Concluding a trade agreement requires most of the EU institutions. The European Union has managed a thicket of external and internal crises in recent years, including mass migration and Brexit. What are the central institutions of the Union and what role do they play? Today, the EU is a powerful player on the world stage, but the complexity of its many institutions can often be confusing. Here is an overview of what the EU is and how it works. Institutions are not concentrated in a single capital; Instead, its headquarters are spread over four cities: Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg and Frankfurt. The current system was approved in 1992 and annexed to the Treaty of Amsterdam. [36] The Treaty provides that the Commission and the Council have their seat in Brussels, the courts in Luxembourg City and the Parliament in Strasbourg. However, some meetings of the Commission and Council services are held in Luxembourg, while Parliament holds its committees and meetings in Brussels and its secretariat in Luxembourg City. Among the new institutions, the Central Bank has its headquarters in Frankfurt[37], while the European Council has its headquarters in Brussels (but also holds some extraordinary meetings elsewhere). [38] The EU`s legislative role is exercised by 3 institutions: there are a number of other EU institutions with more specialised tasks.
These include the following: The institutional structure of the European Union is unique and its decision-making system is constantly evolving. The 7 European institutions, the 7 EU bodies and more than 30 decentralised agencies are spread across the EU. They work together to take into account the common interests of the EU and European citizens. The Court of Auditors audits the accounts and budgets of the EU institutions. The EDPS ensures that EU institutions and bodies respect individuals` right to privacy when processing their personal data. The work of these 4 main EU institutions, which cover the EU`s legislative and executive tasks, is complemented by the work of 3 other EU institutions: the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank and the European Court of Auditors. These 3 institutions are responsible for managing the justice, financial and external audit aspects in the European Union. The 4 main EU institutions, with their different functions, work closely together to set the EU agenda and to initiate and coordinate EU legislation. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel disagree on the role and expansion of the EU institutions. Divisions have also arisen over investments in critical infrastructure by companies like Huawei and other Chinese companies, and the bloc`s response to the rapid spread of a novel coronavirus has put European unity to the test. In addition to the seven official EU institutions, the bloc has dozens of other bodies – agencies, committees, offices, foundations, schools and banks.
They usually carry out research, make recommendations, carry out administrative tasks or contribute to the implementation of EU policies. There are also political and economic regulations that involve some, but not all, EU countries. There are many other EU specialised institutions, which are briefly described below under the heading “Other EU institutions”. Other tasks include representing the EU in international organisations, promoting the Union`s foreign policy and conducting trade negotiations. The Commission also contributes to the application of the EU Treaties by initiating disputes with the Court of Justice. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) is the EU`s highest judicial authority that interprets EU law and settles disputes. The CJEU consists of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which clarifies EU law for national courts and rules on alleged violations by Member States, and the Court, which hears a wide range of cases brought by individuals and organisations against EU institutions. Finally, several other bodies operating or based in Europe are often mistakenly considered eu institutions. There are currently more than 30 decentralised agencies.
They have their own legal personality, are established for an indefinite period and are separate from the EU institutions. The inclusion of institutions in Brussels has made it an important centre for the EU. With NATO, it has attracted more journalists and ambassadors than Washington, DC. [39] However, the Three Cities Agreement has been criticized, especially with regard to parliament, as many people move between cities. The European Greens estimated that the deal would cost €200 million and 20,268 tonnes of carbon dioxide. [40] Brussels is favoured by some because of the presence of other institutions and groups, while Strasbourg is supported because of its historical importance for European unity. [41] Cedefop helps EU institutions and organisations to develop and respond to vocational training needs. As you have noticed, the video suggests interdependencies between institutions. We will look at them in more detail and analyse the role of each institution separately so that you understand how they work. We will also look at the internal structure to identify the main players. At the end of the unit, you should go back to the table below and rethink how the EU institutions work.
The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union are the three central legislative bodies of the European Union and are often referred to as the “institutional triangle” of the EU. These are not the only institutions that play a role in the EU`s decision-making process, but they are the three most important. Decentralised agencies contribute to the implementation of EU policies. They also support cooperation between the EU and national governments by pooling expertise and technical and technical knowledge between EU institutions and national authorities. There are seven official EU institutions that can be grouped roughly according to their executive, legislative, judicial and financial functions. CERT-EU tackles threats to the IT systems of the EU institutions, supports the IT security teams of each EU institution and cooperates with relevant CERT public sector bodies in EU countries. One important thing to remember about these three institutions is that they represent different interests in the EU bureaucracy. EPSO is the EU`s selection office. It organises competitions for the recruitment of candidates for the EU institutions and agencies. The powers, competences and procedures of the EU institutions are defined in the EU`s founding treaties: the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (1957) and the Treaty on European Union (1992). More recently, the Treaty of Lisbon (2007) introduced certain changes and additions to its competences.
The European Commission has created 6 executive agencies for a limited period of time to carry out specific tasks related to EU programmes. These executive agencies, which are legal entities, work on Commission initiatives ranging from health and education to innovation and research. The European School of Administration provides training in specific areas to EU staff and works closely with the training services of all institutions to avoid duplication. Its work is complemented by other institutions and bodies, including: The main European institutions are: the European Council, the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament. Other institutions include the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Central Bank, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Court of Auditors. More information about the European institutions can be found on the official website of the European Union here. The offices of these institutions are located throughout the EU, with offices in Brussels, Frankfurt, Luxembourg City and Strasbourg. There are other EU institutions that we should also take into account: the first institutions were created in the early 1950s with the creation of the ECSC on the basis of the Schuman Declaration between six countries.
The ECSC was to place the markets for coal and steel, materials necessary for war, under the control of a supranational authority in order to promote peace and economic development. He created the first institutions. It was at its heart an independent executive called the High Authority with supranational powers over the Community. Laws promulgated by the authority would be observed by a court to ensure that they are respected and to arbitrate. [6] The Publications Office of the European Union is the official provider of publishing services for all EU institutions, bodies and agencies. As such, it is the single point of access to EU law, publications, open data, search results, records and other official information. These EU institutions form a complex web of powers and mutual supervision. The European Ombudsman is an independent and impartial body that holds the EU institutions and agencies accountable and promotes good administration.
The Ombudsman helps individuals, businesses and organisations that have problems with the EU by investigating complaints of maladministration and proactively investigating broader systemic issues.
