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. 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

3. Promoting the common interest
Three Key Players
The European
Commission
Promoting the common interest

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

5. The European Commission
promoting the common interest
Manages and implements
EU policies and budget
Guardian of the treaties
Negotiates trade agreements
Represents the EU on the
international stage
28 independent members, one from each EU country

6. Council of the European Union
EU’s main decision-making body, comprised of ministers of 28 Member States, representing each Member State’s point of view
Decides on foreign policy issues
Council presidency rotates among Member States every six months

7. 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

8. 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
Croatia, Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Finland 7
Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovenia 4
Malta 3
Total:
352
“Qualified majority” needed for many decisions: 260 votes and a majority of member states
From 2014: 55% of the Member States with 65% of the population

9. 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

10. The European Parliament voice of the people
Decides EU laws and budget together with Council of Ministers
Democratic supervision of all the EU’s work
Number of members elected in each country (July 2013)
Austria 19 6
Estonia
Italy 73
Portugal 22
Belgium 22
Finland 13 9
Latvia
Romania 33
Bulgaria 18
France 74
Lithuania 12 13
Slovakia
Croatia 12
Germany 99 6
Luxembourg
Slovenia 8
Cyprus 6
Greece 22
Malta 6 54
Spain
Czech Republic 22
Hungary 22
Netherlands 26
Sweden 20
Denmark 13 12
Ireland
Poland 51 72
United Kingdom
Total
766

11. The European Political Parties
Number of seats in the European Parliament per political group
(July 2013)
Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats for Europe 85
European People’s Party (Christian Democrats)
275
Greens/European Free Alliance 58
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
196
European Conservatives and Reformists 55
Europe of Freedom and Democracy 35
European United
Left - Nordic Green Left 34
Total : 766
Non-attached members 28

12. 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

13. 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
28 independent judges, one from each EU country

14. 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

15. Summit of the European Council
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

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

17. 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
28 Independent members

18. Civil servants working for the EU
The Commission employs about 23,000 permanent civil servants and 11,000 temporary or contract workers
Other EU institutions: about 10,000 employed
EU administration costs €15 per EU citizen per year