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How the European Union works
There are a series of institutions which govern the day to day functioning of the European Union:
The European Parliament
The European Parliament consists of 754 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) at present who are democratically elected by citizens of Member States to represent their interests.
Direct elections are held every 5 years by voters across the 27 Member States using an electoral system called proportional representation. MEPs sit in European political groupings, not as part of national delegations.
There are 73 MEPs from the UK.
The UK is divided into twelve electoral regions made up of the nations and regions of the UK. Each region elects between three and ten MEPs .
- The UK Office of the European Parliament lists all UK MEPs’ contact details.
The European Parliament’s main role is to consider most of the laws proposed by the Commission which has an impact on the daily lives of citizens throughout the EU. This can range from environmental protection or consumer rights, to equal opportunities.
MEPs must consider most of the laws proposed by the Commission before they are submitted to the Council of Ministers which monitors the actions of other EU bodies and approves the EU’s budget, as well as holding the Commission to account.
The European Parliament livestreams many important sessions. Learn more about what your MEPs discuss here.
The European Council
The European Council is the name given to the meeting of the Presidents or Prime Ministers of each Member State, which provides the EU with strategic direction and impetus. It is chaired by the President of the European Council (currently Herman Van Rompuy) and also includes the President of the European Commission (José Manuel Barroso) and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (Baroness Catherine Ashton). The European Council’s decisions signal the future course of action for the EU. Meetings are held quarterly though informal summits occasionally take place.
The President of the European Council is a new position which gives greater continuity to the work of the European Council. The President is chosen by the leaders of the EU’s Member States for a period of 2.5 years, which can be renewed once.
The High Representative
The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, currently Baroness Catherine Ashton, is also chosen by the leaders of the EU’s Member States with the agreement of the European Commission President. The High Representative is ‘double hatted’ as he/she serves both the Council and the Commission. As well as being a member of the European Council along with the leaders of the EU’s Member States, the High Representative is also responsible for the following:
• Head of the new European External Action Service;
• Chair of the Foreign Affairs configuration of the Council of Ministers;
• First Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for Foreign affairs and security policy.
The High Representative, as with all Commissioners, is appointed for a five-year term and can be appointed for more than one term.
European External Action Service (EEAS)
The reason behind a new EEAS is to support the High Representative in a more coherent way than previous structures could, and to represent the EU effectively beyond its borders. Two main components will make up the EEAS: relevant sections of the European Commission and the General Secretariat of the Council which work in the field of external relations and security policy will be brought together, along with representatives from the Member States who will provide expertise in key areas. The EEAS will ensure greater consistency in the way the EU is represented around the world. The finer details of how the EEAS will be organised and structured will be set out in a proposal from the High Representative in the spring.
The Council of Ministers
This is an important decision-making body for the EU. It consists of a Minister from each Member State usually with responsibility for the subject under discussion. Although formally the Council is a single body, it meets in ten different configurations covering between them all the subject areas with which the Council is concerned. So for example, issues of foreign policy are discussed by the Foreign Affairs Council, whereas financial issues are likely to be discussed by the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin). The main task of the Council of Ministers is to regulate and approve European laws. Some types of Councils meet once a month, whilst others meet four times a year. The Council has its seat in Brussels. However, during the months of April, June and October, the Council holds its meetings in Luxembourg.
The Presidency of the European Union
The Presidency of the European Union is occupied by a Member State rather than an individual. It rotates between Member States on a pre-arranged basis every six months, with groups of three Presidencies (the trio) co-ordinating their strategic priorities for the EU for 18 months at a time.
From 1 January 2012 Denmark occupies the presidency, having taken over from Poland which held the presidency from 1 July 2011. The Danish Presidency will co-ordinate with Poland and Cyprus (who will hold the Presidency after Denmark) on the work programme to the end of 2012, after which time it will be taken on by Ireland, Lithuania and Greece who will hold successive presidencies from January 2013.
The Member State with the EU Presidency chairs the meetings of the Council, except the Foreign Affairs Council meets, when the Council is chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The Presidency of the European Union is often confused with the President of the European Council, but they are two separate roles.
The European Commission
The Commission implements the agenda set by the European Council, by developing and drafting legislation or other non-legislative measures and monitoring implementation of those measures. The Commission is also the executive body of the European Union (similar to the UK's civil service). It is based largely in Brussels and is organised in 29 directorates-general (departments), each led by a European Commissioner.
The Member States governments agree together on who to designate as the new Commission President, followed by approval by the European parliament. Each Member State proposes one nominee for the College of Commissioners (the collective term for all 27 Commissioners), with the agreement of the European Commission President. Commissioner candidates are then invited to attend hearings with the EP where they are required to set out their expertise for the job and their priorities for the role, before a vote then takes place on the Commission as whole. Once the Commissioners are appointed, Commissioners act in the European interest rather than their own relevant interest i.e. they are not the ‘British’, ‘French’ or ‘German’ Commissioners. See the full list of commissioners here.
Court of Justice of the European Union
The Court of Justice of the European Union consists of judges appointed by each Member State. The Court exists to ensure that laws passed at EU level are applied and interpreted correctly. In certain circumstances individuals can also bring proceedings against EU institutions before the Court of Justice.
European Union - a brief history
Take a look at the basic structure of the EU, its history and evolution.
