The Institutions' Role
The seven EU institutions, their websites, and the short synopsis of those institutions who directly participate in legislative procedures.
The European Council provides the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and defines the general political directions and priorities thereof. It shall not exercise legislative functions. The European Council consists of the Heads of State or Government of the Member States, together with its President and the President of the Commission. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy takes part in its work. The European Council meets twice every six months, convened by its President. When the agenda so requires, the members of the European Council may decide each to be assisted by a minister and, in the case of the President of the Commission, by a member of the Commission. When the situation so requires, the President shall convene a special meeting of the European Council. Except where the Treaties provide otherwise, decisions of the European Council shall be taken by consensus.
The European Council elects its President, by a qualified majority, for a term of two and a half years, renewable once. In the event of an impediment or serious misconduct, the European Council can end the President’s term of office in accordance with the same procedure. The President of the European Council:
(a) chairs it and drives forward its work;
(b) ensures the preparation and continuity of the work of the European Council in cooperation with the President of the Commission, and on the basis of the work of the General Affairs Council;
(c) endeavours to facilitate cohesion and consensus within the European Council;
(d) presents a report to the European Parliament after each of the meetings of the European Council. The President of the European Council, at his level and in that capacity, ensures the external representation of the Union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy, without prejudice to the powers of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The President of the European Council does not hold a national office.
The Council of the European Union is also known under the name: Council of Ministers, being the main decision-making body in the EU. It has both executive and legislative powers and is composed of representatives of at least ministerial level from Member State governments. This could include ministers from devolved legislatures, but acting on behalf of the Member State as a whole. The Council meets in a number of subject-based configurations (e.g. as the Transport Council or the Social Affairs Council), but the main Council is the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC). Foreign Affairs ministers attend the GAERC to deal with external relations and general policy questions The Member State holding the EU Presidency is responsible for organizing Council business and for chairing Council meetings, except for the Foreign Affairs Council, which is presided over by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The Presidency is supported by a permanent general secretariat divided into directorates-general dealing with the various policy areas, by the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER, comprising officials from the Member States) and a number of Working Groups.
(Vaughne Miller, Emma Clark. The European Union: a guide to terminology, procedures and sources. House of commons Library.)
The Commission promotes the general interest of the EU and takes appropriate initiatives to that end. It ensures the application of the Treaties and of measures adopted by the institutions pursuant to them; oversees the application of EU law under the control of the Court of Justice of the European Union; executes the budget and manages programmes; exercises coordinating, executive and management functions; ensures the EU's external representation (with the exception of the common foreign and security policy); initiates the EU’s annual and multiannual programming with a view to achieving interinstitutional agreements. The Commission’s term of office is five years. The Commission appointed between the date of entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon and 31 October 2014 consists of one national of each Member State, including its President and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy who is one of its Vice- Presidents. From 1 November 2014 the Commission consists of a number of members, including its President and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, corresponding to two thirds of the number of Member States. The members of the Commission shall be chosen from among the nationals of the Member States on the basis of a system of strictly equal rotation between the Member States, reflecting the demographic and geographical range of all the Member States.
The European Parliament exercises jointly with the Council legislative and budgetary functions, functions of political control and consultation, it elects the President of the Commission. The European Parliament is composed of representatives of the EU citizens whose number does not exceed seven hundred and fifty in number, plus the President. With the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon the number of the MEPs was temporarily increased to 754, but by the next elections of 2014 the maximum of 751 MEPs will be restored. Representation of citizens in the European Parliament is degressively proportional, with a minimum threshold of six members per Member State. No Member State is allocated more than 96 seats. The MEPs are elected for a term of five years by direct universal suffrage in a free and secret ballot.
Court of Justice of the European Union
The CJEU includes the Court of Justice, the General Court and specialised courts. It shall ensure that in the interpretation and application of the Treaties the law is observed. Member States provide remedies sufficient to ensure effective legal protection in the fields covered by Union law.
The Court of Justice consists of one judge from each Member State. It is assisted by Advocates-General.
The General Court includes at least one judge per Member State.
The Judges and the Advocates-General of the Court of Justice and the Judges of the General Court shall be chosen from persons whose independence is beyond doubt and who satisfy the conditions set out in Articles 253 and 254 of the TFEU. They are appointed by common accord of the governments of the Member States for six years. Retiring Judges and Advocates-General may be reappointed.
The CJEU, in accordance with the Treaties:
(a) rules on actions brought by a Member State, an institution or a natural or legal person;
(b) gives preliminary rulings, at the request of courts or tribunals of the Member States, on the interpretation of Union law or the validity of acts adopted by the institutions;
(c) rules in other cases provided for in the Treaties.
The Court of Auditors carries out the Union’s audit. It consists of one national of each Member State. Its Members are completely independent in the performance of their duties, in the Union’s general interest.
The European Central Bank (ECB) constitutes with the national central banks the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). The primary objective of the ESCB is to maintain price stability. Without prejudice to the objective of price stability, it supports the general economic policies in the Union with a view to contributing to the achievement of the objectives of the Union as laid down in Article 3 of the TEU. The ESCB acts in accordance with the principle of an open market economy with free competition, favouring an efficient allocation of resources, and in compliance with the principles set out in Article 119 of the TFEU.