EU institutional triangle

Question 1

EUROPEAN COMISSION COMPOSITION

Answer 1

office = 5 years
MS 27
Comissioners with portfolios
Cabinet support
Directorates-general (DG’S) - civil servents implement EU policies. Report to the comissionners.

Elections ;
Pres ; eu election then EU council ! put forward candidate (qualified majority), then parliament vote
Commissioners ; By country approved by council, vote consent parliament (3h)- Eu council appoints them
Eu council appoints qualified majority high representative of the union for foreign afairs and security policy (contrary to others) then pres agree or not - this is also a position for vice pres in comission

Question 2

EU COMISSION NOW ?

Answer 2

Pres : Ursula Von Der Leyen
Ambition “union that strives for more”
6 priorities :
- A European Green deal
- A Europe fit for the digital age
( digital sovereignty and set standards rather than following those of others)
- An economy that works for people (investment, growth )
The Eu must create a more attractive investment environment, and growth that creates quality jobs, especially for young people and small businesses.
- A stronger Europe in the world (champion)

• Promoting our European way of life (justice)
• A new push for European democracy (disinformation - conferences)

Question 3

Functionning and powers of EU comission

Answer 3

Collective decision making
Right of initiatives (sole inititator of EU law)
Guardian of treaties (primary and secondary legislation)
Regulatory (directive and decisions) vs consultative powers (recommendations -reports and opinion)
Economic and monetary policy (but limited initiative bc council adress the recommendations)
COmmon foreign and security policy (not the leader tho)

Question 4

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT COMPOSITION

Answer 4

• It is a co-legislator and the voice of people of the EU
• More than 1 seat (12 plenary sitting per annum in Strasbourg France, additional are held in Brussels, and the EP secretariat general and backup office is in Strasbourg.
• The only directly elected EU institutions
• Members of the parliament (MEP) are elected per renewable 5 years and there are 750 plus 1 president so 751.
• Each are selected in their own country of origin and the MS decides the procedure
• Each Member states as a number of MEP based on size of its population. (Min 6 max 96)

organisation and operation governed by the rules of procedures of the Eu parliament

Pres : elected among its members for 2 year term
comittee and delegation : same as pres

Plenary: It’s the place to debate and vote, the EC and council take part to facilitate cooperation.

Voting: Basis of simple majority (majority of the vote cast or qualified majority) (353 out of 705 votes in plenary if talking about qualified majority)

On the number of procedural issues in the EP, thresholds apply (low means 1/20 of EP component members, medium means 1/10, high means 1/5)

EP political bodies :

• Bureau (pres and 14 vice-pres)
  (Meets 2 month, appoints the secretary general and deals with like organisational and administrative matters and draft budget. )
• Conference of president
  EP pres and leader of political groups. Maintaining relations and legislative planning. Twice a month, plans agenda for plenaries and timetable.
• College of Quaestors (5 MEP elected)
  Administrative and financial business of MEP, once a month
• Conference of committee chairs (standing and temporary committee)
  The CCC ensure coordination between committee and recommendations for plenary agenda who works on what (in the committee)
• Conference of delegation chairs
  Ensure that all delegations are working efficiently and coordination with other structures of EP
• General secretariat (legal service and 12 directorates general)
  Held by secretary general and employs 4000 civil servants. Organize plenary sittings and meetings and like all sort of technical support.

Question 5

PARLIAMENT POWERS BABY

Answer 5

Co-legislator
Consultative body (only some areas like tax and competition - formulate opinion but council don’t have to take their opinion in account)
Consent procedure
Right of initiative (can ask EC to put forward a proposal)
Power of scurtiny

Question 6

PARLIAMENT PG

Answer 6

POLITICAL GROUP

The elected members of the European parliament decide at the beginning of a new parliamentary term which European political group they will join, based on their political affinity. They can only be part of 1 group. During the term they can join a different group if they choose to. MEP’s can also decide to form a new group.
Political group can only be recognized if meets certain number of criteria’s; 25 MEPS elected in at least 25 % of MS (so at least 7 countries), have mission statement and notify EP president about the members and its leadership.
If MEPs is in no group = NI (non inscrit)
Based on their size, groups and NI receive funding from EP budget to operate a secretariat and cover administrative and operational cost.
A group can leverage its weight to obtain a number of EP leadership positions and other key functions.
No single political group in the EP has sufficient members to secure a majority vote – they have to find majority every time they vote. Majority will differ according on the issues voted on.

See pictures to see details name of group and number.