European Union Institutions
European Economics Topic 2 European Union Institutions Forms of community legsilation
Primary legislation consists of the treaties of theEuropean Union. Secondary legislation consists of regulations, directives,decisions, recommendations and opinions. Main traties: Treaty of Rome ( 1957,), Maastricht Treaty (1992) Treatiesthat amends the main treaties: Nisa Treaty, Amsterdam Treaty, Sigle European Act Treaties that reglemets specific areas: ECSC European Union Institutions
The BIG -5 Institutions: European Parliament, European Council, Council of the European Union, European Commission, European Court of Justice Institutions responsible for the financing and coordination of macroeconomic policies European Central Bank, European Investment Bank. Consultative Organisms: European Economic and Social Committee, (EESC), Committee of the Regions (CoR) European Commission Considered to be the heart of the EUs institutionalstructure. The main driving force behind the Europeanintegration. Supports EU interests as a whole. European Commission European Commission Role Executive Established
1958 President From 1st November 2014 Jean Claude Juncker Commissions composition 28 commissioners (one commissioner from each member state). Staff Approximately (2011) Official languages English, French, German European Commission Main roles:
Propose legislation to the Council andParliament (Legislative Initiator); Administer and implement EU policies (Roleof manager); Provide surveillance and enforcement of theEU law in coordination with the EuropeanCourt (Guardian of the Treaties); Act as international mediator in externalnegotiations (Single mediator). European Commission Each commissioner is responsible for theadministration of a specific area of EU policies. Commissioners are elected for a 5 years period,including the President. Commissioner are independent of their homegovernments. Commission staff is organized into two departmentsknown as Directorates General" (DGs) and"services. European Commison Roles
European Commission European Commison Roles Legislative powers Main duty to prepare proposals for new EU decisions. Neither the Council nor the Parliament cannot adopt a legislation until the Commission presents its proposal. Executive powers In what concerns the competition policy, Common Agricultural Policy, management of the EU budget. Decision making Simple majority principle. European Commission Limits:
Does not adopt the final decisions in what concerns theEU policies and priorities. Council of the European Union
The EUs main decision- making body. Consists of onerepresentative from eachEU member. The institution wheremember statesgovernments assert theirinfluence most directly. Council of the European Union
Roles: Adopt new EU laws (directives, regulations). Coordinating the general economic policies ofthe member states in the context of theEconomic and Monetary Union. Decisions regarding the Common Foreign andSecurity Policy. Adopts the EU budget along with the EuropeanParliament. Council of the European Union
Decision making rules: Unanimity treaty changes, the accession of newmember states, setting multi-year budget plan. Qualified majority voting (QMV) regardinginternal market, economic policies coordination.(About 80% of all Council Decisions). Simple majority decisions regarding internalprocedures. Starting with 2014 was introduced a new decisionmaking rule voting with double majority. Council of the European Union
Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom: 29 votes 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 andFinland: 7 Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg and Slovenia: 4 Malta: 3 TOTAL: 352 European Council Does not have formal role in the process of decisionmaking. The most influential institution. President: Donald Tusk Consists of the leaders of each EU member (heads of statesand governments) plus the President of the EuropeanCommission. Most important decisions of each precidency contained in adocument known as the Conclusions of the Presidency. Meets at least twice a year (June and December). Roles: Broad guidelines for EU policies Reforms of EU policies, treaty changes, final terms ofenlargements. Council of Europe vs. European Council and the Council of the European Union
Council of Europe European Council and the Council ofthe European Union International organization that has as main objective the protection and development of common values and social and economic issues in Europe. Unrelated with the EU. European Parliament Represents the only institution whosemember s are elected directly by universalvote by the EU citizens. Represents the interests of EU citizens. Location: Strasbourg. European Parliament Main tasks:
Sharing legislative powers with theCouncil of Ministers and theCommission; (co-decision procedure). Overseeing all EU institutions, butespecially the Commission. Budgetary roles: Adopts the EU budgetalong with the Council of the EuropeanUnion. European Court of Justice
Location: Luxembourg Founded by the treaty regardingthe (ECSC) in 1952. Primary objective: Ensure thecorrect interpretation andimplementation of the treaties. Principles: Direct Effect; Direct Applicability; Primacy of EU law overnational law. European Economic and Social Committee
The European Economic and Social Committee wasestablished in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome. Formed by therepresentatives of Europe's employers,workers and other interest groups. Role: gives Europe's interest groups a formal say onEU legislative proposals European Economic and Social Committee
Members: Germany, France, Italy, UK 24 members Spain, Poland 21 members Romania 15 members: Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, Austria,Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria 12members: Denmark, Ireland, Croatia, Finland, Lithuania, Slovakia 9members Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia 7 members Luxemburg, Cyprus 6 members Malta 5 members Committee of the Regions
Role: put forward local and regional points of view onEU legislation. The Committee of the Regions currently has 353members (and as many alternate members) from all 28EU countries. Supra-national Institutions vs. National Institutions (Comparison)
European Union Romania Legislative power European Commission European Parliament Council of the European Union Parliament Executive power Government President Judicial power European Court of Justice Judicial authority European Union Institutions
The Council of the European Union Represents the interest of the member states European Parliament Represents the interests of EU citizens Co-decison European Commission Protects the interest of the member states Legislative processes
The codecision procedure A law can be adopted at first reading if the Council and EP agree. (About 50% of the legislation is adopted at first reading. If at the second reading the Council can not accept this proposal it goes to committee of reconciliation. If the committee approves the proposal it is submitted again for approval to the Council and the EP. On contrary the proposal is not adopted. The consultation procedure CAP- Periodic price fixing agreements Legislative processes
The assent procedure Decison concerning enlargements, international agreements, coordination of structural funds. The cooperation procedure Mostly used before the introduction of the co-decision procedure.