The Commission is independent of national governments and its role is to represent and protect the interests of the EU as a whole. It drafts proposals for new laws to be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council.
The Commission is also the EU's executive body and is therefore, in other words, responsible for implementing the decisions of Parliament and the Council. That means managing the ongoing activities of the European Union, namely to ensure the implementation of policies, program management and use of funds.
As Parliament and the Council, the European Commission was in the fifties by the EU's founding treaties.
What is the Commission
The term "Commission" is used with two different meanings. First, it refers to the team of men and women, one for each EU country, appointed to run the institution and making decisions, secondly, the term 'Commission' refers to the institution itself and its staff.
Committee members are known as "commissioners." Having held policies in their countries of origin and many of them were government ministers, but as members of the Commission undertake to act in the Union general and not taking instructions from national governments.
Every five years a new Commission is appointed within six months of the European Parliament elections. This is the procedure:
- the governments of the Member States agree together on who the new President of the Commission;
- the Commission President-designate is then approved by Parliament;
- President-designate, in agreement with the governments of the Member States, chooses the other members of the Commission;
- The Council adopted by qualified majority and the list of candidates shall inform the European Parliament for approval;
- Parliament then interviews each candidate and vote for an opinion on the whole team
after the vote of approval by Parliament, The new Commission is formally appointed by the Council by qualified majority.
The Commission's mandate expires Oct. 31, 2009. Its President is José Manuel Barroso (Portugal).
The Commission is politically accountable to Parliament, which may order the removal from office by adopting a censure motion. Every single member of the Commission is required to resign at the request of the President, provided there is approval of the other commissioners.
The Commission attends all the sessions of Parliament, during which it must clarify and justify its policies. It also replies regularly to written and oral questions posed by MEPs.
The daily work of the Commission is done by administrative officials, experts, translators, interpreters and secretarial staff. European officials are about 23 000, may seem a lot, but in reality, fewer than the number employed in city government in a European city of average size.
Where the Commission has established
The Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, but also has offices in Luxembourg and representations in all EU countries and delegations (en) in many world capitals.
What does the Commission
The European Commission has four main functions:
- to propose legislation to Parliament and the Council;
- to manage and implement strategies, policies and budget;
- to enforce European law (jointly with the Court of Justice);
- represents the EU internationally, for example in negotiations with third countries for the conclusion of agreements.
1. Proposing legislation
The Commission has the "right of initiative", that is responsible for drawing up proposals for European legislation, which it presents to Parliament and the Council. The objective of these proposals must defend the interests of the Union and its citizens, not those of specific countries or industries.
Before making any proposals, the Commission must be aware of situations or problems in Europe and to assess whether the most appropriate way to remedy it is precisely the EU's legislative action. For this purpose, it maintains constant contact with a wide range of interest groups and, in particular, with two advisory bodies, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. It also seeks the opinions of national parliaments and governments.
The Commission will propose action at EU level only if it considers that a problem can not be solved more efficiently by national, regional or local level. The principle of dealing at the level lowest possible level is called "subsidiarity principle".
If it concludes that the intervention of the legislature is necessary, then it drafts a proposal to remedy the situation and to meet the widest range of interests. For an examination of the technical aspects, the Commission relies on the expertise within its various committees and working groups.
2. Implementing EU policies and budget
As the European Union's executive body, the Commission is responsible for managing and implementing the Community budget. Although most of the actual spending is done by national and local authorities, the Commission is responsible for supervising, under the watchful eye of the Court of Auditors. The objective of both institutions is to ensure sound financial management. And the European Parliament grant the Commission discharge for implementing the budget only if it is satisfied with the report of the Court of Auditors.
The Commission also is responsible for managing the policies adopted by Parliament and the Council, such as the Common Agricultural Policy. Another example is competition policy, under which the Commission may authorize or prohibit mergers. The Commission should ensure that EU countries do not subsidize their industries in such a way as to distort competition.
The Commission administers community programs of various kinds, from "Interreg" and "Urban", aimed at creating cross-border partnerships between regions and the recovery of urban areas in decline, "Erasmus" exchange program for students European university.
3. Apply the law
The Commission acts as the guardian of the treaties. " In other words, it is up to it and the Court of Justice to ensure that EU law is properly applied in all Member States.
If it finds that a Member State to implement EU legislation in this or that sector, and therefore not meeting its legal obligations, takes steps to put the situation right.
First, the Commission will initiate the so-called "infringement procedure", it sends an official letter to the government concerned, which shall have reason to believe that this country is violating the law and set a deadline within which the government is required to send a response detailed.
If the procedure fails to correct the situation, the Commission must then refer the case to the Court of Justice has the power to impose financial penalties. The Court's judgments are binding on Member States and EU institutions.
4. Representing the EU on the international scene
The European Commission is an important spokesman for the European Union on the international scene. Through it, the Member States to speak 'with one voice' in international forums such as the World trade.
The Commission is also responsible for negotiating international agreements on behalf of the EU. One example is the Cotonou Agreement, which sets out the terms of an important partnership for economic cooperation and trade between the EU and the developing African, Caribbean and Pacific.
How is the Commission's work
It is for the Commission President to decide which commissioner will be responsible for which policy and possibly make a reshuffle of responsibilities while in office.
The Commission meets once a week, usually on Wednesdays in Brussels. Each Commissioner sets out the agenda for the politics of his expertise and then takes a decision on it.
Commission staff is organized in departments, known as "Directorates-General (DG), and" services "(such as the Legal Service). Each DG is responsible for a particular sector and is headed by a Director General who is answerable to one of the commissioners. Overall coordination is provided by the Secretariat General, which also oversees the organization of meetings Weekly Commission. The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, who reports directly to the president.
In fact, here are the devise and draft legislative proposals, but these proposals become official only when 'adopted' by the Commission at its weekly meeting. The procedure is roughly as follows.
if the Board sees a need for EU legislation to prevent pollution of rivers in Europe. The Directorate General for Environment will draw up a proposal based on extensive consultations with industry and European farmers, ministers environment of the Member States and environmental organizations. The project will also be discussed with other Commission departments and checked by the Legal Department and the General Secretariat.
Once the proposal is ready, it will put on the agenda of the next Commission meeting. If at least 14 to 27 Commissioners were in favor, the Commission adopts the proposal, which will have the full support of the entire college. At this point the document is sent to Council and Parliament.
Limiting the size of the Commission
A committee made up of too many members will not work effectively. Currently the Board is composed of one commissioner from each EU country. After the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, the number of commissioners is increased to 27.Questo number has been set by the Council unanimously. After entering the twenty-seventh State, as of the next Commission (which should be set up in November 2009) the number of Commissioners will, however ridotto.La final composition will be established by a COUNCIL DECISION to commissioners will then be appointed according to a rotation system to ensure that countries will be represented so equanime.Si to ensure that all Member States are adequately represented based on the demographic composition and geographic dimensions
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