Marta Statkiewicz
I. Collage of Commissioners
II. Directorates-General
III. Gabinets
• compostition:
• one Commissioner from each Member State – till 31 October 2014 • 2/3 of the numer of Member States – since 1 November 2014
• chosen:
• on the grounds of their general competence and European
commitment from persons whose independence is beyond doubt • for 5-years term
• completely independent -
• shall neither seek nor take instructions from any Government or other institution, body, office or entity
• shall refrain from any action incompatible with their duties or the performance of their tasks
• once appointed, the Commissioner is given specific portfolio and is responsible for all the work of the Commission that falls within that policy area
PRESIDENT OF THE COMMISSION
• involved in the appointment of
the other Commissioners
• decides on the internal
organization of the Commission
– allocates individual portfolio and can shitf them during the term
• provides ‘political guidance’ to
the Commission- chairing and
setting the agenda of meetings • commissioners are responsible
to him – he can demand their
• „administrative arm of the Commission”
• about 33 Directorates-General in the current Commission (equivalent of Ministeries within national government):
– policies
– external relations – general services – internal market
• gather majority of Commission employees
• DG’S duties are to the Commission rather than the Commissioner- wide range of autonomy
• appointed by the Commission’s President,
each Cabinet is the office of a Commissioner
(7-8 officials)
• duties:
• acts as the interface between the Commissioner and the Directorates-General
• acts as „eyes and ears” of the Commissioner – keeping him/her informed
• preparation of meetings
COMPETENCES
I. Legislative Power
II. Administrative Power
III. Executive Power
LEGISLATIVE POWER
- right of legislative initiative
- develops the overall legislative plan for any single year (agenda-setting) and general policy strategies
- can exercise delegated power granted by the Council and the European Parliament
ADMINISTRATIVE POWER
- manages all EU’s programmes
EXECUTIVE POWER
- ensures the application of the Treaties and the law made pursuant thereto
- brings actions against Member States when they are in breach of EU law to the Court of Justice of the European Union
- acts in certain areas (e.g. competition policy and state aids) as
investigator and initial judge of a Treaty violation, whether by private firms or by Member States
JUDICIAL POWER
- ensures that the EU’s revenue is collected
- oversees and coordinates stuctural, agricultural and social funds
- administers EU aid to third countries
HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY
• chosen with the President of the
European Council
• holds a post of vice-president of
the Commission and chairs the Foreign Affairs Council
• competences:
– represents the Union for matters relating to the Common Foreign and Security Policy
– conducts political dialogue with third parties on the Union’s
behalf
COMPOSITION
• „representatives of the Union’s citizen”
• 750 + 1 (the President of the European Parliament) elected in direct universal suffrage
• are no bound by any instructions and do not receive a binding mandate
• degressively proportional to the size of the popoulation of the Member States:
Article 22 TFEU
1. (…)
2. Without prejudice to Article 223(1) and to the provisions adopted for its implementation,
every citizen of the Union residing in a Member State of which he is
not a national shall have the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in elections to the
European Parliament in the Member State in which he resides, under the same conditions as nationals of that State. This right shall be exercised subject to detailed
arrangements adopted by the Council, acting unanimously in accordance with a special legislative procedure and after
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps
PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT
• chosen for 2,5-years ( 5-years
term normally divided between
the two major political parties:
– the European People's Party – Party of European Socialists)
• competences:
– chairs debates and oversees all the activities of the Parliament and its constituent bodies
LEGISLATIVE POWER
• takes part in the legislative procedures:
– ordinary legislative procedure (so-called co-decision) – right to veto
– consultation procedure – right to propose amendments
• can request the Commission to submit a proposal
FINANCIAL POWERS
POWRERS OVER THE EXECUTIVE
• appoints:
- the European Ombudsman
- the European Commission (takes part in the process) • dismisses the Commission –2/3 majority of votes cast
representing a majority of the total members of Parliament
• ulimited power to challange the acts of the EU institutions befote the Court of Justice as well as their failure to act where they are legally required to do so
