main article: European Union legislative procedure

There are a number of types of legislation which can be passed. The strongest is a regulation, an act or law which is directly applicable in its entirety. Then there are directives which bind members to certain goals which they must achieve. They do this through their own laws and hence have room to manoeuvre in deciding upon them. A decision is an instrument which is focused at a particular person/group and is directly applicable. Institutions may also issue recommendations and opinions which are merely non-binding, declarations.[15] The European Union legislative procedure describes the way the European Union creates and enacts legislation across the community. ... Legislation (or statutory law) is law which has been promulgated (or enacted) by a legislature or other governing body. ... An Act of Parliament or Act is law enacted by the parliament (see legislation). ... Statutory law is written law (as opposed to oral or customary law) set down by a legislature or other governing authority such as the executive branch of government in response to a perceived need to clarify the functioning of government, improve civil order, answer a public need, to codify existing... A directive is a legislative act of the European Union which requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result. ... A European Union decision (defined in Article 249/EC) is one of the three binding instruments provide by secondary EU legislation. ... In European Union Law a recommendation Differs from regulations, directives and decisions, in that they are not binding for Member States. ...


For these acts, there are three EU legislative procedures which are commonly used. They alter the power balance between the Parliament and Council. The assent procedure and the consultation procedure give the Parliament less control over the legislation providing for a more unicameral system centred on the Council. Under assent, the Parliament need only accept or reject the proposal. Under consultation the Parliament, and the other advisory bodies, are asked for their opinion and the Parliament may proposed amendments but it cannot block the proposal.[16] The European Union legislative procedure describes the way the European Union creates and enacts legislation across the community. ... The assent procedure is one of the legislative procedures of the European Community, the 1st of the Three pillars of the European Union. ... The Consultation procedure is one of the legislative procedures of the European Community, the 1st of the three pillars of the European Union. ... Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ...


The most common system used is the the codecision procedure which provides an equal footing between the two bodies. Under the procedure, the Commission presents a proposal to Parliament and the Council. The then sends amendments to the Council which can either adopt the text with those amendments or send back a "common position". That proposal may either be approved or further amendments may be tabled by the Parliament. If the Council does not approve those, then a "Conciliation Committee" is formed. The Committee is composed of the Council members plus an equal number of MEPs who seek to agree a common position. Once a position is agreed, it has to be approved by Parliament again by an absolute majority.[16][11] The codecision procedure is the main legislative procedure by which law can be adopted in the European Community, the first of the three pillars of the European Union. ...


Judicial institutions

Main articles: European Court of Justice and European Court of Auditors
The Court of Justice has the last word on Union law
The Court of Justice has the last word on Union law

The Court of Justice of the European Communities (commonly known as the European Court of Justice) is the highest court of the Union on matters of Union law and is composed of 27 judges (one per state) with a President elected from among them (currently Vassilios Skouris). Its role is to ensure that Union law is allied in the same way across all states and to settle legal disputes between institutions or states. It has become a powerful institution as Union law overrides national law. In 2001 it ruled that parts of the German Constitution were illegal according to the treaties and had to be amended. This related to the ban on women participating in military combat.[17][18] European Court of Justice building, Luxembourg The Court of Justice of the European Communities, usually called the European Court of Justice (ECJ), is the highest court of the European Union (EU). ... The European Court of Auditors is one of five institutions of the European Union. ... Image File history File links EUCoJ.jpg‎ I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links EUCoJ.jpg‎ I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... The supreme court functions as a court of last resort whose rulings cannot be challenged, in some countries, provinces and states. ... The Law of the European Union is the unique legal system which operates alongside the laws of Member States of the European Union (EU). ... Vassilios Skouris, (b. ... The Basic Law (German: Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is the constitution[1] of Germany. ...


The Court of Justice is assisted by a lower court called the Court of First Instance of the European Communities (CFI) and a Civil Service Tribunal which are designed to reduce the workload of the main court.[18] The Court of First Instance, created in 1989, is a court of the European Union. ... The European Union Civil Service Tribunal, established on December 2, 2005, is a specialised tribunal within the European Union institutional framework. ...


The fifth institution is the European Court of Auditors, which ensures that taxpayer funds from the budget of the European Union have been correctly spent. It is the only institutions not mentioned in the original treaties, being set up in 1975. It was created as an independent institution due to the sensitivity of the issue of fraud in the Union (the anti-fraud agency, OLAF, is also built on its independence).[19] A tax is an involuntary fee paid by individuals or businesses to a government. ... The European Union (EU) has an independent parliament and civil service which is distinct from those of the 27 member states. ... The given name Olav (Olaf, Olof, Olaus), the name of Saint Olav, patron of Norway, has also been borne by a number of other Norwegian kings. ...


Reform Treaty changes

Further information: Reform Treaty

The Reform Treaty outlines a number of changes to the institutional structure of the Union. It is still being agreed but the current draft, which largely follows the changes proposed in the European Constitution. Nearly all policy areas (including the budget) would now come under codecision procedure (renamed "ordinary legislative procedure"), hence increasing the power of the Parliament. The rules for the distribution of seats in the parliament would also be changed to a formula system.[20][21] The Reform Treaty (also referred to as; future institutional settlement or new legal basis, among others) is a proposed replacement for the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (European Constitution). ... The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, commonly referred to as the European Constitution, is an international treaty intended to create a constitution for the European Union. ...


The size of the Commission (dropping its extended "of the European Communities" name) would shrink and include the High Representative with the appointment of the President more dependent upon the last EU elections. The Council (now just the "Council of Ministers") would adopt more Qualified majority voting. There would also be some minor changes in configurations and some powers would formally move to the European Council (see below). The Court of Justice of the European Communities would change to "of the European Union" when talking about the whole judicial institution while the court itself (excluding the Court of First Instance) would just be the Court of Justice. The Court of First Instance of the European Communities would be renamed "General Court", specialised courts may be attached to this body by legislation. In addition, the following bodies would become full institutions;[20][21] The Common Foreign and Security Policy or CFSP was established as the second of the three pillars of the European Union in the Maastricht treaty of 1992, and further defined and broadened in the Amsterdam Treaty of 1997. ... Elections in the European Union gives information on election and election results in the European Union. ... The procedures for Voting in the Council of the European Union are described in the treaties of the EU. The Council of the European Union was instituted under this name in the Maastricht Treaty. ... The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is a body of the European Union which meets around four times a year. ...


European Council

Main article: European Council
The Central Bank and European Council would become institutions under the new treaty
The Central Bank and European Council would become institutions under the new treaty

The European Council would become an institution.[20] At present it is an informal body linked to the Council; it being composed not of ministers but of state leaders together with the Commission President. It meets four times a year to define the Union's policy agenda and give impetus to integration. Its presidency works in the same basis as that of the Council, rotating between each member every six months. The holder of the Presidency has no formal powers, but has influence over agenda and representation. The body as a whole has been described as the highest political body of the European Union.[22] The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is a body of the European Union which meets around four times a year. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 400 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1664 × 2496 pixel, file size: 795 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 400 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1664 × 2496 pixel, file size: 795 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...


Under the proposed treaty, it would be made more formal and have its own, permanent, President of the European Council - but it would still be an administrative position. The European Council would gain the executive powers of the Council (now called the Council of Ministers) such as the power to appoint the Commission President and High Representative.[20] The European Council, sometimes informally called the European Summit, is a meeting of the heads of state or government of the European Union, and the President of the European Commission (not to be confused with the Council of the European Union, or the Council of Europe). ... Javier Solana, expected to be the first combined High Representative The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy is a new European Union political post envisaged under the proposed Reform Treaty. ...


Central Bank

Main article: European Central Bank

The European Central Bank, is the second body set to become an institution. It is the central bank for the eurozone (the 13 states which have formerly adopted the euro) and thus controls monetary policy in that area with an agenda to maintain price stability. It is at the centre of the European System of Central Banks which comprises all EU national banks. The bank is governed by a board comprising of national bank governors and a President, currently Jean-Claude Trichet, appointed by the Council. This power of appointment will pass to the European Council.[20][23] Headquarters Coordinates , , Established 1 January 1998 President Jean-Claude Trichet Central Bank of Austria, Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain Currency Euro ISO 4217 Code EUR Reserves €43bn directly, €338bn through the Eurosystem (including gold deposits). ... The Eurozone (also called Euro Area, Eurosystem or Euroland) refers to the European Union member states that have adopted the euro currency union. ... For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that monetary theory be merged into this article or section. ... Price stability is zero, or a very low rate of, inflation. ... The European System of Central Banks (ESCB) is composed of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the national central banks (NCBs) of all 25 EU Member States. ... Order: 2nd President Nationality: French Vice President: Lucas Papademos Term of office: November 1, 2003 – Present Preceded by: Wim Duisenberg Succeeded by: Incumbent Jean-Claude Trichet (born December 20, 1942) is a French banker. ...


From the start the bank was designed to be independent of political influences, which has been questioned by figures such as Nicolas Sarkozy. With the agreement to make the bank an institution, Trichet has expressed concern that it could undermine the bank's independence. He fears that the bank would be bound by the same code as the other institutions, to cooperate and pursue a common agenda. This may encourage leaders to put political pressure on the banks decisions.[24] Nicolas Sarkozy (IPA: —  ), (born Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa on 28 January 1955 in Paris, France is the current President of France, elected on 6 May 2007 after defeating Socialist Party contender Ségolène Royal during the second round of the 2007 election. ...


Locations

Main article: Location of European Union institutions
Brussels hosts many institutions, with debate on the Parliament's seat
Brussels hosts many institutions, with debate on the Parliament's seat

The institutions are not concentrated in a single capital city, they are instead based across three cities, Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg. The current arrangement was agreed in 1992 and attached to the Treaty of Amsterdam.[25] The treaty states that the Commission and Council would be based in Brussels, the Courts in Luxembourg and the Parliament in Strasbourg. However some departments of the Commission and meetings of the Council take place in Luxembourg, while the Parliament has its committees and some sessions in Brussels and its secretariat in Luxembourg. Of the new institutions, the Central Bank is based in Frankfurt[26] while the European Council is based in Brussels (but has some extrodinary meetings elsewhere).[27] It has been suggested that oneseat. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixels Full resolution (1296 × 972 pixel, file size: 825 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) European Parliament see from the Council of the EU building. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixels Full resolution (1296 × 972 pixel, file size: 825 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) European Parliament see from the Council of the EU building. ... For other places with the same name, see Brussels (disambiguation). ... City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country Region Alsace Department Bas-Rhin (67) Intercommunality Urban Community of Strasbourg Mayor Fabienne Keller  (UMP) City Statistics Land area¹ 78. ... The Amsterdam Treaty (in full: Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty of the European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts) which was signed on October 2, 1997, and entered into force on May 1, 1999, made substantial changes to the Treaty on European Union which... The secretariat of the European Parliament is the administrative body of the European Parliament. ... For other uses, see Frankfurt (disambiguation). ...


Brussel's hosting of institutions has made it a major centre for the EU. Together with NATO it has attracted more journalists and ambassadors than Washington D.C.[28] However the three-city agreement has come under some criticism, notably in regards to the Parliament due to the large number of people that move between the cities. The European Green Party estimated that the arrangement costs 200 million euro and 20,268 tonnes of carbon dioxide.[29] Brussels is preferred by some due to the presence of other institutions and other groups while Strasbourg is supported due to its historical importance to European unity.[30] The Parliaments Paul-Henri Spaak building, as seen from Justus Lipsius Brussels (Belgium) is considered to be the de facto capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the institutions of the European Union. ... This article is about the military alliance. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... European Greens (or the European Green Party) is the name of the European Green Party, a political party at European level. ...


Other bodies and agencies

The EESC and CoR advise the other institutions
The EESC and CoR advise the other institutions

There are a number of other bodies and agencies of note that are not formal institutions. There are two advisory committees to the institutions which in some cases must be consulted: the Economic and Social Committee (EESC) advises on economic and social policy (principally relations between workers and employers) being made up of representatives of various industries and work sectors. Its 344 members, appointed by the Council for four-year terms, are organised into three fairly equal groups representing employers, employees and other various interests;[31] while the Committee of the Regions (CoR) is composed of representative of regional and local authorities who hold an electoral mandate. It advises on regional issues. It has 344 members, organised in political groups, appointed every four years by the Council.[32] The is also the European Investment Bank, which provides long term loans to help development and integration.[33] Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... The European Unions Economic and Social Committee is the consultative assembly of European social and economic partners. This phrase refers mainly to representatives of business, employers and trade unions. ... The Committee of the Regions (CoR) is an institution of the European Union created by the Treaty of Maastricht. ... The European Investment Bank (the Banque Européenne dInvestissement) is the European Unions financing institution and was established under the Treaty of Rome (1957) to provide loan finance for capital investment furthering European Union policy objectives, in particular regional development, Trans-European Networks of transport, telecommunications and energy...


There are a number of specialised and decentralised agencies operated by the Commission, or sometimes the Council. They are set up by legislation or a treaty to deal with specific problems or areas. These include the European Environment Agency or Europol.[34] In addition to these there are also three inter-institutional bodies: the Office for Official Publications, which publishes and distributes official Union publications;[35] the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO), a recruitment body which organises competitions for posts within Union institutions;[36] and the European Administrative School (EAS), which provides specific training for the staff of Union institutions.[37] Another body is OLAF, a major independent anti-fraud agency. Its mission is to protect the financial interests of the Union.[38] Two further posts are: the European Ombudsman deals with citizens grievances against the Union's institutions and is elected for five-year terms by the Parliament;[39] the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) ensures the institutions respect citizens' privacy rights in relation to data processing.[39] The agencies of the European Union (or decentralised bodies of the European Union) are bodies which are distinct from the European Unions institutions, in that they have not been created by the treaties but rather by acts of secondary legislation, in order to accomplish a very specific task. ... European Environment Agency (EEA), agency of the European Union devoted to establishing a monitoring network for the monitoring of the European environment. ... Europol (the name is a contraction of European Police Office) is the European Unions criminal intelligence agency. ... The Office for Official Publications of the European Communities (Publications Office) is a Directorate-General of the European Commission. ... EPSO logo The European Personnel Selection Office (or EPSO) is a recruitment office for the European Unions institutions. ... The European Administrative School (EAS) is an EU body founded in 2005 to provide specialist training to staff from all Institutions of the European Union. ... The given name Olav (Olaf, Olof, Olaus), the name of Saint Olav, patron of Norway, has also been borne by a number of other Norwegian kings. ... The European Ombudsman (or sometimes Euro-Ombudsman) is an ombudsman for the European Union. ... The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) is an independent post in the European Union that ensures that data privicy laws, in regards to citizens personal information, are not violated by EU institutions. ...


See also

The Parliaments Paul-Henri Spaak building, as seen from Justus Lipsius Brussels (Belgium) is considered to be the de facto capital of the European Union, having a long history of hosting the institutions of the European Union. ...      Official languages of the European Union Bulgarian Czech Danish Dutch English Estonian Finnish French German Greek Hungarian Irish Italian Latvian Lithuanian Maltese Polish Portuguese Romanian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swedish Categories: | ...

References

  1. ^ Consolidated versions of the treaty on European Union and of the treaty establishing the European Community (PDF). Eur-lex. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
  2. ^ European Parliament. European NAvigator. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
  3. ^ Council of the European Union. European NAvigator. Retrieved on 2007-06-24.
  4. ^ European Commission.. European NAvigator. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
  5. ^ Hoskyns, Catherine; Michael Newman (2000). Democratizing the European Union: Issues for the twenty-first Century (Perspectives on Democratization. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0719056666. 
  6. ^ Topan, Angelina (2002-09-30). The resignation of the Santer-Commission: the impact of 'trust' and 'reputation' (PDF). European Integration Online Papers. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
  7. ^ Tobais, Troll (2004-11-02). “We have to democratise procedures”. Café Babel. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
  8. ^ Reid, Tom (2004). The United States of Europe. London: Penguin Books, 272. ISBN 0-141-02317-1. 
  9. ^ Q&A: The Reform Treaty. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
  10. ^ a b c d Institutions: The European Commission. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
  11. ^ a b c d Parliament's powers and procedures. European Parliament. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
  12. ^ Parliament - an overview. Welcome. European Parliament. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
  13. ^ Professor Farrell: "The EP is now one of the most powerful legislatures in the world". European Parliament (2007-06-18). Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
  14. ^ a b Institutions: The Council of the European Union. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
  15. ^ Community legal instruments. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  16. ^ a b Decision-making in the European Union. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  17. ^ Germany votes for women in combat. BBC News (2000-10-27). Retrieved on 2007-07-13.
  18. ^ a b Institutions: Court of Justice. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
  19. ^ Institutions: Court of Auditors. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
  20. ^ a b c d e Draft treaty modifying the treaty on the European Union and the treaty establishing the European community. Open Europe (2007-07-24). Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
  21. ^ a b The Institutions of the Union. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
  22. ^ van Grinsven, Peter (September 2003). The European Council under Construction (PDF). Netherlands Institution for international Relations. Retrieved on 2007-08-16.
  23. ^ ECB, ESCB and the Eurosystem. European Central Bank. Retrieved on 2007-09-02.
  24. ^ Buck, Tobias (2007-08-11). Central bank chief urges change to EU treaty. Financial Times. Retrieved on 2007-09-02.
  25. ^ The seats of the institutions of the European Union. European NAvigator. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
  26. ^ Protocol (No 8) on the location of the seats of the institutions and of certain bodies and departments of the European Communities and of Europol (1997). Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-07-15.
  27. ^ Stark, Christine. Evolution of the European Council: The implications of a permanent seat (PDF). Dragoman.org. Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
  28. ^ Parker, John (January - February 2007). "A tale of two cities". E!Sharp magazine: 42–44. 
  29. ^ Greens condemn EU parliament's 'travelling circus'. 4ecotips (2007-04-26). Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
  30. ^ Wheatley, Paul (2006-10-02). The two-seat parliament farce must end. Café Babel. Retrieved on 2007-07-16.
  31. ^ The European Economic and Social Committee. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
  32. ^ PRESENTATION / Role. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
  33. ^ About the EIB. European Investment Bank. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
  34. ^ Agencies of the EU. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
  35. ^ Activities. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
  36. ^ European Personnel Selection Office. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
  37. ^ Welcome to the eas. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
  38. ^ OLAF. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
  39. ^ a b At a glance. Europa (web portal). Retrieved on 2007-08-02.

Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 163rd day of the year (164th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Screenshot of ENA The European NAvigator (ENA) is an an educative platform providing a lot of information about the History of Europe and its institutions since 1945. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 163rd day of the year (164th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Screenshot of ENA The European NAvigator (ENA) is an an educative platform providing a lot of information about the History of Europe and its institutions since 1945. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Screenshot of ENA The European NAvigator (ENA) is an an educative platform providing a lot of information about the History of Europe and its institutions since 1945. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Manchester University Press is the university press of the University of Manchester, England. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 163rd day of the year (164th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 163rd day of the year (164th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 163rd day of the year (164th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... 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Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Headquarters Coordinates , , Established 1 January 1998 President Jean-Claude Trichet Central Bank of Austria, Belgium, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain Currency Euro ISO 4217 Code EUR Reserves €43bn directly, €338bn through the Eurosystem (including gold deposits). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Financial Times (FT) is an international business newspaper printed on distinctive salmon pink broadsheet paper. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Screenshot of ENA The European NAvigator (ENA) is an an educative platform providing a lot of information about the History of Europe and its institutions since 1945. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The European Investment Bank (the Banque Européenne dInvestissement) is the European Unions financing institution and was established under the Treaty of Rome (1957) to provide loan finance for capital investment furthering European Union policy objectives, in particular regional development, Trans-European Networks of transport, telecommunications and energy... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Europa (sometimes written EUROPA), the official web portal of the European Union, is designed to improve the public’s interaction with the EU institutions by quickly directing website visitors to the services or information they are seeking. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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