The Institutions of the European Union

The Institutions of the European Union

The European Commission:

Acts as the EU's executive arm. It proposes legislation, implements decisions, upholds the EU treaties, and manages the day-to-day business of the EU. It consists of one Commissioner from each member country, representing the interests of the EU as a whole.

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The European Parliament:

Represents EU citizens and is directly elected by them every five years. It consists of 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). It participates in the legislative process, works with the Council of the EU to adopt legislation, and has supervisory and budgetary responsibilities.

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The Council of the European Union:

Represents the governments of the EU member states. It shares legislative and budgetary powers with the European Parliament and coordinates policies among the member states.

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The European Council:

Defines the general political direction and priorities of the EU. It comprises the heads of state or government of the member states, along with its President and the President of the European Commission. It does not have legislative functions.

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The Court of Justice of the European Union:

Ensures EU law is interpreted and applied uniformly across all member states. It settles legal disputes between national governments and EU institutions. Individuals, companies, or organisations can also use it to take action against an EU institution.

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The European court of Auditors:

Ensures that the EU budget is correctly implemented. It checks that EU funds are collected and used legally, economically, and for the intended purposes. It acts as an independent external auditor.

*The Berlaymont is home to the European Commission in Brussels *