Working in Europe for Everyone in Yorkshire and the Humber
The Major EU Institutions The European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is made up of 732 MEPs from all over the Union. These politicians are directly elected by the peoples of Europe in elections held every five years. MEPs represent their local constituencies in Europe so that the voices of Europe's 454 million citizens can be heard. The UK has 78 MEPs, 19 of whom are from the UK Labour Party.
The European Commission
The European Commission is made up of 25 Commissioners - one from each member state. The Commission President designate, in discussion with member state governments choses the other members of the Commission. The UK Commissioner is Peter Mandelson. The Commission must be approved by the European Parliament and a new Commission is appointed every five years, within six months of the European elections.
The Council of the European Union
The Council of the European Union is a community institution exercising the powers conferred upon it by the Treaties. The main responsibilities of the Council include co-ordinating the general economic policies of Member States; defines and implements common foreign and security policies and adopts measures in the field of police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters.
The Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers brings together government ministers from the different EU countries to discuss joint initiatives and EU laws. Councils are normally thematic - Environment Ministers in the Environment Council, Fisheries Ministers in the Fisheries Council and Agriculture Ministers in the Agriculture Council. Foreign Ministers play a special role in co-ordinating overall EU policy through the General Affairs Council.
The European Court of Justice
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is made up of judges from each nation state of the EU. Together, they make decisions on issues of European Union law. The judges do not represent their countries, instead the Court enforces European decisions. If the Commission decides that a state or an individual is violating European law they can take them to the European Court. Similarly, individuals can go to the European Court to enforce their rights as European Citizens. The European Court of Justice should not be mixed up with the European Court of Human rights, a totally separate body, not linked to the European Institutions, which oversees human rights laws across Europe, including in many non-EU countries.
The Court of Auditors
The Court of Auditors scrutinises EU budgetary revenue to make sure that European funds are being spent in the right way. The Court guarantees that the EU budget is being managed and implemented correctly and efficiently. |
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lindamcavan@lindamcavanmep.org.uk