Eu Institutions - B

• The Commission is independent of national governments and represents the interests of the EU
• Tasks of the Commission:

  • Makes proposals for new legislation
  • Implements EU policies and the budget (executive body)
  • Enforces EU law to ensure proper application by member states
  • Represents the EU on the international stage (e.g., WTO)
• Members of the Commission are called commissioners and are appointed every 5 years, each responsible for a specific policy area such as agriculture, fishing, energy, and environment
• The Parliament has the power to dismiss the whole Commission
• The Commission is located in Brussels and the President is Jean Claude Juncker
• Other EU institutions include:

  • The Court of Justice of the EU: upholds the rule of European law, interprets EU law consistently across EU countries, settles legal disputes between EU governments and institutions
  • The Court of Auditors: ensures EU taxpayers get maximum value, audits persons or organizations handling EU funds, reports findings to the Commission and EU national governments

  • It findings are written up in reports, submitted to the Comision and EU national governments.
• The European Central Bank, based in Frankfurt, Germany, manages the euro, safeguards price stability, controls the money supply, manages reserves, authorizes central banks in eurozone countries to issue euro banknotes
• The European Investment Bank finances EU investment projects and helps small businesses through the European Investment Fund
• The European Economic and Social Committee represents civil society, employers, and employees
• The Committee of the Regions represents regional and local authorities
• • The Court has no legal powers on its own. If auditors dicover fraud or irregularities they inform OLAF - the European Anti-Fraud Office
• The European Bank is responsible for European monetary policy. it controls money supply, eurozones foreign currency reserves, athorities banks to issue euro banknotes, manages price stability.