The Institution The Institution of the European Unionof the European UnionThe Institution The Institution of the European Unionof the European UnionLenka KaderováLenka Kaderová

ContentContent

ExecutiveExecutive European CommissionEuropean Commission

LegislatureLegislature Council of the European UnionCouncil of the European Union European ParliamentEuropean Parliament

JudiciaryJudiciary European Court of JusticeEuropean Court of Justice European court of AuditorsEuropean court of Auditors

Non-institutional bodiesNon-institutional bodies European CouncilEuropean Council European Central BankEuropean Central Bank European Investment BankEuropean Investment Bank Economic and Social CommitteeEconomic and Social Committee Committee of the RegionsCommittee of the Regions

European CommissionEuropean Commission the Commission of the European Communitiesthe Commission of the European CommunitiesEuropean CommissionEuropean Commission

the Commission of the European Communitiesthe Commission of the European Communities

Established in 1950´s (ECSC)Established in 1950´s (ECSC) OOne of the three main ne of the three main iinstitutionsnstitutions AActs as an executive or civil service cts as an executive or civil service

of sortsof sorts ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities::

power of initiative in “first pillar“power of initiative in “first pillar“ guardian of the treatiesguardian of the treaties negotiates international trade agreements (WTO)negotiates international trade agreements (WTO) regulates competition in the Unionregulates competition in the Union monitors member statesmonitors member states

Berlaymont in Brussels

European CommissionEuropean Commission the Commission of the European Communitiesthe Commission of the European Communities

Election every five yearElection every five year The current Commission will serve till The current Commission will serve till

November 2009November 2009 PresidentPresident

nominated by nominated by the European Councilthe European Council officially elected by the European Parliamentofficially elected by the European Parliament José Manuel Durão BarrosoJosé Manuel Durão Barroso

CommissionersCommissioners are appointed by the member-states are appointed by the member-states namend by the namend by the Council of the European Union and the Council of the European Union and the

European Parliament European Parliament act in European interestsact in European interests only 8 of the current 27 Commissioners are womenonly 8 of the current 27 Commissioners are women

José Manuel Durão BarrosoJosé Manuel Durão Barroso

Vladimír Špidla

Council of the EUCouncil of the EU Council of MinistersCouncil of Ministers

Council of the EUCouncil of the EU Council of MinistersCouncil of Ministers

The legislative arm of the EUThe legislative arm of the EU DDivided into several different ivided into several different

councilscouncils (Economic and Financial Affairs, Agriculture (Economic and Financial Affairs, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Fisheries, Justice and Home Affairs CouncilJustice and Home Affairs Council,..),..)

Generally the Council meetsGenerally the Council meets 1 in a 1 in a monthmonth

The presidency is held for six months The presidency is held for six months by each Member Stateby each Member State (Germany then (Germany then Portugal, CR in 2009)Portugal, CR in 2009)

The number of votes each Member The number of votes each Member State can cast is set by the TreatiesState can cast is set by the Treaties (Germany,UK,.. – 29; CR, Belgium,.. – 12)(Germany,UK,.. – 29; CR, Belgium,.. – 12)The Justus Lipsius Building

Council of the EUCouncil of the EU Council of MinistersCouncil of Ministers

Council of the EUCouncil of the EU Council of MinistersCouncil of Ministers

HHas a Presidentas a President Minister of the state currently holding the Minister of the state currently holding the

Presidency of the Council of the EUPresidency of the Council of the EU (Germany) (Germany) Frank-Walter SteinmeierFrank-Walter Steinmeier

Has a Secretary-GeneralHas a Secretary-General HHead of the Council Secretariatead of the Council Secretariat CChosen by the member states by unanimityhosen by the member states by unanimity SServes as the High Representative for the erves as the High Representative for the

Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Javier SolanaJavier Solana

Ministers usually belong to national Ministers usually belong to national parties – European political partiesparties – European political parties European People's PartyEuropean People's Party European Liberal Democrat and Reform PartyEuropean Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Alliance for Europe of the NationsAlliance for Europe of the Nations

HHas a Presidentas a President Minister of the state currently holding the Minister of the state currently holding the

Presidency of the Council of the EUPresidency of the Council of the EU (Germany) (Germany) Frank-Walter SteinmeierFrank-Walter Steinmeier

Has a Secretary-GeneralHas a Secretary-General HHead of the Council Secretariatead of the Council Secretariat CChosen by the member states by unanimityhosen by the member states by unanimity SServes as the High Representative for the erves as the High Representative for the

Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Javier SolanaJavier Solana

Ministers usually belong to national Ministers usually belong to national parties – European political partiesparties – European political parties European People's PartyEuropean People's Party European Liberal Democrat and Reform PartyEuropean Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Alliance for Europe of the NationsAlliance for Europe of the Nations

Frank-Walter SteinmeierFrank-Walter Steinmeier Javier Solana

European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentParliamentParliament

European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentParliamentParliament

Forms the legislative branch together with the Forms the legislative branch together with the Council Council

Responsibilities:Responsibilities: Legislative powerLegislative power

– codetermination about EU laws and directive introduced codetermination about EU laws and directive introduced by the Comissionby the Comission

Budget powerBudget power– controls the EU budgetcontrols the EU budget– must be approved by the Council in order to become lawmust be approved by the Council in order to become law

Control powerControl power– monitors all activities of the EUmonitors all activities of the EU– controls a nomination of the Commissioncontrols a nomination of the Commission– Protection of Human Rights – appoints the European Protection of Human Rights – appoints the European

OmbudsmanOmbudsman Political powerPolitical power

– Still grows upStill grows up– Cooperate with the Council – all foreign policy, new Cooperate with the Council – all foreign policy, new

members of the EU,…members of the EU,…Strasbourg seat of EP The EP in Brussels

European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentParliamentParliament

European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentParliamentParliament

HHas a number of governing bodiesas a number of governing bodies,, committees, committees, and delegations to external bodiesand delegations to external bodies

President President ▪▪ QuaestorQuaestor Vice-Presidents Vice-Presidents ▪▪ Conference of Committee ChairmenConference of Committee Chairmen Bureau Bureau ▪▪ Conference of Delegation ChairmenConference of Delegation Chairmen Conference of Presidents Conference of Presidents ▪▪ Political GroupsPolitical Groups

President of the European ParliamentPresident of the European Parliament presides plenary sittings and the meetings of the Bureau and presides plenary sittings and the meetings of the Bureau and

Conference of PresidentsConference of Presidents represents EP in all external relations, international relationsrepresents EP in all external relations, international relations Hans-Gert Pöttering (Germany) – elected by MEPsHans-Gert Pöttering (Germany) – elected by MEPs

MEPs MEPs –– Members of the European ParliamentMembers of the European Parliament elected every 5 years by universal adult suffrageelected every 5 years by universal adult suffrage currently 785 MEPs – after next election 736 currently 785 MEPs – after next election 736 sseats are allocated to member-states according to their populationeats are allocated to member-states according to their population

Political groupsPolitical groups must consist of 20 MEPs from must consist of 20 MEPs from 6 6 different member statesdifferent member states chairschairs ( (Conference of PresidentsConference of Presidents)) –– issues issues to to deal with at the plenary deal with at the plenary European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP-ED)European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP-ED), , Group of the Group of the

Party of European SocialistsParty of European Socialists, , European Greens–European Free European Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens-EFA)Alliance (Greens-EFA), …, …

Hans-Gert Pöttering

The EP groups as of January 1, 2007

Logo of the EP

European Court of JusticeEuropean Court of JusticeThe Court of Justice of the European CommunitiesThe Court of Justice of the European Communities

The highest court of the EUThe highest court of the EU Common sentences:Common sentences:

Claims by the Commission Claims by the Commission – MS – MS has not implemented a EU has not implemented a EU Directive or other legal requirementDirective or other legal requirement

Claims by Claims by MSMS -- the Commission has exceeded its authority the Commission has exceeded its authority References from national courts in the EU – question about References from national courts in the EU – question about

the meaning or validity of a particular piece of EU lawthe meaning or validity of a particular piece of EU law Organization:Organization:

PresidentPresident (3 years) (3 years)– directs the judicial business and administration of the Courtdirects the judicial business and administration of the Court– selected by the Judgesselected by the Judges, , Vassilios Skouris (Greece)Vassilios Skouris (Greece)

27 Judges27 Judges– nominated by each member statenominated by each member state

8 Advocates General (6 years)8 Advocates General (6 years)– assist with each case and deliver their opinions on questionsassist with each case and deliver their opinions on questions

Registry Registry – hhelp the President and the Judges in all their official functionelp the President and the Judges in all their official function

Assistant RapporteursAssistant Rapporteurs– assist the Presidentassist the President and the Judges and the Judges

Vassilios SkourisSeat in Luxembourg

Logo of ECJ

European court of AuditorsEuropean court of Auditors

Established in 1975Established in 1975 (Budgetary Treaty)(Budgetary Treaty)

one member from each EU countryone member from each EU country appointed by the Council for appointed by the Council for 66 years years chosen for their competence and independencechosen for their competence and independence work full-time for the Courtwork full-time for the Court elect one of them as a President elect one of them as a President

- Hubert Weber (Austria)- Hubert Weber (Austria) Functions:Functions:

ccheckheckss that the EU budget is correctly that the EU budget is correctly installedinstalled investigates the paperwork of any investigates the paperwork of any organizationorganization

handling EU income or expenditurehandling EU income or expenditure helphelpss the budgetary authority (EP the budgetary authority (EP, , Council) Council) - - presenpresentsts

every year a report on the previous financial yearevery year a report on the previous financial year gives an opinion before the EU's financial regulations gives an opinion before the EU's financial regulations

are adoptedare adopted

Seat of ECA in Luxembourg Hubert Weber

European CouncilEuropean CouncilEuropean SummitEuropean Summit

European CouncilEuropean CouncilEuropean SummitEuropean Summit

NNot currently recognised as an ot currently recognised as an official institution official institution (with no specific authority)(with no specific authority)

TThe supreme political body of the he supreme political body of the EUEU givgiveses the Union its general policy direction the Union its general policy direction

Members Members the the heads of state or government of the heads of state or government of the

member-states member-states President – Angela Merkel (Germany)President – Angela Merkel (Germany)

MMeeting 4 timeseeting 4 times a yeara yearAngela Merkel

European Central BankEuropean Central BankEuropean Central BankEuropean Central Bank Responsible for the monetary policy Responsible for the monetary policy

within the Eurozone (13 states) within the Eurozone (13 states) to maintain price stabilityto maintain price stability to keep inflation lowto keep inflation low to support the economic policiesto support the economic policies – – employment employment

and economic growthand economic growth

Established in 1998 Established in 1998 SSeat is in Frankfurt (Germany)eat is in Frankfurt (Germany) Government:Government:

President (8 years) Jean-Claude Trichet President (8 years) Jean-Claude Trichet Board of directorsBoard of directors Board of governors (members of the board of Board of governors (members of the board of

directors and representatives of the local central directors and representatives of the local central banks within the ESCB)banks within the ESCB)

ECB tower in Frankfurt Jean-Claude Trichet

Logo of ECB

European Investment BankEuropean Investment Bank

TThe EU's financing institutionhe EU's financing institution Non-profit-making Non-profit-making FFinanced through borrowing on the inanced through borrowing on the

financial markets and by the Bank’s financial markets and by the Bank’s shareholders shareholders (MS of the EU)(MS of the EU)

Provide financing for:Provide financing for: particular regional developmentparticular regional development Trans-European Networks of transportTrans-European Networks of transport telecommunications and energytelecommunications and energy research, development and innovationresearch, development and innovation environmental improvement and environmental improvement and

protectionprotection health and educationhealth and education

Seat of the EIB in Luxembourg

Logo of the EIB

Advisory CommitteesAdvisory CommitteesAdvisory CommitteesAdvisory Committees The Economic and Social CommitteeThe Economic and Social Committee

AAdvises on economic and social policy (relations dvises on economic and social policy (relations between workers and employers) between workers and employers)

Members (Members (344344))– representatives of various industries and work sectors representatives of various industries and work sectors – appointed by the Council appointed by the Council (4 (4 yearyear))– 33 groups groups - - employers, employeesemployers, employees,, various interests various interests– ppresident is Dimitris Dimitriadisresident is Dimitris Dimitriadis

The Committee of the RegionsThe Committee of the Regions No No powers of its own it powers of its own it - m- must be consulted by the ust be consulted by the

Council and Commission on various mattersCouncil and Commission on various matters Advises Advises on regional issueson regional issues Members (344)Members (344)

– representative of regional and local authoritiesrepresentative of regional and local authorities– appointed by the Councilappointed by the Council (4 yeats) (4 yeats)– organised in political groups organised in political groups – president is Michel Delebarrepresident is Michel Delebarre

Dimitris Dimitriadis

Michel Delebarre

Logo of thLogo of the e EEEESCSC Logo of the CoR

THE ENDTHE END

Thank you for your attention!!!Thank you for your attention!!!