educazione civica

• EU Institutions

  • 7 EU institutions
  • 7 EU bodies
  • Over 30 decentralised agencies
• EU Institutions

  • They work together to address the common interests of the EU and European people
• Main decision-making institutions


  • European Parliament
  • European Commission
  • European Council
  • Council of the European Union
• The work of the main decision-making institutions is complemented by the Court of Justice, European Central Bank, and European Court of Auditors
• Roles of the main decision-making institutions

  Collectively provide the EU with policy direction, set the EU's agenda, initiate and coordinate EU law-making
• European Parliament


  Represents 450 million people who live in the European Union
• People in the EU vote for 705 members (elected in the 27 Member States of the enlarged European Union) to represent them in the Parliament
• Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)

  They look at plans for new EU laws, change laws to make them better, check how the EU is working
• MEPs are grouped by political affinity, not nationality
• Plenary sessions of the European Parliament

  1. Debate and vote on new laws (proposed by European Commission)

  2. Elect a president to represent the Parliament
• Role of the President of the European Parliament

  • Represents the European Parliament (outside world + in its relations with the other EU institutions)
  • Chairs the Parliament's most important meetings
  • Checks on the work of the Parliament and makes sure that Parliament's Rules of Procedure are followed
  • Signs adopted legislation and the EU budget
• Roberta Metsola is the current President of the European Parliament, she is the youngest ever president and the first Maltese to hold the office
• European Commission


  • 27 Commissioners from 27 EU countries ('the College')
  • Commissioners take decisions on the Commission's political and strategic direction
  • Commissioners are assigned responsibility for specific policy areas by the President
  • The Commission is organised into policy departments, known as Directorates-General (DGs), which are responsible for different policy areas
• Roles of the European Commission

  • Helps to shape the EU's overall strategy
  • Proposes new EU laws and policies (to the European Parliament and Council of the EU)
  • Monitors their correct implementation (together with the Court of Justice)
  • Manages the EU budget
  • Supports international development and delivers aid
• The Commission term is 5 years, at the beginning of the term the president of the Commission determines the political priorities and drafts an annual work programme
• Role of the President of the European Commission

  • Makes decisions on the organisation of the Commission
  • Sets the Commission's policy agenda
  • Represents the Commission in European Council meetings, G7 and G20 summits, summits with non-EU countries and major debates in the European Parliament and the Council
• Ursula von der Leyen is the current President of the European Commission, she is the first woman to hold the office
• European Council


  • 27 members - heads of state/government of the 27 EU member states
  • President of the European Council + President of the European Commission
  • Informal forum for discussion, given formal status by the Treaty of Maastricht (1992)
• Role of the European Council

  • Defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union by adopting CONCLUSIONS
  • Identifies specific issues of concern for the EU
  • Outlines particular actions to take
  • Indicates certain goals to reach
  • Sets a deadline for reaching agreement on a particular item or for the presentation of a legislative proposal
• Role of the President of the European Council

  • Chairs European Council meetings
  • Ensures the preparation of European Council meetings and the continuity of their work
  • Promotes cohesion and consensus within the European Council
  • Presents a report to the European Parliament after each meeting
  • Represents the EU in international summits (with President of the EU Commission)
• Charles Michel is the current President of the European Council
• Council of the European Union

  • Represents the governments of the EU countries
  • The ministers have the authority to commit their governments to the actions agreed on in the meetings
  • No fixed members - 10 different configurations, Government ministers
• Role of the President of the Council of the EU

  • Rotating presidency - each EU country holds the presidency on a 6-month rotating basis
  • Permanent chairperson is the "EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy"
• Roles of the Council of the EU

  • Negotiates and adopts EU laws (together with the European Parliament, proposals from the European Commission)
  • Coordinates EU countries' policies
  • Develops the EU's foreign & security policy, based on European Council guidelines
  • Concludes agreements between the EU and other countries or international organisations
  • Adopts the annual EU budget - jointly with the European Parliament
• The Council votes unanimously on most common foreign and security policy issues, citizenship, EU membership, harmonisation of national legislation on indirect taxation, EU finances, and certain justice and home affairs issues
• Court of Justice


  • Ensures that EU laws are interpreted and applied uniformly
  • Evaluates the legality of the EU institutions' acts
  • Ensures that Member States comply with the obligations under the Treaties
  • Interprets the EU law upon request of national courts
• Structure of the Court of Justice

  • Court of Justice: 1 judge from each EU Country, each judge and advocate general is appointed for a renewable 6-year term
  • General Court: 2 judges from each EU Country + 11 advocates general