The European Union: Institutions, Laws, and Major Bodies, Slides of Introduction to Sociology

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The European Union:

The Institution and Laws

Unit 3

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The Institutions of the European Union - Outline

Major Institutions & other

bodies

Institutional dynamics

EU Law

EU Budget

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Major Institutions

The European Council

Supreme political decision-making body of the European Union

It is composed of the Heads of State or Government of the Member States and the President of the European Commission

Defines the general political objectives and directives of the EU. It meets at least twice a year, always at the end of a Presidency in the country, which holds the six-monthly rotating Presidency

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The Council of the EU (Ministers)

• General Affairs and External Relations
• Economic and Financial Affairs (‘Ecofin’)
• Justice and Home Affairs
• Consumer Affairs
• Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry and Research)
• Transport, Telecommunications and Energy
• Agriculture and Fisheries
• Environment
• Education, Youth and Culture

II. The Institutions of the European Union Docsity.com

The Council

• Legislative Powers (with Parliament)
• Co-ordinate economic policies
• External agreements
• Approves EU budget (with Parliament)
• Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
• Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)

II. The Institutions of the European Union Docsity.com

The Council of Ministers

Known as the Council of the European Union since the Maastricht Treaty, is the EU’s primary legislative body in the first pillar Composed of one minister from each member state (intergovernmental), the frequency and importance of the different types of sessions vary depending upon the degree to which an issue area is subject to EU competence (e.g. Agriculture) Leads in formulating and implementing policy in the second and third pillars and is supported by the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) The Council votes either by unanimity or by Qualified Majority Voting (QMV ), and the weighting of votes is based roughly on population size, (see next slide): Docsity.com

COMMITTEE OF PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES (COREPER).

• COREPER is a European Union (EU) body, first recognized in the Merger Treaty of
• Responsible for assisting the Council of the European Union.
• COREPER is composed of the ambassadors (better known as permanent representatives) of each of the member states to the EU.
• Meeting in Brussels on a regular basis and in continuous contact with the European Commission; instrumental in completing the preparations and establishing the agenda for the meetings of the Council (except those of the Agriculture Council).
• Its ability to shape the agenda and in effect its influence over the Council makes COREPER a powerful element in the EU’s legislative and decision-making processes.

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European Commission

The European

Commission- “guardians

of the treaties”

Executive body of the EU

Implements and enforces EU policy and proposes legislation in the 1 st^ pillar

Responsible for drawing up the EU budget & for EU administration

Exercises much more limited powers in the second and third pillars

José Manuel Barroso, President of European Commission (2004- present)

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President José Manuel Barroso

• Born in Lisbon 1956
• Degree in Law with honors from the Law Faculty, University of Lisbon
• Masters Degree in Political Science, University of Geneva
• Prime Minister of XV Constitutional Government since April, 2002
• Elected Member of Parliament six times consecutively since 1985, Chairman of the Portuguese Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee between 1995 and
• President of the Academic Association of the Law Faculty, University of Lisbon, 1975-

II. The Institutions of the European Union Docsity.com

Enlargement and the European Commission

• Once Bulgaria and Romania join the Union it will have 27

Member States.

• At that point, the Council – by a unanimous decision – will fix

the maximum number of commissioners.

• There must be fewer than 27 of them, and their nationality will

be determined by a system of rotation that is absolutely fair to

all countries.

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Major Institutions

The European Parliament

Since 1979 the citizens of the EU Member States have sent their representatives to the European Parliament by holding direct elections

There are 626 members which has its seat in Strasbourg, are elected for five years in each case. The seating arrangement in the Chamber is defined by party allegiance and not by nationality

Has a consultative opinion (the right to be heard) or the same decision making authority as the Council of Ministers (co- decision) depending on the subject concerned.

Adopts the annual budget with the Council of Ministers and controls its implementation A supervisory body in the sense that it confirms the appointment of the Commission and can even oblige that body to resign

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The European

Parliament

Plenary Building of the EP in Strasbourg

Building of the EP in Brussels

Administrative Building of the EP in Luxemburg

II. The Institutions of the European Union Docsity.com

POLITICAL GROUPS IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

• Political activity in the European Parliament (EP) is organized by political groups which are obligatorily transnational and based on political affinity.
• Political groups must have at least 19 Members of the EP (MEPs) from at least one-fifth of the European Union member states.
• Levels of political cohesion with regard to issues and values vary amongst the different political groups.
• Committee formations, speaking times, and administrative funding is determined by political groups, including independent MEPs who are “grouped” together for organizational purposes and have the same rights as the other political groups.
• Representing the European citizens and not the member states, during parliamentary sessions MEPs do not sit in national delegations but rather with their political groups. In addition to the independents, the 2004-2009 EP has seven political groups: Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left, Group of the Alliance of Liberal and Democrats for Europe, Group of the European Peoples’ Party and European Democrats, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Independence and Democracy Group, Socialist Group in the European Parliament, and Union for Europe of the Nations Group.

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Major Institutions

The Court of Justice

Located in Luxembourg is the supreme judicial body of the European Union

Its task is to safeguard EU law in the application and interpretation of the Community Treaties

15 judges are appointed for a six-year term by joint agreement between the governments of the Member States

The ECJ has sole authority to decide on the interpretation of the EU law

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