At the end of the war, several western European countries sought closer economic, social, and
political ties to achieve economic growth and military security and to promote a lasting reconciliation
between France and Germany.
Originally confined to western Europe, the EU undertook a robust expansion into central and eastern
Europe in the early 21st century. Now, it has 27 members.
The EU has changed a lot:
● Expansion of powers (competences) through consecutive Treaties.
● What started as several “communities” ended up being a European Union.
2. The EU’s political institutions
2.1 Introduction
Article 13 TEU
,2.2 Other EU bodies
● Advisory bodies (Art. 300-307 TFEU)
● Economic and Social Committee
● Committee of the Regions
● Executive Agencies (Commission’s long arm)
● Decentralised Agencies
● European Investment Bank
2.3 European Commission
Composition:
Art. 17(4 and 5) TEU:
- 1 Commissioner per MS
- The Treaty of Lisbon said there would be one per ⅔ Member States
→ BUT: we still have one 1 Commissioner per Member State regardless of what the
Treaty says (27)
- 5 year mandate
Powers:
Art. 17 TEU
- Legislative initiative (only the Commission)
- They prosecute Member States when they are not complying with European rules (=
ensuring the application of the EU law
- Executes the EU budget
- External representation: When they have to sign an international Treaty.
→ High representative
President: (Art. 17(6) TEU)
Results of elections: they each propose a possible candidate for President , whoever gets the
most votes in the elections will get nominated.
→ If whoever is President wants to get renewed, they can (= unspoken rule)
How is the Commission appointment? Art. 17(7) TEU
1. The European Council proposes a president by QMV, Parliament elects, and has to
take into account the results of the election.
Note the rule of the Spitzenkandidaten practice in the choice of Commission
President
2. Appointment of college of Commissioners (Council and President of Commission →
establish a list → Parliament votes on Commission as a body)
Functioning: (voting)
, How do they make their decisions internally?
- 27 Commissioners (= college)
→ Each Commissioner is allocated a portfolio
- Bureaucracy divided into Directorates-General
- Once voted each Commissioner should be independent from national instructions
- Collegially: they try to vote by unanimity
2.4 The European Parliament
Composition:
- The only directly elected EU institution
- Shall not exceed 751 representatives of Union Citizens (now after Brexit 705)
- Representation: degressively proportional to detriment of bigger Member states, small
member states have a lot of seats at the big department, big member states have
fewer.
- Mandate is 5 years
Powers:
Art. 14(1) TEU
- Legislative function: co-legislator with Council.
- Budgetary function: adoption and control
- Function of political control:
- elects the Commission President, approves Commission, motion of censure
of Commission (Art. 17 TEU), questions to the Commission (Art. 230 TFEU)
- Consultation/consent function:
- Special legislative procedures
- International agreements (Art. 218 TFEU)
- Treaty amendment (Art. 48 TFEU)
- Accession/Withdrawal (Art. 49-50 TFEU)
Internal organisation and President:
The European Parliament elects its President among members of the European Parliament
(Art. 14(4) TEU)
The European Parliament adopts its Rules of Procedure (Art. 232 TFEU) and rules on duties
of members of the European Union (art. 223(2) TFEU)
Voting:
● By default (Art. 231 TFEU): majority of the votes cast (= simple majority)
● When provided:
○ Majority of component Members (absolute majority)
→ Examples: Art. 294(7): second reading in ordinary legislative procedure
, ○ Quarter of component Members: Article 226: setting up a temporary
Committee of Inquiry
○ 2/3 majority of votes cast and majority of component members (double
majority):
■ Art. 234: motion of censure of the Commission
■ Art. 354, last subpara: MS breach of values (Art. 7 TEU)
2.5 Council of the EU
Composition:
Art. 16(6) TEU
- Representatives of MS at ministerial level
- 27 members (27 Member States)
Powers:
Art. 16(1) TEU
- Legislative functions: co-legislator jointly with Parliament in most areas, principal
legislator in others.
- Policy-making functions: in particular foreign policy
- Budgetary functions
Council configurations:
Art. 236 TFEU
- Depends which minister (For example: water pollution, then the ministers of
environnement)
President:
- Council President: rotation between Member States (6 months)
- Meetings of the Council: chaired by the minister of the Member States that holds the Council
presidency
- Exception: Foreign Affairs Council chaired by High representative of the Union for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy
→ whenever there is a meeting about this, he needs to step in
Voting:
Three different types of majority:
1) Simple majority (= 14 MS in favour) → procedural issues
2) Qualified majority: for most issues (art. 16 TEU)
a) At least 55% of MS comprising at least 15 MS
b) Representing at least 65% of the population of the Union
→ blocking minority: at least 4 MS (otherwise QMV deemed attained)
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