Constitutions and bodies. Flashcards
What does The European Council do?
Draws up guidelines. It doesn’t have any legislative power. It consists of the Heads of State or Government of the Member States together with its President and the President of the Commission. They meet at least two times every six months, but its president can call for a special meeting if so is necessary. Depending on the treaty they are deciding about, they take decisions by consensus, either unanimity or by qualified majority. This qualified majority means that they have to have at least 55%, including 15 countries with at least 65% of the total population in Europe.
What does The Commission do?
It proposes legislations to the European parliament and the council of the european union. They ensure that the EU law is followed by the member states. The most common reason for them to propose a law is that a new treaty has been signed, that needs certain legislative actions to be taken. They can also propose a law if a member state asks them to, or if a European citizen asks them to. (European Citizen’s Initiative).
What does The European Parliament do?
The European Parliament have gained more power over the recent years, and is now almost always included in the legislative process. Together with the council, they adopts or amends proposals put forward by the commission. The Parliament also supervises the work of the Commission. There are 751 seats, and they are distributed between the members unfairly in proportion to the size of the population in the countries. They are divided in to different political groups depending on what kind of politics that they represent. If a party is not a part of a group, they cannot debate issues and cannot be a part of any committee.
What does The Council of the EU do?
This is where the different ministers meet, hence the informal name, The council of ministers. They meet several times per week, but different ministers go there depending on the matter being issued. The Council of the European Union together with the European parliament makes all the decisions. They take decisions either by majority vote, qualified majority or unanimous vote depending on the decision.
What does The Court of Justice do?
They settle disputes between different EU bodies. They see that member states follow the laws passed by the EP and the Council of the EU.
What does The Court of Auditors do?
To ensure that EU taxpayers get maximum value for their money, the Court of Auditors has the right to check (‘audit’) any person or organisation handling EU funds. The Court frequently carries out on-the-spot checks. Its findings are written up in reports submitted to the Commission and EU national governments.
What does The Economic and Social Comittee do?
Representatives of Europe’s employers, workers and other interest groups can express their views on EU issues through the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). It is a consultative assembly, issuing opinions to the larger institutions – in particular the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament.
What does The Regional Committee do?
The Committee of the Regions is an advisory body representing local and regional authorities in the European Union.
