Law making role on EU (8)

• What is the EU and the institutions?

  International organisation with institutions established by Treaty of Rome

  
  

  4 institutions:

  • Council of European Union
  • European Parliament
  • European Commission
  • Court of Justice for European Union
• Council of European Union

  27 ministers - (1 from each state) and president who changes every 6 months

  Each member sends relevant minster for topic being discussed

  Law making role:

  • Debate and vote on new laws - co decision procedure
  • Uses Qualified Majority Voting - majority of 55% to agree
• European Parliament

  705 MEPs selected by EU citizens every 5 years. This is divided into number per member state dependent on their population

  Members sit in political groups

  
  

  Law making role:

  • Debate and vote on new laws in co decision procedure
  • Discuss proposals
  • Decide on international agreements
  • Decide whether to admit new member states
  • Review work of commission
• European Commission

  27 commissioners (1 per member state), permanent individual who acts independently from national government, sit for 5 years

  Each commissioner represents 1 area of EU policy

  
  

  Law making role:

  • Propose ideas
  • Ensure all member state abides
  • Supervise budget of EU
• Court of Justice of the EU

  27 judges (1 per member state) plus 11 Advocates General who sit as a panel of 3,5 or 11

  Must be existing senior judge and appointed for 6 years

  
  

  Law making role:

  • Ensure that in the interpretation and application of treaties the law is observed - Article 19 Treaty for EU
  • Hear points of law and give preliminary rulings
• European Court of Justice is different to courts in EN and WA in 5 ways

  ECJ:

  • Have paper hearings
  • Has Advocate Generals
  • Doesn't have dissenting judgements
  • Not bound by own precedents
  • Always use purposive approach