Institutions of the EU
What institutions the European Union does
have;
What is their structure and competences;
What are their mutual relations?
Main institutions of the EU
• European Council,
• European Parliament,
• Council of European Union,
• European Commission,
• Court of Justice,
• Court of Auditors
European Parliament
• no supreme legislative competence
• consists of representatives of the peoples of
the Member (MEPs)
• MEPs are organized not according to their
nationality but political opinion into different
parliamentary groups.
Member State
No of mandates
(2009-2014)
No of mandates
(Lisbon Treaty)
Germany 99 96
France 72 74
United Kingdom, Italy 72 73
Spain 50 54
Poland 50 51
Romania 33 32
Netherlands 25 26
Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Portugal, Greece 22 21
Sweden 18 20
Austria 17 18
Bulgaria 17 18
Slovakia, Finland, Denmark 13 13
Ireland, Lithuania, Croatia 12 11
Latvia 8 8
Slovenia 7 8
Estonia, Cyprus, Luxembourg 6 6
Malta 5 6
TOTAL 748 751
Competences
• power of control over the Union's institutions
• budgetary power
• Limited (shared) legislative power
The European Council
• politically the most important institution
• comprises of the Heads of State or
Government of the Member States, President
of the Eu. Council, President of the
Commission
• no executive or legislative power, it only
defines the European Union’s main policy
agenda
The Council
• The Council ≠ Council of Europe ≠ European
Council
Configurations of the Council
General Affairs
Economic and Financial Affairs
External Relations
Cooperation in the fields of Justice and Home Affairs
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs
Transport, Telecommunications and Energy
Agriculture and Fisheries
Environment
Education, Youth and Culture
Competitiveness
COREPER and Presidency
• COREPER is responsible for preparing the work
of the Council, examines in advance all the
items on the agenda for a Council meeting
• Presidency - system of rotation with one
exception – external affairs
Voting – qualified majority
Germany, France, Italy, Great Britain 29
Poland, Spain 27
Romania 14
Netherlands 13
Belgium, Czechia, Hungary, Portugal, Greece 12
Austria, Sweden, Bulgary 10
Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Croatia 7
Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Slovenia 4
Malta 3
CELKEM 352
Big states - orange: 170 votes vs. Small states - blue: 175 votes
Qualified majority: 260
+ population(62%): not obligatory
+ more than 1/2 of all states : obligatory
New (post-Lisbon) qualified majority
• Majority of 55% of all MS
• And majority must represent at least 65% of
population
Competences of the Council
• budgetary authority
• Legislative competence
• Competence in external relations
The Commission
• true supranational body
• resembles a national government
• consists of one national of each Member State
(Commissioner) – independent!
• Competences:
– Power of control
– Implementing powers
– Executive powers
– Legislative competence
The European Central Bank
• responsible for the monetary policy of the
Eurozone
• main task is to maintain the price stability and
to implement the European monetary policy
• independent from any Union’s or national
institution
• main decision-making bodies
– Governing Council and
– the Executive Board
The Court of Auditors
• main task is to independently audit the
management of the EU property and the
performance of the Union budget
• consists of one national from each Member
State
• has the control power to examine the
accounts of all revenues and expenditures of
the whole European Union including all its
bodies, offices or agencies.