EU Institutions
Parliament
Role: Legislative (Co-legislator with the council of the EU), elective, budgetary and supervisory body
Area Covered: Co-legislator with the Council
Powers
Power of censure on the Commission, power of consultation and Co-decision, power to refuse new members (or assent procedure), power to vote on the budget, Power of interrogation (parliamentary questions).
Structure
Currently 785 MEPs but 751 members for 2009-2014, 20 permanent Committees, 7 Political groups (and 34 non attached members), bureau (1 Pdt & 14 Vice Pdt), Administration (1 Secretariat Gal & 8 Directorates Gal)
Legal basis:
Articles 189 to 201 of the Treaty
Commission
Role: Initiating-making, executive and supervisory body. Guardian of the treaties.
Area Covered: Proposes & drafts legislative proposal
Powers
Political and global, administrative and technical. Receives assistance from various advisory, expert and scientific groups.
Structure:
A college of 27 Commissioners (1Pdt, 5 Vice Pdt, 21 members), 24,000 Officials, 27 Directorates General and 23 Official languages
Council (of the EU)
Role: Legislative and executive body, interface between the interest of the member states and the communities, Co-legislator with the Parliament, puts together the draft budget.
Area Covered: Main decision-making body of the European Union also responsible for co-ordination of the national economic policies.
More About Council (of the EU)
Structure
27 Government Ministers, Secretariat General with 2700 civil servants and 8 Directorates-general.
Legal basis
Articles 202 to 210 of the Treaty.
European Council
Role: Boosts EU integration, resolves obstacles and blockages and defines the general guidelines for economic and political cooperation in Europe.
Area Covered: Main source of political guidance for the EU providing impetus for European integration.
Structure
Heads of States assisted by Foreign ministers and a Commission representative
European Court of Justice
Role: Ensures observation of law through application and interpretation of the Treaties.
Area Covered: Supreme Judicial Authority. To lighten the load of the ECJ, a Court of First Instance was created in 1988 (specific powers below).
More About European Court of Justice
Structure
27 non-specialised judges assisted by 8 Advocates-General.
Legal basis
Articles 220 to 245 of the Treaty
Powers of the Court of First instance:
8 types of proceedings (for failure to fulfil an obligation, for annulment, for failing to act, for liability, proceedings by officials of the Community, Power of opinion, Conditional proceedings and preliminary rulings)
NB: It is not possible to appeal against the ECJ decision.