1. THE EUROPEAN UNION Lesson 5
How does the structure of government within the EU compare with the structure of government in the United States?

2. Promoting the common interest
Three key players
The European
Commission
Promoting the common interest

3. The EU Institutions European Council (Summit) European Parliament
Council of the EU
European Commission
Court of Justice
Court of Auditors
Committee of the Regions
Economic and Social Committee
European Investment Bank
European Central Bank
Agencies

4. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso
27 Commissioners, each responsible for specific policy areas, representing the common European perspective.
Proposes legislation and enforces laws.
Negotiates trade agreements.
Manages Europe’s multilateral development cooperation.
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso

5. Council of the European Union
EU’s main decision-making body, comprised of ministers of 27 Member States, representing each Member State’s point of view.
Decides on foreign policy issues.
Council presidency rotates among Member States every six months.

6. European Parliament Voice of European citizens.
Members elected for five-year terms.
With the Council, passes EU laws and adopts EU budgets.
Approves EU Commissioners.

7. European Court of Justice
Highest EU judicial authority.
Ensures all EU laws are interpreted and applied correctly and uniformly.
Can act as an independent policy maker but unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, the ECJ can only deal with matters covered by the Treaties.

8. How EU laws are made
Citizens, interest groups, experts: discuss, consult
Commission: makes formal proposal
Parliament and Council of Ministers: decide jointly
National or local authorities: implement
Commission and Court of Justice:
monitor implementation

9. The European Parliament
Decides EU laws and budget together with Council of the European Union
Provides democratic supervision of all the EU’s work
Number of members elected in each country (January 2010) 17
Austria
Finland 13
Latvia 8
Romania 33
Belgium 22
France 72
Lithuania 12
Slovakia 13
Bulgaria 17
Germany 99
Luxembourg 6
Slovenia 7
Cyprus 6
Greece 22
Malta 5 50
Spain 22
Czech Republic
Hungary 22
Netherlands 25
Sweden 18
Denmark 13
Ireland 12
Poland 50
United Kingdom 72 6
Estonia
Italy 72
Portugal 22
Total
736

10. The European Political Parties
Number of seats in the European Parliament per political group
(January 2010)
Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats for Europe 84
European People’s Party (Christian Democrats)
265
Greens/European Free Alliance 55
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Socialists and Democrats Democrats
184
European Conservatives and Reformists 54
Europe of Freedom and Democracy 32
European United
Left - Nordic Green Left 35
Total : 736
Non-attached members 27

11. Council of the European Union voice of the member states
One minister from each EU country
Presidency: rotates every six months
Decides EU laws and budget together with Parliament
Manages the common foreign and security policy

12. Council of the European Union number of votes per country
Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom 29
Spain and Poland 27
Romania 14
Netherlands 13
Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary and Portugal 12
Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden 10
Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Finland 7
Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovenia 4
Malta 3
Total:
345
“Qualified majority” needed for many decisions: 255 votes and a majority of member states
From 2014: 55% of the Member States with 65% of the population

13. Summit of the European Council
Summit of heads of state and government of all EU countries
Held at least 4 times a year
Sets the overall guidelines for EU policies
President: Herman Van Rompuy

14. The European Commission
promoting the common interest
Proposes new legislation
Manages and implements
EU policies and budget
Guardian of the treaties
Represents the EU on the
international stage
27 independent members, one from each EU country

15. The European Court of Justice
upholding the law
Rules on how to interpret EU law
Ensures EU countries apply EU laws in the same way
27 independent judges, one from each EU country

16. The European Court of Auditors getting value for your money
Checks that EU funds are
used properly
Can audit any person or
organization dealing with
EU funds
27 Independent members

17. The European Central Bank
managing the euro
Ensures price stability
Controls money supply and decides interest rates
Works independently from governments

18. Civil servants working for the EU
Commission employs about 23,000 permanent civil servants and 11,000 temporary or contract workers

19. Other EU institutions about 10,000 employed
Permanent civil servants
Selected by open competitions
Come from all EU countries
Salaries decided by law
EU administration costs €15 per EU citizen per year