The European Union Explained

Michael Raftery & Beccy Allen

European Council

Who? Made up of all member-states’ heads of government or state President of Commission also attends

How? Meets four times a year Presidency of the Council rotates every six months

What? Defines EU’s strategic direction

European Commission

Who? Headed by Cabinet of 27 Commissioners Employs about 30,000 people

How? President of Commission chosen by EU governments Commissioners nominated by their national governments Commissioners and President approved by EU Parliament

What? Drafts proposals for EU laws Implementing decisions Manages day-to-day business of EU

Council of Ministers

Who? Made up of a government minister from each member state Membership changes according to the subject of discussion

How? Each country has weighted vote Makes decisions alongside the EU Parliament

What? Considers legislation from Commission Sets EU policy on issues where the EU can

only act unanimously- such as defence & foreign policy

Signs international treaties with non-EU states on behalf of the EU

Voice of the member states

European Parliament

Who? 785 MEPs MEPs form cross-country coalition parties and sit in these groupings

How? Elected every five years (in the UK we use a closed-list PR system) Only directly elected body in EU

What? Legislates as an equal with Council of Ministers Most work done in committees Vote in plenary sessions

Voice of the people

Court of Justice

Who? One judge per member-state Judges elect one of their number as President for three years

How? Judges appointed by the Governments of member-states Chosen from experienced and highly qualified judges in home

countries

What? Union law applied the same across EU Settles legal disputes Can overrule national law, if it conflicts with

EU Law, since it is the highest court in the EU

Court of Auditors

Who? One member from each EU state Elect one of themselves as President

How? Appointed by Council of Ministers Chosen from highly qualified auditors in home countries

What? Oversee EU accounts Produce audit report each year

EuropeanCommission

EuropeanParliament

Council of Ministers

EU law EU budget

Court ofJustice

Court ofAuditors

co-decision

AppointsAppoints & supervises

Proposes legislation and budget

arbitrates supervises

citizensNational

Governments

European Council

How it all fits together….

Directs strategy

European Commission proposes draft law

The Council of Ministers considers this draft

Does the Council of Ministers approve?

The Council of Ministers suggests changes

European Parliament re-examines the draft law

Does European Parliament agree?

European Parliament suggests changes

Can the Council and European Parliament agree?

European Parliament and Council call a conciliation committee

Can the European Parliament and Council reach agreement

Legislation is dropped

No

Law is adopted

Yes

No

Yes

NoYes

No

Yes

European Parliament discusses draft and makes changes

How are laws passed?

What do MEPs do? The 12 regions and nations of the United Kingdom have between three and ten MEPs

They divide their time between their regional constituencies in the UK and committee

and political group meetings in Brussels

For one week in every month they are in Strasbourg to vote in a full session of the

European Parliament

They do much of their political work as members of at least one of Parliament’s

twenty specialist policy committees

Contacting MEPs

http://www.writetothem.com/ allows you to enter your postcode and find out who your

MEPs are

Typically, MEPs spend Monday to Thursday either in Brussels or Strasbourg and

Friday/weekend in the UK

Contact all MEPs in your region, giving them at least 6 weeks notice and a variety of

dates

Useful Links

www.fco.gov.uk/en/fco-in-action/institutions/britain-in-the-european-

union/

www.europa.eu/institutions/index_en.htm

www.euro-know.org/dictionary/

http://www.eudebate2009.eu/eng/

http://www.itvlocal.com/myeurope/

Breakout session

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