The European Union: Institutions

1
The European Union Institutions

• Aim To explain the institutional structure of
  the European Union (EU), including a brief
  outline of agreed institutional and
  procedural changes.

2
The European Union Institutions (cont.)

• What are the main EU institutions?

3
The European Union Institutions (cont.)

• Major institutions
• Council of Ministers
• European Commission
• European Parliament
• European Court of Justice

4
The European Union Institutions (cont.)

• Ancillary bodies
• Committee of Permanent Representatives
• Economic and Social Committee
• Committee of the Regions
• Court of First Instance
• European Investment Bank
• European Central Bank

5
Council of Ministers

• Composed of relevant government ministers of the
  member states
• Presidency of the Council changes every six
  months (Rotation principle)
• Country holding Presidency sets agenda
• Voting by unanimity-industry, taxation, RD
  programmes, regional and social funds
• Voting by qualified majority-agriculture,
  fisheries, the internal market, the environment,
  transport. 
• EU legislation can become community law against
  the wishes of the member states.

6
The European Council

• heads of governments of member states
• inter-governmental institution 
• composed of heads of member state governments
• President of Commission
• President of European Parliament 
• chaired by member state that holds Presidency of
  Council
• gives overall policy direction
• plays a key role in the development of the EU.

7
European Commission

• mixture between civil service and executive
  agency 
• initiates policy by submitting proposals to the
  Council
• implements measures adopted by the Council
• ensures that member states meet their obligations
• has powers to investigate breaches of EU law.
• governments nominate commissioners (20 in total)
• - 2 each from Germany, France, Italy Spain,
  UK.
• - other member states one each 

8
European Commission (cont.)

• split into Directorates General (DGs)
• commissioners appointed by member states but not
  responsible to them.
• in principle accountable to EP
• appointment of commissioners and President is
  subject to approval by EP
• Previous president (Jacques Santer) resigned due
  to allegations of mismanagement, fraud and
  nepotism
• Who is the current Commission President?

9
European Parliament

• directly elected by citizens of member states
• (since 1979) 
• number of Members of the European Parliament
  (MEPs) depends on population of member state
• How many MEPs has UK/Ireland?

10
European Parliament (cont.)

• 626 members (MEPs)elected for five year term
• can dismiss Commissioners
• can refuse to approve budget
• monitors activities of Commission 
• Council of Ministers not accountable to EP 
• influence of EP has been successively increased
  by SEA and TEU (Maastricht Treaty)
• 1999 European elections voter turnout 47
  (all-time low)

11
European Court of Justice

• responsible for interpreting Community law
• makes judgements when there are disputes
• national courts must accept its judgements  
• 15 judges, appointed by member states 
• most supranational of all institutions
• - not accountable to national governments
• - decisions influence national law

12
Ancillary bodies

• Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper)
• consists of member states ambassadors to EC
• responsible for preparing agenda of Council
  meetings
• matters which cannot be agreed upon by Council
  are referred back to it

13
Ancillary bodies (cont.)

• Economic and Social Committee (ESC)
• 222 members representing employers, trade unions,
  consumer groups etc
• no executive powers
• can express opinions on proposed legislation
• represents sectoral interests
• Committee of the Regions
• 222 representatives of regional and local bodies
• limited advisory powers in legislation concerning
  health, education, culture and regional policy
• represents regional interests

14
Ancillary bodies (cont.)

• Court of First Instance
• established in 1989 in support of European Court
  of Justice
• deals with appeals in many areas
• European Investment Bank
• provides finance for projects in structurally
  weak regions of the EU
• also supports countries with EU association
  agreements

15
Ancillary bodies (cont.)

• European Central Bank (ECB)
• took over from European Monetary Institute with
  the launch of the euro on 1/01/1999
• based in Frankfurt/Main
• responsible for monetary policy throughout
  euro-zone
• completely independent of national governments
• Who is the current president of the ECB?

16
Ancillary bodies (cont.)

• Court of Auditors
•  
• audits expenditure carried out on behalf of the
  EU
• may involve investigating national governments
•  

17
Current Issues

• Institutional Reform
• Treaty of Nice (2000) contains proposals for
  institutional and procedural change
• enlargement necessitates reforms
• aim to simplify procedures

18
Institutional Reform (cont.)

• Areas affected by Nice Treaty
• qualified majority voting
• number /weighting of votes in Council of
  Ministers
• Commission
• European Parliament
• Enhanced co-operation

19
Institutional Reform (cont.)

• Qualified majority voting
• - extended to appr. 30 new areas
• Council of Ministers
• - closer correlation between size of population
  and number of votes
• - Larger states nearly tripled their number of
  votes
• - aim larger member states to maintain their
  current level of influence

20
Institutional Reform (cont.)

• The Commission
• no second commissioner for larger member states
• powers of future Commission President enhanced
  (e. g. in appointment and possible dismissal of
  Commissioners)
• provision for increase in the number of
  Commissioners to 27

21
Institutional Reform (cont.)

• European Parliament
• - provision for increase in the number of MEPs
  to 728.
• Enhanced co-operation
• - groups of eight or more members to proceed
  with closer integration, provided other member
  states are permitted to join later

22
Summary

• Major institutions
• Council of Ministers
• European Commission
• European Parliament
• European Court of Justice
• Ancillary bodies
• Coreper, Economic and Social Committee,
  Committee of the Regions, Court of First
  Instance,
• European Investment Bank, European Central Bank
• Reform of institutions and procedures

23
Answers

• Who is the current Commission President?
• Romano Prodi (Italy)
• How many MEPs has UK/Ireland?
• UK 87
• Ireland 15
• Who is the current president of the ECB?
• Wim Duisenberg (Netherlands)