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Junior Professionals Programme > EU institutions > Flashcards

EU institutions Flashcards

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2
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List of executive agencies

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The European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)

The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)

The Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA)

EISMEA

The Executive Agency for the European Research Council (ERCEA)

European Research Executive Agency (REA)

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3
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CINEA: overview

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Mandate: European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) manages European Commission programmes contributing to decarbonisation and sustainable growth.

Managed programmes: Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) , Horizon Europe, Innovation Fund, LIFE programme, EU Renewable Energy, Financing Mechanism, Just Transition Mechanism, European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund

HQ: Brussels

Date of establishment: 2021

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4
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EISMEA: overview

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Mandate: EISMEA groups together in one agency all the activities of the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the programmes related to small and medium-sized enterprises:European Innovation Council, Single Market Programme, Interregional Innovation Investments

HQ: Brussels

Date of establishment: 2021

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5
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EACEA overview

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Mandate: The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) manages funding for education, culture, audiovisual, sport, citizenship and volunteering.

Managed programmes: manages most parts of the following EU funding programmes, in close cooperation with other Commission departments: Creative Europe, Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps, Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values, Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme

HQ: Brussels

Date of establishment: 2021

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6
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HADEA overview

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Mandate: The Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) addresses the European Commission’s ambition to help rebuild a post-COVID-19 Europe at its heart, which will be greener, more digital and more resilient. It implements actions that strengthen Europe in the domains of health, food safety, digital technologies and networks, industrial capacities and space.

Managed programmes: EU4Health programme, Horizon Europe (Cluster 1 Health and Cluster 4 Digital Industry and Space), Single Market Programme (Food Safety), Digital Europe Programme, CEF (digital).

HQ: Brussels

Date of establishment: 2021

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7
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ERCEA overview

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Mandate: The ERCEA is in charge of implementing and managing the daily operations of the European Research Council

HQ: Brussels

Date of establishment: 2007

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8
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REA overview

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Mandate: The European Research Executive Agency (REA) funds high-quality research and innovation projects that generate knowledge for the benefit of society. REA also manages promotion measures concerning agricultural products. Concretely, Manage research projects supported under HE and H2020

Managed programmes:
Horizon Europe Pillar 1 - Excellent Science (Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions, Research Infrastructures), Horizon Europe Pillar 2 - Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness (Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society, Civil Security for Society, Food, Bio-economy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment)

HQ: Brussels

Date of establishment: 2007

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9
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Agency for Support for BEREC (BEREC Office)

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Mandate: Provide professional and administrative support to the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC)

HQ: Riga (Latvia)

Date of establishment: 2010

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10
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European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER)

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Mandate: ACER plays a key role in driving increased energy market integration across Europe to bring the benefits of affordable, secure and decarbonised energy to European businesses and citizens.

HQ: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Date of establishment: 2011

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11
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Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO)

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Mandate: managing the EU plant variety rights system

HQ: Angers (France)

Date of establishment: 1995

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12
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Eurofound

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Mandate: Provides research-based input for the development of social, employment and work-related policies

HQ: Dublin (Ireland)

Date of establishment:1975

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13
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European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)

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Mandate: Collect, analyse and disseminate information for those involved in safety and health at work

HQ: Bilbao (Spain)

Date of establishment: 1994

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14
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European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust)

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Mandate: helps national authorities cooperate to combat terrorism and serious organised crime involving more than one EU country. The European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) facilitates judicial coordination and cooperation between national authorities by giving hands-on support to prosecutors in the fight against serious cross-border crime and terrorism.

Members: College of Eurojust, one national member from each country

HQ: The Hague (the Netherlands)

Date of establishment: 2002

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15
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European Banking Authority (EBA)

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Mandate: to build a single regulatory and supervisory framework for the entire EU banking sector.

Tasks:
* provides input into the creation of a single, standard set of rules for EU banking – the Single Rulebook
* provides centralised disclosure of supervisory data on EU banks (to increase transparency, market discipline and financial stability across the EU)
* promotes cooperation between national authorities on supervising banking groups that operate in more than 1 country, and mediates disputes involving more than 1 country
* promotes a transparent, simple and fair EU market for consumers of financial products and services, and ensures all consumers are treated fairly and protected across the EU

HQ: Paris (France)

Date of establishment: 2011

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16
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European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)

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Mandate: Strengthening Europe’s defences against infectious diseases

HQ: Stockholm (Sweden)

Date of establishment: 2005

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17
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European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop)

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Mandate: Cedefop provides the data on which vocational education and training policy in the EU is based. The European Centre for the Development of Vocational training (Cedefop) helps develop and implement EU vocational training policies.

HQ: Thessaloniki (Greece)

Date of establishment: 1975

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18
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European Environment Agency (EEA)

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Mandate: The EEA is Europe’s knowledge hub for environment, climate and sustainability.

HQ: Copenhagen

Partners: EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Türkiye and Switzerland

Date of establishment: 1990 (operational since 1994)

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19
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European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)

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Mandate: The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) works for the safe use of chemicals. It implements the EU’s groundbreaking chemicals legislation, benefiting human health, the environment and innovation and competitiveness in Europe.

HQ: Helsinki, Finland

Date of establishment: 2007

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20
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European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA)

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Mandate: EFCA ensures that the EU’s common fisheries policy is applied properly. EFCA’s mission is to promote the highest common standards for control, inspection and surveillance under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). EFCA does this by coordinating the cooperation between national control and inspection activities.

HQ: Vigo (Spain)

Date of establishment: 2005

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21
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European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)

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Mandate: Provides scientific advice & communicates on existing & emerging risks associated with the food chain

HQ: Parma

Date of establishment: 2002

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22
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European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)

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Mandate: produces independent research and shares best practice to promote gender equality and eliminate discrimination based on gender

HQ: Vilnius (Lithuania)

Date of establishment: 2010

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23
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European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA)

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Mandate: EIOPA is the European supervisory authority for occupational pensions and insurance

Members: Representatives of national insurance and occupational pensions authorities

HQ: Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

Date of establishment: 2011

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23
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European Labour Authority (ELA)

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Mandate: The European Labour Authority helps improve cooperation between EU countries, coordinates joint inspections, carries out analyses and risk assessments on cross-border labour mobility issues and mediates disputes between EU countries

HQ: Bratislava, Slovakia

Date of establishment: 2019

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24
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European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA)

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Mandate: Offers technical expertise and operational assistance in maritime safety, security and pollution

HQ: Lisbon (Portugal)

Date of establishment: 2002

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25
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European Medicines Agency (EMA)

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Mandate: EMA guarantees the scientific evaluation, supervision & safety monitoring of human & veterinary medicines in the EU.

HQ: Amsterdam (the Netherlands)

Date of establishment: 1995

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26
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European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)

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Mandate: To provide factual, objective, reliable and comparable information on drugs and drug addiction.

HQ: Lisbon (Portugal)

Date of establishment: 1993

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27
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European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO)

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Mandate: European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is an independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU. These include several types of fraud, VAT fraud with damages above 10 million euro, money laundering, corruption, etc.

Partners: OLAF, Eurojust, Europol, European Court of Auditors, European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund. EU, judicial authorities

HQ: Luxembourg

Date of establishment: 2001

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28
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European Training Foundation (ETF)

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Mandate: The ETF supports human development in neighbouring countries. The ETF supports human development in 29 partner countries (in south-eastern Europe and Turkey, eastern Europe, the southern and eastern Mediterranean and central Asia).

HQ: Turin (Italy)

Date of establishment: 1994

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29
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European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)

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Mandate: Support the national authorities of EU countries to implement the Common European Asylum System by providing operational and technical assistance.

HQ: Valletta, Malta

Date of establishment: 2022

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29
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European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA)

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Mandate: ENISA is dedicated to achieving a high common level of cybersecurity across Europe. The Agency works with organisations and businesses to strengthen trust in the digital economy, boost the resilience of the EU’s infrastructure, and, ultimately, keep EU citizens digitally safe. It does this by sharing knowledge, developing staff and structures, and raising awareness. The EU Cybersecurity Act has strengthened the agency’s work.

HQ: Headquarters in Athens with offices in Heraklion and Brussels

Date of establishment: 2004

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30
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European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

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Mandate: provides evidence-based advice on fundamental rights

HQ: Vienna (Austria)

Date of establishment: 2007

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31
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European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL)

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Mandate: provides European and international law enforcement training

HQ: Budapest (Hungary)

Date of establishment: 20056

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32
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European Union Agency for Railways (ERA)

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Mandate: the ERA is helping to integrate European railway systems by making trains safer and able to cross national borders without stopping. IT has worked to develop economically viable common technical standards and safety measures and targets in cooperation with the rail sector, national authorities, EU institutions and other bodies.

HQ: Valenciennes, Lille

Date of establishment: 2016

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33
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European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA)

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Mandate: Support the implementation of the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs policies by managing large-scale IT systems

HQ: Tallinn (Estonia), operational site: Strasbourg (France), back-up site: Sankt Johann im Pangau (Austria)

Date of establishment: 2011, operational since 2012

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34
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European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)

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Mandate: EUSPA manages public interests related to the European Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) programmes EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System) and Galileo, the Earth observation (EO) programme Copernicus, and the European Union Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM) programme

HQ: Prague (Czech Republic)

Date of establishment: 2004

35
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European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)

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Mandate: Ensuring safety and environmental protection in civil aviation in Europe

Partners: European civil aviation authorities

HQ: Cologne (Germany)

Date of establishment: 2002

36
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European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)

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Mandate: The EU Intellectual Property Office manages the EU Trade Mark and Design rights, the Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights and the Orphan Works Database.

HQ: Alicante (Spain)

Date of establishment:1994

37
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European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol)

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Mandate: Europol helps national law enforcement authorities fight serious international crime and terrorism. The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) is the EU’s law enforcement agency, whose remit is to help make Europe safer by assisting law enforcement authorities in EU member countries.

HQ: The Hague (Netherlands)

Date of establishment: 1999

37
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Single Resolution Board (SRB)

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Mandate: Ensure the orderly resolution of failing banks, with minimum impact on the real economy and the public finances of the participating EU countries and others

Partners: European Parliament, European Commission, European Central Bank (ECB), National Resolution Authorities (NRAs), European Banking Authority (EBA)

HQ: Brussels (Belgium)

Date of establishment: 2015

38
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European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex)

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Mandate: Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, supports EU and Schengen countries in the management of the EU’s external borders and the fight against cross-border crime.

HQ: Warsaw (Poland)

Date of establishment: 2004

39
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The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)

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Mandate: to improve investor protection and promote stable, orderly financial markets

Members: National authorities responsible for securities markets in each EU country.

Non-voting members: European Banking Authority (EBA), European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB), European Commission (EC), Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway

HQ: Paris (France)

Date of establishment: 2011

40
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Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union (CdT)

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Mandate: Translation and related language services for EU agencies, bodies and institutions; interinstitutional cooperation

HQ: Luxembourg

Date of establishment: 1994

41
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European Ombudsman - Role and mandate, when it investigates, HQ

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The Ombudsman investigates complaints about maladministration in the institutions and bodies of the European Union, including the European Commission, the Council of the EU, the European Parliament, the Committee of Regions, the Economic and Social Committee and all of EU agencies.

Only the Court of Justice, the Court of First Instance and the Civil Service Tribunal, acting in their judicial role, are beyond his jurisdiction. The Ombudsman usually conducts inquiries on the basis of complaints but can also take the initiative to start them.

The European Ombudsman’s offices are in the European Parliament’s buildings in Strasbourg.

42
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European Ombudsman - list of titleholders

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1995 - 2003: Jacob Söderman
2003 - 2007: Paraskevas Diamandouros
2013 - today: Emily O’Reilly

43
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European Ombudsman - Legal basis and appointment procedure

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Established by the Mastricht Treaty, embedded in Article 228 TFEU

At the beginning of each parliamentary term, the procedure for electing the European Ombudsman has to be set in motion.

A candidate must have the support of at least 39 Members of the European Parliament from at least two Member States.

43
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OLAF: year founded, tasks, scope of investigations and actions

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Founded: 1999

Tasks: to fight fraud affecting the EU budget;
investigate corruption by staff of EU institutions; and
develop anti-fraud legislation and policies

Scope of investigation:
all EU expenditure: the main spending categories are Structural Funds, agricultural policy and rural development funds, direct expenditure and external aid;
some areas of EU revenue, mainly customs duties;
suspicions of serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU institutions.

Type of investigations and possible action: internal, external investigations, coordination cases. After an investigation is concluded, OLAF recommends action to the EU institutions and national authorities concerned. It has no powers to prosecute or discipline no judicial, no powers to oblige national law enforcement authorities to act on its follow-up recommendations.

44
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EPPO - Year founded, HQ, MS part of it, Tasks and covered crimes, scope, action and difference to other security bodies of EU

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Founded: 2017, 2021 start of operations

HQ: Luxembourg

MS: 24 through enhanced cooperation.

Task: The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is an independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU. These include several types of fraud, cross-border VAT fraud with damages above 10 million euro, money laundering, corruption, misappropriation of EU funds and assets by officials.

Scope: All revenues, expenditures and assets covered by, acquired through, or due to the European Union budget and the budgets of the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies established under the Treaties, and budgets managed and monitored by them.

Action and difference to existing organisations: The EPPO undertakes investigations, carries out acts of prosecution and exercises the functions of prosecutor in the competent courts of the participating Member States, until the case has been finally disposed of. Organisations like Eurojust, OLAF and Europol do not have the necessary powers to carry out such criminal investigations and prosecutions.

45
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European Data Protection Supervisor

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Formed in 2004

List of holders: Peter Hustinx, Giovanni Buttarelli, Wojciech Wiewiórowski (incumbent)

Appointment: By Council and EP

Task: to monitor and ensure that European institutions and bodies respect the right to privacy and data protection when they process personal data and develop new policies

46
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Commission Data Protection Officer incumbent

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Michelle Sutton

47
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EESC - date founded, legal basis, tasks, members and appointment

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Formation: 1958, established 1957 by Treaty of Rome

Legal basis in Treaty: Article 13(4) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU); Articles 300-304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU);

HQ: Brussels

Overview: advisory assembly composed of representatives from employers’ associations (Group I), workers’ unions (trade unions, group II) and civil society organisations (group III). Its opinions are required on the basis of a mandatory consultation in the fields established by the Treaties or a voluntary consultation by the Commission, the Council or Parliament. It may also issue opinions on its own initiative.

Members and appointment: It is composed of 329 members, with proportional numbers per MS population. The members of the committee are appointed by the Council by qualified majority, on the basis of proposals by the Member States.

President: Oliver Röpke

48
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European Defence Agency (EDA)

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Mandate: The European Defence Agency (EDA) supports its 27 Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative, capability projects, the Agency has become the ‘hub’ for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks allowing it to cover the whole spectrum.

HQ: Brussels

Date of establishment: 2004

49
Q

EU Satellite Centre (SatCen)

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Mandate: The EU Satellite Centre supports the decision making and actions of the European Union in the field of Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), in particular Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), including European Union crisis management missions and operations, by providing products and services resulting from the exploitation of relevant space assets and collateral data, including satellite imagery and aerial imagery, and related services.
Users: Main users of SatCen services are the European External Action Service, EU Member States, EU missions and operations, the European Commission, other EU Agencies, such as Frontex, Third States and international organisations such as the UN and OSCE.
HQ: Torrejón de Ardoz (Spain)
Date of establishment: 2002 (originally as Western European Body in 1992)

50
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European Space Agency (ESA)

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Mandate: The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. It is NOT an EU agency

HQ: Paris

Members: 22 member countries

Date of establishment: 1975

51
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European Medicals Agency (EMA)

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Mandate: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a decentralised agency of the European Union (EU). It is responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines. EMA protects public and animal health in EU Member States, as well as the countries of the European Economic Area, by ensuring that all medicines available on the EU market are safe, effective and of high quality.

HQ: Amsterdam

Date of establishment: 1995

52
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HR/VP - list of holders and history

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History: The role of ‘High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy’ was created by the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1999.

  • Incumbent: Kaja Kallas (since 2024).
  • Previous HR/VPs were Catherine Ashton (2009 – 2014), Federica Mogherini (2014 – 2019), Josep Borell (2019-2024)
  • Javier Solana was the fist and only High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary General of the Council of the European Union., 1999-2009
53
Q

EU external action - what it comprises and what EU can adopt as part of external action (including articles)

A
  • its commercial (trade) policy — Articles 206 and 207 TFEU;
  • development cooperation — Articles 208, 209, 210 and 211 TFEU;
  • economic, financial and technical cooperation with non-EU countries — Articles 212 and 213 TFEU;
  • humanitarian aid — Article 214 TFEU;
  • CFSP and CSDP — (Articles 21-46 TEU);
  • the external dimension of other EU internal policies (such as migration, environmental protection, etc.).

As part of its external action, the EU can adopt:
* restrictive measures (Article 215 TFEU),
* conclude international agreements (Articles 216, 217, 218 and 219 TFEU),
* establish relations with international organisations and non-EU countries or
* set up EU delegations (Articles 220 and 221 TFEU).

54
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The role of national Parliaments in EU affairs

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The Treaty of Lisbon marks an important step in the role played by national Parliaments in EU affairs, listing, for the first time, in a provision (Article 12 of the Treaty on European Union – TEU) the various ways in which national Parliaments may ‘contribute actively to the good functioning of the EU’. Their participation is ensured in 4 main ways:
1. receiving information and documents;
2. reviewing respect for the principle of subsidiarity;
3. participating in the evaluation mechanisms in the area of justice, freedom and security;
4. involvement in Treaty revision.

SPECIFIC ROLE IN THE AREA OF JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY
* They participate in the evaluation of the activities of Eurojust and in the scrutiny of the activities of Europol.
* In addition, national Parliaments may oppose Council decisions which extend the ordinary legislative procedure (with qualified majority in the Council) to certain aspects of family law with cross-border implications which are currently subject to a special legislative procedure with unanimity in the Council (passerelle clause in Article 81 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union).

INVOLVEMENT IN TREATY REVISION

Furthermore, the Treaty of Lisbon associates the national Parliaments with the procedures for the revision of the treaties, as described below.

  • Under the ordinary and simplified revision procedures, amendments to the Treaties enter into force after being ratified (or approved, for simplified revision procedures) by all the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional provisions, which usually require parliamentary ratification.
  • Under the ordinary revision procedure, a Convention, which includes, among other members, representatives of national Parliaments, is convened to examine and adopt a recommendation on the revision proposals
  • Under the general ‘passerelle clause’ of Article 48(7) TEU, the initiative taken by the European Council to switch from the special legislative procedure to the ordinary legislative procedure, or from voting by unanimity to voting by qualified majority, must be notified to the national Parliaments and cannot be adopted if a national Parliament opposes it within 6 months.
55
Q

COSAC

A

Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs, since 1989

  • national parliaments meet twice per year, o exchange information and best practices and to discuss issues of common European interest.
  • The role of COSAC is recognised in the protocol on the role of national Parliaments in the EU which states that COSAC may send the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission any contribution it deems appropriate.
56
Q

Council: Configuration (explain FAC and GAC), Prsidency of Council

A

Council configurations:
* The Council meets in 10 different configurations according to the subject matter dealt with.
* Except for two configurations (General Affairs Council and Foreign Affairs Council), the mandate of each configuration is not determined by the treaties and follows from practice
* The General Affairs Council ensures consistency in the work of the different Council configurations. It prepares the meetings of the European Council. It is responsible for the overall coordination of policies, institutional and administrative questions, and horizontal dossiers, which affect several of the EU’s policies.
* The Foreign Affairs Council is responsible for the whole of the EU’s external action, namely the common foreign and security policy, the common security and defence policy, the common commercial policy, development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

The presidency of the Council
* The presidency of the Council, with the exception of the foreign affairs configuration, is held by pre-established groups of three Member States for a period of 18 months. Each member of the group chairs all Council configurations, with the exception of the foreign affairs configuration, for 6 months. The group of three Member States prepares a draft programme of Council activities for an 18-month period, which is endorsed by the General Affairs Council after holding a public debate on it.
* The Foreign Affairs Council has a permanent chairperson: the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. It is possible for the High Representative to be replaced by the Member State holding the Council presidency. It is normally the case when the Council is convened to discuss common commercial policy issues.
* The presidency is the driving force in carrying out the Council’s work.

57
Q

Council: Coreper, committees and working parties;

A

Coreper, committees and working parties
* The Council is supported by Coreper and by over 150 specialised working groups and committees, which are the preparatory bodies of the Council.
* Coreper prepares the work of all the meetings of the Council and carries out the tasks assigned to it by the Council.

Coreper
* ensures consistency of the EU’s policies and actions and the observance of the principles of legality, subsidiarity, proportionality, and of the rules establishing the powers of EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, along with the rules on procedure, transparency and the quality of drafting;
* examines in advance all the items on the agenda for a Council meeting and is responsible for the preparation of each file for the Council;
* endeavours to reach an agreement for each file at its level, which is then submitted to the Council;
* may set up committees or working groups to carry out preparatory tasks or studies;
* may adopt a number of procedural decisions, such as the decision to hold a Council meeting in a place other than Brussels or Luxembourg, the decision to use a written procedure, etc.

Coreper I and II:
* Coreper 2 is composed of permanent representatives, while Coreper 1 is composed of deputy permanent representatives.
* Coreper 2 prepares 4 configurations: economic and financial affairs, Foreign affaits, general affairs, justice and home affairs
* Mertens Group’ prepares Coreper 1
* Antici group prepares Coreper 2

58
Q

Council configurations

A

10 different configurations
* General Affairs;
* Foreign Affairs;
* Economic and Financial Affairs
* Justice and Home Affairs;
* Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs;
* Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space);
* Transport, Telecommunications and Energy;
* Agriculture and Fisheries;
* Environment;
* Education, Youth, Culture and Sport.

59
Q

Counci: functioning of Council

A

Seat: The Council has its seat in Brussels, but holds its meetings in Luxembourg in April, June and October.

Who asks for Council: Sessions of the Council are convened by the president, on its own initiative or at the request of one of its members or of the European Commission. The president sets the provisional agenda for each Council meeting.

Quorum: The quorum must be checked before a vote is taken. This is reached if the majority of members of the Council are physically present. The Council votes on the initiative of its president. Furthermore, the president opens a voting procedure on the initiative of a member of the Council or of the Commission, provided that a majority of the Council’s members so decides.

60
Q

Council: QMV

A

On 1 November 2014, a new procedure for qualified majority voting, the double majority rule, was introduced.

When the Council votes on a proposal by the Commission or the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, a qualified majority is reached if two conditions are met:
* 55% of the members of the Council vote in favour – i.e. 15 out of 27 (since the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU);
* the proposal is supported by the members of the Council representing at least 65% of the EU population.

When the Council does not act on a proposal by the Commission or the High Representative, a decision is adopted if:
* there are 72% of the members of the Council voting in favour; and
* they represent at least 65% of the EU population.

Blocking minority is thus: To block a decision, at least countries are needed (representing at least 35% of the total EU population).

A simple majority of countries (14 MS) will suffice for procedural and administrative issues.

Written votes (ordinary written procedure)

61
Q

Council of EU role

A
  1. Negotiates and adopts EU laws, in general together with the European Parliament, based on proposals from the European Commission.
  2. Coordinates EU countries’ policies.
  3. Develops the EU’s foreign and security policy, based on European Council guidelines.
  4. Concludes agreements between the EU and other countries or international organisations.
  5. Adopts the annual EU budget, jointly with the European Parliament.
62
Q

ECB/Eurosystem vs. ESCB and overview ESCB

A

Defnition: The ECB is the central bank of the euro area and is an independent European Union (EU) institution, representing the core of the Eurosystem, which conducts monetary policy in the euro area, and of the ESCB.

The Eurosystem consists of the ECB and the national central banks (NCBs) of the euro area countries, whereas the ESCB consists of the ECB and the NCBs of all EU countries. The Eurosystem and the ESCB will co-exist as long as there are EU countries outside the euro area.

ESCBrole:
According to the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, the primary objective of the ESCB is to maintain price stability in the EU. In addition, the ESCB supports the EU general economic policies with a view to achieving the EU’s objectives, as laid down in Article 3 of the Treaty on European Union.

The ESCB is governed by the decision-making bodies of the European Central Bank.

63
Q

ECB tasks and objective

A

The ECB’s primary objective is the maintenance of price stability, i.e. safeguarding the value of the euro. Without prejudice to its primary objective, it also supports the general economic policies in the EU.

The ECB was established in 1998 and is located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. In 2009, it was given legal personality (Article 282 (3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union).

Tasks of ECB
* define and implement the monetary policy for the euro area;
* conduct foreign exchange operations;
* hold and manage the official foreign reserves of the euro area countries;
* promote the smooth operation of payment systems.
* In addition, the ECB collects statistical information for the performance of its tasks in cooperation with the NCBs and has the exclusive right to authorise the issue of euro banknotes within the EU.
* Together with the national supervisors, the ECB also carries out banking supervision in the euro area and in other participating countries within the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM).

64
Q

ECB governance and decision making

A

Governance:
* The ECB’s decision-making bodies are the Governing Council, the Executive Board and the General Council.
* The Governing Council, the main decision-making body, comprises the Executive Board members and the governors of the euro area NCBs
* The Executive Board, responsible for monetary policy implementation and day-to-day operations, is composed of the President and the Vice-President and four other members.
* The General Council, which carries out tasks the ECB is required to perform until all EU countries have adopted the euro, comprises the President and Vice-President and the governors of the NCBs of the EU countries.
* The Supervisory Board was established in the context of the SSM and carries out the tasks relating to banking supervision. It consists of the Chair, the Vice-Chair, four ECB representatives and one representative of each of the national supervisory authorities in the participating countries within the SSM.

65
Q

ECB governing council

A

The Governing Council is the main decision-making body. Its main tasks are:
* to define the monetary policy for the euro area;
* to adopt guidelines and decisions to achieve that aim; and
* to adopt general supervisory decisions.

Members:
* The Governing Council is composed of the six members of the Executive Board and the governors of the NCBs of the euro-area Member States (currently 20). The number of governors therefore increases each time a new Member State joins the euro area.

Governing Council:
* The Governing Council, the main decision-making body of the ECB, usually meets every two weeks.
* Every six weeks, it takes its monetary policy decision, such as setting key interest rates
* At the other meetings, the Governing Council takes decisions related to other tasks, such as payment systems, financial stability, statistics, banknotes, legal affairs, and banking supervision.

Voting rotation Governing Council
* The total number of voting rights in the Governing Council of the ECB is limited to 21. The six members of the Executive Board have permanent voting rights. The remaining governors share the remaining 15 voting rights, which rotate among them every month.
* The governors are allocated to groups which are formed in accordance with a ranking of euro-area Member States, based on:
* their share in the aggregate gross domestic product at market prices (GDP mp) in the euro-area Member States;
* their share in the total aggregated balance sheet of the monetary financial institutions of the euro-area Member States.
* Currently there are two groups: the five governors in the first group share four voting rights and the remaining governors in the second group share 11 voting rights.
* From 22 members onwards, there will be 3 groups

66
Q

ECB role in supervising banks

A

Overview
* The financial crisis demonstrated how problems can spread throughout the financial system and directly affect people’s lives. To strengthen oversight of the system, a single supervisory mechanism (SSM) has been created to oversee banks in the euro area and other participating European Union (EU) Member States.
* The SSM consists of the European Central Bank (ECB) and national supervisory authorities.

The ECB does the following.
* Directly supervises significant banks. A bank may be deemed as significant depending on its size, its importance to the domestic banking sector or whether it has been recapitalised by public funds. The ECB has the authority to:
* conduct supervisory reviews, on-site inspections and investigations;
* grant or withdraw banking licences;
* assess a bank’s acquisition and disposal of qualifying holdings;
* set higher capital requirements (‘buffers’) to counter current or future financial crises;
* impose sanctions for any breach of EU law on credit institutions, financial holding companies and mixed financial holding companies.
* Indirectly supervises banks that are considered to be less significant and are directly supervised by their national supervisory authorities.

Defintion significant bank
* The ECB can decide at any time to classify a bank as significant to ensure that high supervisory standards are applied consistently.
* the total value of its assets exceeds €30 billion
* Economic importance for the specific country or the EU economy as a whole
* Cross-border activities: the total value of its assets exceeds €5 billion and the ratio of its cross-border assets/liabilities in more than one other participating Member State to its total assets/liabilities is above 20%
* Direct public financia assistance: it has requested or received funding from the European Stability Mechanism or the European Financial Stability Facility
* A supervised bank can also be considered significant if it is one of the three most significant banks established in a particular country.

67
Q

ECB sanctions

A

Definition: ECB may impose sanctionsin the form of fines or periodic penalty payments on any undertakings that do not comply with obligations arising from ECB and European Union (EU) legal acts in the various fields of competence of the ECB.

68
Q

List of ECB presidents

A

Election: The officeholder is appointed by a qualified majority vote of the European Council, de facto by those who have adopted the euro, for an eight-year non-renewable term

Executive Board: Consisting of the Bank’s President and Vice-President and the 4 other members, the Board is appointed by the European Council by qualified majority voting.

List:
* Wim Duisenberg (1998 - 2003)
* Jean-Claude Trichet (2003 - 2011)
* Mario Draghi (2011 - 2019)
* Christine Lagarde (2019 - today)

69
Q

Council unamity required

A
  • membership of the Union (opening of accession negotiations, association, serious violations of the Union’s values, etc.);
  • change the status of an overseas country or territory (OCT) to an outermost region (OMR) or vice versa.[33]
  • taxation;
  • the finances of the Union (own resources, the multiannual financial framework);
  • harmonisation in the field of social security and social protection;
  • certain provisions in the field of justice and home affairs (the European prosecutor, family law, operational police cooperation, etc.);
  • the flexibility clause (352 TFEU) allowing the Union to act to achieve one of its objectives in the absence of a specific legal basis in the treaties;
  • the common foreign and security policy, with the exception of certain clearly defined cases;
  • the common security and defence policy, with the exception of the establishment of permanent structured cooperation;
  • citizenship (the granting of new rights to European citizens, anti-discrimination measures);
  • certain institutional issues (the electoral system and composition of the Parliament, certain appointments, the composition of the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee, the seats of the institutions, the language regime, the revision of the treaties, including the bridging clauses, etc.).
70
Q

European Court of Auditors elections

A

Auditors: This is an EU institution that operates as a collegiate body of 27 members, one from each EU country. The members are nominated by their national government and appointed (for a renewable term of 6 years) by the Council, after consulting the European Parliament.

President: The Court of Auditors is headed by a president, who is elected for a renewable term of 3 years by the members from among their number.

71
Q

European Council: election powers

A
  • Elects its own President: by qualified majority in the European Council; post held for a 2.5 year term, renewable once
  • Proposes a candidate for the President of the European Commission: by a qualified majority in the European Council
  • Appoints the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy: by qualified majority, with the agreement of the Commission President
  • Appoints the European Commission (the Commissioners and President, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy): by qualified majority (after they have been approved by the European Parliament)
  • Appoints the Executive Board of the European Central Bank (ECB): appointment made following a recommendation by the Council to the European Council, reached after consulting the European Parliament and the ECB’s Governing Council; appointment approved by a qualified majority in the European Council
72
Q

Europaen Parliament President election

A
  • post held for a 2.5 year term, renewable once
  • nominated by political groups or a minimum of 38 MEPs
  • election held by secret ballot
  • maximum of 4 ballots
  • candidate must win an absolute majority of votes cast, i.e. 50% plus one.
73
Q

Committee of Regions: appointment and role

A

Appointment: CoR members are proposed by the governments of the 27 Member States and appointed by the Council for 5 years. Council Decision (EU) 2019/852 sets the number of members at 329 following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU.

The Council and the Commission must consult the CoR before taking decisions on:
* economic, social and territorial cohesion,
* Structural Funds, the European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund;
* employment and social policy;
* education, youth, vocational training, culture and sport;
* environment, energy and climate change;
* transport and trans-European networks;
* and public health.

Subsidiarity principle: Under Protocol No 2 annexed to the treaties (Article 8) on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, the CoR may also ask the Court of Justice to assess whether a legislative act that required the consultation of the CoR before its adoption complies with the subsidiarity principle.

74
Q

EESC: membrs and election

A

The EESC includes the following three groups.
* Employers’ organisations. Members from private and public sectors of industry, small businesses, chambers of commerce, wholesale and retail trade, banking and insurance, transport and agriculture (Group I).
* Employees. Members from national trade union organisations, both at the level of confederations and of sectoral federations (Group II).
* Civil society organisations. For example, farmer and consumer organisations, small businesses, the crafts sector and liberal professions and non-governmental organisations in the field of social and environmental protection (Group III).

Appointment: EESC members are proposed by the governments of the EU Member States and are appointed by the Council for 5 years. Decision (EU) 2019/853 sets the current number of members at 329 following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU.

75
Q

List of Commission President

A
  1. Walter Hallstein (1958-1967)
  2. Jean Rey (1967-1970)
  3. Franco Maria Malfatti (1970-1972)
  4. Sicco Mansholt (1972-1973)
  5. François-Xavier Ortoli (1973-1977)
  6. Roy Jenkins (1977-1981)
  7. Gaston Thorn (1981-1985)
  8. Jacques Delors (1985-1995)
  9. Santer (1995-1999)
  10. Manuel Marín (1999-1999)
  11. Romano Prodi (1999-2004)
  12. Barroso (2004-2014)
  13. Juncker (2014-2019)
  14. VDL (2019-today)
76
Q

EP presidents since 2010

A

Jerzy Buzek
Martin Schulz
Antonio Tajani
David Sassoli
Roberta Metsola

77
Q

European Council Presidents

A
  1. Herman Van Rompuy (2010-2014)
  2. Donald Tusk (2015-2019)
  3. Charles Michel (2020-2024)
  4. Antonio Costa
78
Q

European Commission Secretary-Generals

A

David O’Sullivan (2005-2010)
Catherine Day (2005-2015)
Alexander Italiener (2015-2018)
Martin Selmayr (2018-2019)
Ilze Juhansone (since 2019)

79
Q

EP President roles and quaestor

A
  • has overall direction of the Parliament and its various operations;
  • represents Parliament;
  • ensures observance of the rules and maintains order;
  • opens, suspends and closes sittings, chairs the debates and supervises voting;
  • rules on the admissibility of amendments, of other texts put to the vote and of parliamentary questions; and
  • refers to parliamentary committees matters that concern them.

Quaestor: Questors are responsible for administrative and financial matters directly concerning MEPs.

80
Q

Composition and role of EP: bureau, conference of presidents, conference of committee chairs, conference of delegation chairs,

A
  • The Bureau consists of the President and 14 Vice-Presidents. It decides on financial, organisational and administrative matters affecting the Parliament.
  • The Conference of Presidents consists of the President and the Chairs of the political groups (see below). It organises the Parliament’s political work and decides legislative planning.
  • The Conference of Committee Chairs consists of the chairs of all standing and special parliamentary committees. It may make recommendations on committee work and plenary session agendas.
  • The Conference of Delegation Chairs consists of the chairs of all Parliament delegations to parliaments elsewhere in the world. It may make recommendations on the work of delegations.
81
Q

Political Group EP

A

Political groups are formed by MEPs on the basis of their political affinities. A minimum of 23 MEPs, elected in at least a quarter of EU Member States, is required to form a group. They receive financial and administrative support depending on their size.

82
Q

Motion of censure

A
  • Article 234 TFEU and Art 17 TEU
  • A motion of censure in respect of the Commission may be submitted to the President by one tenth of the component Members of Parliament. If a motion of censure has been voted on in the preceding two months, any new one tabled by less than one fifth of the component Members of Parliament shall be inadmissible.
  • Quorum is 2/3rd of all votes, with more thatn 50% of MEPs present,
83
Q

EP on what it votes

A

Legislative procedures
* ordinary legislative procedures (1st, 2nd and 3rd readings), where Parliament acts as co-legislator with the Council;
* consultation procedures, where Parliament submits an opinion on a draft legal act;
consent procedures, where Parliament’s agreement is necessary before adoption of a legal act.

Own-initiative procedures
* Rifht of initaitev in

Non-legislative reports
arliament can also prepare non-legislative own-initiative reports on specific subject matters:
* Constitutional matters, where rules cover the Parliament’s role when the EU’s treaties are amended, a new country joins the EU or an EU Member State decides to leave the EU.
* Budgetary procedures, where rules cover both the consideration of the annual EU budget and its multiannual financial framework.
* International agreements, where the Parliament’s approval or opinion is required for international agreements. It may also be consulted on aspects of the EU’s common foreign and security policy.

84
Q

EP committee types

A
  • Standing committees prepare Parliament’s decisions at plenary level by submitting reports and other documents in their specific field of competence.
  • Special committees may be established for a given term and a specific subject area.
  • Committees of inquiry may be set up to investigate alleged contraventions of EU law or possible maladministration.
85
Q
A

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