European Union

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of the European Union Image File history File links European_flag. ... The European Union or EU is a supranational and intergovernmental union of 25 European states. ...

Three pillars The Treaty of Maastricht which established the European Union, divided EU policies into three main areas, called pillars. ... Pillar I: European Community Pillar II: Common Foreign and Sec. Policy Pillar III: Police and Judicial Cooperation Political Institutions The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... The Common Foreign and Security Policy or CFSP, german Gemeinsame Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik (GASP), 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. ... 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 President (José Barroso) Barroso Commission Council of Ministers & European Council Presidency (Austria) Parliament President (Josep Borrell) MEPs Constituencies Elections (2004 / By country) Party groups Committees Judiciary The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive body of the European Union. ... This article needs to be updated. ... 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 Council of the European Union forms, along with the European Parliament, the legislative arm of the European Union (EU). ... The European Council, 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. ... 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. ... The European Parliament is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ... The President of the European Parliament oversees all the activities of the European Parliament and its constituent bodies. ... Josep Borrell Josep Borrell Fontelles (born April 24, 1947) is a Spanish politician. ... A Member of the European Parliament (English abbreviation MEP) is a member of the European Unions directly-elected legislative body, the European Parliament. ... In five European Union Member States (Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom), the national territory is divided into a number of constituencies for European elections. ... 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. ... Party groups in the European Parliament combine the MEPs from European political parties, informal European political blocs, and independents. ... The Standing Committees of the European Parliament are designed to aid the European Commission in initiating legislation. ... Court of Justice Court of First Instance Civil Service Tribunal Patent Tribunal Advisory bodies The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is formally known as the Court of Justice of the European Communities, i. ... 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. ... Economic and Social Committee Committee of the Regions Financial bodies 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. ... European Central Bank European Investment Bank European Investment Fund Decentralised bodies The ECB building in Frankfurt The European Central Bank (ECB) (French: Banque Centrale Europeénne, German: Europäische Zentralbank) The ECB is one of the worlds largest central banks, being in charge of fiscal and monetary policy for the European Unions official currency, the euro, which is - to... 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... The European Investment Fund, established in 1994, is a European Union agency for the provision of finance to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). ... Agencies of the EU Law 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. ... The European Union is unique among international organisations in having a complex and highly developed system of internal law which has direct effect within the legal systems of its member states. ... Acquis communautaire Procedure Treaties Regulations - Directives - Decisions Recommendations - Opinions EU-related topics The French term acquis (or sometimes acquis communautaire) is used in European Union law to refer to the total body of EU law accumulated so far. ... The European Union legislative procedure describes the way the European Union creates and enacts legislation across the community. ... The treaties of the European Union are effectively its constitutional law, making up the EUs primary legislation. ... A European Union Directive is the (mutually binding) collective decision made by the member states, acting through their national Government Ministers in the Council of the European Union and the Parliament. ... 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. ... // Origins of the EU History of the European Union European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) Euratom Single market. ... Economic and Monetary Union Enlargement Foreign relations Pan-European political parties Table of affiliated parties by country Party affiliations on the Council

See also: History Politics of other countries

Politics Portal · edit

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. In recent years, Commission presidents have increasingly been former heads of government of EU member states. In economics, a monetary union is a situation where several countries have agreed to share a single currency among them. ... The European Union (EU) was originally created by the six founding states in 1952, but has grown to its current size of 25 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... A European political party, or formally a political party at European level, is a type of political party organization in the European Union, eligible to receive funding from the Union. ... The majority of major political parties in Europe have aligned themselves into the pan-European political organisations listed below. ... The member-states of the European Union by the European party affiliations of their leaders, as of April, 2006. ... Council and Commission. ... 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. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2584x1732, 911 KB) Summary Four European Commission Presidents: François-Xavier Ortoli (1973-1977), Romano Prodi (1999-2004), José Manuel Barroso, current President of the EC and Jacques Delors (1985-1995) (from left to right) Licensing This is a copyrighted image... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2584x1732, 911 KB) Summary Four European Commission Presidents: François-Xavier Ortoli (1973-1977), Romano Prodi (1999-2004), José Manuel Barroso, current President of the EC and Jacques Delors (1985-1995) (from left to right) Licensing This is a copyrighted image... François-Xavier Ortoli (born February 16, 1925) is a French politician and businessman. ... (born 9 August 1939) is a centre-left Italian politician. ... José Manuel Durão Barroso (pronunced: IPA, ) (born in Lisbon, March 23, 1956) is a Portuguese politician. ... Handshake between Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Drnovšek, on the right, and Jacques Delors Jacques Lucien Jean Delors (born July 20, 1925, in Paris, France) is a French economist and politician, who served three terms as President of the European Commission from 1985-1995. ... The head of government is the leader of the government or cabinet. ...

Selection

The President of the Commission is selected by consensus among members of the European Council and must subsequently be approved by the European Parliament, along with the remainder of the Commission. Thereafter, the President is accountable to Parliament, who may dismiss the Commission with a vote of no confidence. The European Council, 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. ... The European Parliament is the parliamentary body of the European Union (EU), directly elected by EU citizens once every five years. ...

As the head of the European Commission, effectively the executive branch of the European Union, it is sometimes argued that it would be appropriate for the President to be elected by the European Parliament, or directly elected by citizens, rather than being chosen by national governments. However, no such change is envisaged. Under the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, agreed but not yet ratified by all member states, the Council will be obliged to take into account the results of the most recent elections to the European Parliament when nominating the President of the Commission. Furthermore, under the constitution future candidates for the President of the Commission will be put forward by the European Council and approved by the European Parliament, who will have the final say. This differs from the present procedure in that Parliament will acquire the power to reject the President-designate specifically, rather than simply rejecting the entire Commission. The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive body of the European Union. ... The constitutional treaty as signed in Rome on 29 October 2004 The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE), commonly referred to as the European Constitution, is an international treaty intended to create a constitution for the European Union. ...

Duties and responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the President are regulated by Article 217 of the EC Treaty according to which "The Commission shall work under the political guidance of its President, who shall decide on its internal organisation in order to ensure that it acts consistently, efficiently and on the basis of collegiality". Specifically, the article confers on the President the responsibility to allocate responsibilities to the Commissioners and the power to reshuffle those responsibilities, in effect, to decide on the internal organisation of the Commission. 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. ...

List of office-holders

The colour of the row indicates the approximate political leaning of the office holder using the following scheme: Walter Hallstein (17 November 1901 – 29 March 1982) was a German politician and professor. ... The Hallstein Commission is the European Commission that held office from January 7, 1958 to 1967. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... The Christian Democratic Union (CDU - Christlich-Demokratische Union) is a political party in Germany. ... Jean Rey Jean Rey (July 15, 1902 – May 19, 1983) was a Belgian lawyer and Liberal politician who became President of the European Commission. ... The Rey Commission is the European Commission that held office from 1967 to 1970. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... This article covers the Parti Réformateur Libéral. ... Franco Maria Malfatti (June 13, 1927 - 1991), was an Italian politician. ... The Malfatti Commission is the European Commission that held office from 1970 to March 21, 1972. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... SITO ISTITUZIONALE DELLA DEMOCRAZIA CRISTIANA Christian Democracy, (Democrazia Cristiana), the Christian democratic party of Italy, commonly called the democristiani or DC, dominated government for nearly half a century until its demise amid a welter of corruption allegations in 1992-94. ... Sicco Leendert Mansholt (September 13, 1908 - June 29/30, 1995) was the president of the European Commission in 1972. ... The Mansholt Commission is the European Commission that held office from March 22, 1972 to January 5, 1973. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... The Labour Party (in Dutch: Partij van de Arbeid, PvdA) is a Dutch social-democratic political party. ... François-Xavier Ortoli (born February 16, 1925) is a French politician and businessman. ... The Ortoli Commission is the European Commission that held office from January 6, 1973 to 1977. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... In France the Gaullist Party is usually used to refer to the largest party professing to be Gaullist. ... Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead, OM, PC (November 11, 1920 – January 5, 2003) was a British politician and a prominent Labour Member of Parliament in the 1960s and 1970s, and founding member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). ... The Jenkins Commission is the European Commission that held office from 1977 to 6 January 1981. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Labour Party has since its formation in the early 20th century been the principal left wing political party in the United Kingdom (see British politics). ... Gaston Egmond Thorn (born September 3, 1928), Luxembourg politician, was President of the European Commission, the executive body of the European Community, from 1981 to 1985. ... The Thorn Commission was the European Commission that held office from 6 January 1981 until 5 January 1985. ... January 12 is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... The Democratic Party is a liberal party in Luxembourg, led by Claude Meisch who took over from Lydie Polfer. ... Handshake between Slovenian Prime Minister Janez DrnovÅ¡ek, on the right, and Jacques Delors Jacques Lucien Jean Delors (born July 20, 1925, in Paris, France) is a French economist and politician, who served three terms as President of the European Commission from 1985-1995. ... Third Delors Commission The Delors Commission was the European Commission that held office from 1985 until 1995, which consists of three terms. ... This article is about the year. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Socialist Party (Parti Socialiste or PS), founded in 1969, is the main opposition party in France. ... Jacques Santer (born May 18, 1937) is a politician from Luxembourg. ... The Santer Commission was the European Commission that held office from 1995 until 15 March 1999. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 15 is the 74th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (75th in Leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Christian Social Peoples Party (Luxembourgish: Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei - CSV) is the largest political party in Luxembourg. ... Manuel Marín (born 1950) is a politician from Spain. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Spanish Socialist Workers Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español or PSOE) is one of the main parties of Spain. ... (born 9 August 1939) is a centre-left Italian politician. ... The Prodi Commission was the European Commission from 2000 to 2004. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: Stub ... This article needs to be updated. ... 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. ... November 22 is the 326th day (327th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Social Democratic Party (Portuguese: Partido Social Democrata, pron. ...

In politics, left-wing, the political left or simply The Left are terms that refer to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy or social liberalism, and defined in contradistinction to its polar opposite, the right. ... The neutrality of this introduction is disputed. ... In politics, right-wing, the political right, or simply The Right, are terms that refer to the segment of the political spectrum often associated with any of several strains of conservatism, the religious right, and areas of classical liberalism, or simply the opposite of left-wing politics. ... Conservatism or political conservatism is any of several historically related political philosophies or political ideologies. ... Look up liberal on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Liberal may refer to: Politics: Liberalism American liberalism, a political trend in the USA Political progressivism, a political ideology that is for change, often associated with liberal movements Liberty, the condition of being free from control or restrictions Liberal Party, members of...

See also

• Presidency of the European Council

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. ...

External links

• European Commission (official website)
• Terms of office
• Birthplaces of presidents of European Commission