The Nature And Functions Of The Key EU Institutions

Question 1

What are the five key institutions

Answer 1

-European commission
-council of EU
-European council
-European parl
-court of justice of EU

Question 2

What is the European Commission

Answer 2

-27 commissioners led by commission president - allocates responsibilities for policy areas
-commission pres nominated by European council + approved by European parl
-both civil service + administrative branch of EU
-only EU body that can propose new laws
-enforces EU law + represents EU internationally e.g. June 2020 announced 9% reduction in funding for common agriculture policy

Question 3

What is the council of the EU

Answer 3

-govt ministers from each EU country, membership decided by national govt
-main EU decision-making body
-no fixed members - comprises 10 sections, councils dealing with specific policy area e.g. agri + fisheries
-shares legislative power with European parl
-negotiates trade deals with non-EU states e.g. Japan 2019

Question 4

What is the European council

Answer 4

-council chooses pres to serve 5 yr term - 2019 Charles michel selected as pres
-meetings attended by pres of commission who demonstrated have a vote
-‘agenda setting’ + defining EU’s overall priorities
-doesn’t negotiate or adopt EU laws as not legislating body
-oversaw Brexit negotiations with UK laying down EU’s terms

Question 5

What is the European Parliament

Answer 5

-post Brexit 705 members (MEPs) directly elected by member states
-number MEP’s per country determined by size e.g. Gr 96 MEP’s but Malta only 6
-sit as political groupings e.g. group of progressive alliance of socialists + democrats
-approves annual EU budget
-amends + vetoes EU legislation proposed by council of EU
-can’t propose own legislation
-oversees work of EU institutions
-e.g. 2019 Romanian commissioners nominee Plumb vetoes by parl oversight committee

Question 6

What is the court of justice of EU (CJEU)

Answer 6

-divided into 2 courts
-court of justice — deals with requests for preliminary rulings
-general court — rules on actions for annulment brought by individuals + EU govt’s
-each judge appointed 6 year term by national govt’s
-upholds EU laws ensuring implemented fairly + uniformly
-ultimate source of legal authority
-doesn’t always back European Commission e.g. 2020 gen court overturned its decision block merger of 2 UK mobile telecoms