The European Union is a family of 27 democratic European countries that seeks to improve the lives of its citizens and create a better world. However, its complex system of institutions can sometimes confuse those who work with it.
One of the EU’s key institutions is the European Commission, an executive body that oversees the day-to-day operations of the bloc. It is responsible for drafting policies, establishing budgets, and overseeing EU agencies, committees, and bodies.
The European Union
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic association of 27 countries. Its aims are to promote economic and social progress, protect human rights and defend democracy.
The EU has a number of institutions to guide its actions. One of its most important is the Council of the European Union, which consists of ministers from member countries. It oversees the development of EU law and makes recommendations on how it should implement.
Other institutions include the Commission, which is responsible for day-to-day EU affairs, and Parliament, which has a lot of powers. It approves members of the European Commission and also signs off on laws that the commission has made.
In recent years, the EU has faced several crises that have tested its strength and stability. These included the 2008 global financial crisis, the rise of migrant workers from Africa and the Middle East, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
After World War II, many European countries realised that they needed to work together to prevent future conflicts. The idea of the European Union was based on the belief that countries whose economies were interdependent are less likely to go to war with each other.
As the EU developed and its membership expanded, a number of changes made to its structure. In 2000, the Treaty of Nice set down rules to streamline its size and procedures.
The next big step was to create a common currency. This accomplished by merging the existing currencies of its member nations and creating a common euro.
Another major change was to create a common market, which eliminated barriers to trade between the member states of the EU. This has been extremely beneficial for all European economies.
This has led to a huge increase in the amount of trade between EU member nations. As a result, the EU has become the second largest economy in the world, behind the United States.
In addition to the monetary union and single market, the EU has created numerous funds and bodies to help it cope with global problems. These include the European Stability Mechanism, the European Monetary System and a series of aid programs to underdeveloped areas.
The European Commission
The European Commission is the EU’s executive arm, responsible for proposing new laws, policies and programmes. It is also the body that monitors their implementation and manages the budget.
The Commission made up of 27 Commissioners, each of which represents a different member state in the European Union (EU). They elected by their governments to serve a three-year term.
Each commissioner takes an oath of office to work in the interests of the whole EU rather than their own country. They have a “portfolio” of policy areas they’re responsible for, and the Commission meets weekly to discuss them.
During the first years of the European Commission, its members appointed on a rotating basis from each member state. This remained the case until December 2009, when the Lisbon Treaty changed this arrangement and reduced the number of Commissioners to two-thirds of the current membership.
Today, the Commission’s portfolio covers a wide range of issues that include agriculture and rural development, environment, energy, health and food safety, transport and telecoms, and global Europe. It divided into Directorates-General, or DGs.
A major part of the Commission’s work is to negotiate international agreements and treaties. These negotiations take place in the framework of a mandate agreed to by the Council.
The Commission is an important mouthpiece for the EU on the international stage, and it plays a crucial role in supporting international development and delivering aid. It is also a major player in global governance, especially in the area of foreign and security policy.
The motto of the EU is “United in Diversity,” and it reflects the fact that all EU countries have their own culture, languages and traditions. But they all share a common set of values, including democracy and respect for human rights.
The European Parliament
After two destructive world wars in the twentieth century, European politicians such as Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer and Alcide De Gasperi wanted to create a union that would provide lasting peace and prosperity. This goal led to the creation of the European Union in 1957.
The European Parliament, or EP, is the EU’s upper house of government. Its members directly elected by citizens of the 28 member states. The parliamentary elections held every five years, and the current Parliament has 766 seats (down from its full membership count as a result of the Lisbon Treaty).
MEPs caucus in transnational groups based on political ideology rather than their nationality. A political group must have 25 MEPs from at least seven EU member states, and can include a number of non-attached or independent members.
As an institution, the European Parliament governed by the rules and procedures outlined in Article 14 of the EU Treaty and in various protocols annexed to it. This includes a procedure called the “co-decision” procedure, under which the EP and the Council of Ministers must jointly approve a Commission proposal for EU legislation to become law.
Currently, three-quarters of all EU legislative acts fall under this procedure, and the EP has a formal right to amend and block those laws. In addition, the EP has a right to vote on proposals for new Commissioners and to formally censure the entire Commission through a motion of censure.
The role of the EP in EU legislative process has expanded steadily as the scope of EU policy has grown. Initially, the EP offered only nonbinding opinions on proposed EU laws in a procedure known as the “consultation procedure.” However, the “co-decision” procedure in the Maastricht Treaty and the Amsterdam Treaty increased the EP’s power to affect EU legislation in a wide range of areas, including the common internal market and other economic policy issues.
The EP is also an important player on the international stage, as a number of interparliamentary delegations maintain relations with parliaments around the world. These delegations usually made up of 20 to 50 MEPs, and they have a secretariat of almost 5,000 nonpartisan civil servants. They serve as the official representatives of the EP to a wide range of countries and regions worldwide, and they also send election observation missions to non-EU nations.
The European Council
The European Council is the central decision-making body of the EU. It decides the bloc’s broad priorities and defends national interests of member states. Its members are heads of state and government, who meet frequently to discuss issues affecting the EU as a whole or specific member country.
The Council also coordinates the European Semester, an annual period of planning that runs from January to June each year and sets targets for economic and social development. It assesses the economic situation and gives set polices on fiscal, economic and structural reforms.
It also works on a number of other projects, such as developing the EU’s external relations and helping neighbouring countries. Its neighbourhood policy supports security, stability and prosperity in Europe’s immediate neighbourhood. It also enlarges the EU and welcomes new members.
Since the end of World War II, European nations have sought to deepen their integration in pursuit of peace and economic growth. As a result, the European Union (EU) has grown to include 27 countries.
While many people think of the EU as one entity, it actually comprises seven major institutions and dozens of smaller bodies. The seven main bodies make law, coordinate foreign affairs and trade, and manage a common budget.
They include the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and the European Parliament. The European Parliament is the only directly elected legislature in the EU, with representatives apportioned by member state populations. It has a direct role in drafting laws, approving the EU’s budget and overseeing the Commission.
The Council of Ministers, the second legislative branch, is a body of government ministers from all member states. The council meets regularly in groups, organized by policy area. A different government minister heads each group, with representatives from other political parties and interest groups.
The European Council is also responsible for managing the work of a large international organization called the Council of Europe, which headquartered in Strasbourg. The CoE aims to promote democracy and human rights in Europe and its forty-seven member countries include a wide range of non-EU countries.
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