EU institutions

Question 1

EU institutions?

Answer 1

1. European Parliament;
2. European Council;
3. Council of the European Union (simply called ‘the Council’);
4. European Commission;
5. Court of Justice of the European Union;
6. European Central Bank
7. Court of Auditors.

Question 2

What are the EU’s interinstitutional bodies?

Answer 2

1. Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT)
2. European School of Administration
3. European Personnel Selection Office
4. Publications Office

Question 3

Which are the three main EU institutions involved in decision-making?

Answer 3

EP, Council of the EU, Commission

Question 4

Where are EU institutions located?

Answer 4

Brussels,
Frankfurt,
Luxembourg City
Strasbourg

Question 5

Who are the EU’s leaders?

Answer 5

David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament (since 3 July 2019)
Charles Michel, President of the European Council (since 1 December 2019)
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission (since 1 December 2019)

Question 6

What is an executive agency? What does an executive agency do?

a. make policy
b. manage programmes
c. make policy and manage programmes
d. none of the above

Answer 6

b. manage programmes

EU agencies are distinct bodies from the EU institutions – separate legal entities set up to perform specific tasks under EU law.
The European Commission has delegated responsibility for the implementation of some EU programmes to third-party bodies known as ‘executive agencies’. There are 6 executive agencies.
(vs. Decentralised agencies:
- contribute to the implementation of EU policies
- support cooperation between the EU and national governments by pooling technical and specialist expertise from both the EU institutions and national authorities.
- set up for an indefinite period and are located across the EU.)

Question 7

Acronyms of executive agencies

Answer 7

1. EASME Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
2. ERCEA European Research Council Executive Agency
3. INEA Innovation and Networks Executive Agency
4. REA Research Executive Agency
5. EACEA Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency
6. CHAFEA Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Luxembourg!)

Question 8

EASME?

Answer 8

Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Question 9

EACEA?

Answer 9

Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency

Question 10

INEA?

Answer 10

Innovation and Networks Executive Agency

Question 11

REA?

Answer 11

Research Executive Agency

Question 12

CHAFEA?

Answer 12

Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency

Question 13

What is EPSO?

Answer 13

The European Personnel Selection Office is an interinstitutional office responsible for selecting staff to work for the institutions and agencies of the European Union

Question 14

What is OLAF and what does it do?

Answer 14

The European Anti-Fraud Office is a body mandated by the European Union with protecting the Union’s financial interests. OLAF investigates fraud against the EU budget, corruption and serious misconduct within the European institutions, and develops anti-fraud policy for the European Commission.

Question 15

What is the role of the Ombudsman?

Answer 15

To investigate an EU institution on the grounds of maladministration: administrative irregularities, unfairness, discrimination, abuse of power, failure to reply, refusal of information or unnecessary delay.

Question 16

What is the European Institute of Innovation and Technology?

a. A private body whose aim is to foster research and innovation;
b. An independent EU body that promotes research and entrepreneurship;
c. an institute based in Germany;
d. …

Answer 16

b. An independent EU body that promotes research and entrepreneurship;

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is an independent EU Body created by the European Union in 2008 to strengthen Europe’s ability to innovate. The EIT is an integral part of Horizon 2020, the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. HQ: Budapest

Question 17

What is the role of the European Court of Auditors?

Answer 17

As the EU’s independent external auditor, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) looks after the interests of EU taxpayers in order to improve EU financial management. Audits EU institutions accounts, provides independent opinion on to EU institutions on their internal control system; assess the performance of EU institutions; approves the EU budget. HQ: Luxembourg

Question 18

What is the European Central Bank?

Answer 18

The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central bank of the 19 European Union countries which have adopted the euro. Its main task is to maintain price stability in the euro area and so preserve the purchasing power of the single currency. HQ: Frankfurt

Question 19

What is the European Court of Human Rights?

Answer 19

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR or ECtHR; French: Cour européenne des droits de l’homme) is a supranational or international court established by the European Convention on Human Rights. The court hears applications alleging that a contracting state has breached one or more of the human rights provisions concerning civil and political rights set out in the Convention and its protocols.
Parties: 47 Council of Europe members. HQ: Strasbourg.