Governance Structure

of the EU
Since 2001 and the European
Commission's White Paper on the subject,
the issue of governance has become an EU
imperative. The expression 'European
governance' designates the body of rules,
procedures and practices that relate to the
way powers are exercised in the EU. The
objective is to strengthen democracy at
European level and to bring citizens
closer to the European institutions.
 European governance is based on
the following principles:
• opening up and transparency of the EU
institutions;
• involving civil society in decision-making;
• framing and implementing consistent and
well-managed policies;
• ensuring a clear, stable and predictable
regulatory framework supporting growth
and jobs
 European governance is based on
the following principles:
• respecting the principles of proportionality
and subsidiarity;
• ensuring that each of the EU institutions
and EU countries explains and takes
responsibility for what it does in Europe;
• contributing to the global governance
debate with a view to improving the
operation of international institutions.
 THE INSTITUTIONS (Art. 13 TEU)

• THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

• THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL
• THE COUNCIL OF THE EU
• THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
• THE COURT OF JUSTICE
• THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK
• THE COURT OF AUDITORS

5
 OTHER BODIES
• THE COMMITTEE OF REGIONS
• THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL COMMITTEE
• THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK
• AGENCIES

6
HOW DOES THE EU WORK?
Who makes the decision?

Decision-making at EU level involves various European institutions:

• The EU Parliament: represents

the EU's citizens and is directly
elected by them
• The European Council: consists
of the Head of State or
Government of the EU Member
States
• The council: represents the
governments of the EU
Member States
• The EU Commission:
represents the interests of the
EU as a whole.
 Do not get confused
Council of Europe: An international organisation
in Strasbourg which comprises 47 countries of
Europe. It was set up to promote democracy and
protect human rights and the rule of law in
Europe.
CLOSE UP: The European Parliament

Represents the EU's citizens and is directly elected by them

Role: Directly elected legislative arm of the

EU
Members: 751 Members of the European
Parliament (MEP)
Location: Strasbourg (France), Brussels
(Belgium), Luxembourg city (Luxembourg)
President: David-Maria Sassoli

Seats allocated among the Member States on

the basis of their share of the EU population
(Germany 96, and Luxembourg and Malta 6).
Most MEPs are associated with a national
political party in their home country. In the
EP, the national parties group into EU-wide
political groupings and most MEPs belong to
one of these.
 The composition of the European
Parliament

• European’s People Party: Christian Democrats

and Conservatives (Centre/Right)
• Progressive Alliance of Socialist Democrats:
Social Democrats (Centre/Left)
• Renew Europe: Liberal and Centrist
• European Conservatives and Reformist:
Eurosceptic Conservatives
 The composition of the European
Parliament

• The Greens-European Free Alliance:

Green/Reginolist (Leftist)
• European United Left-Nordic Green Left:
Communist and Socialist
• Identity and Democracy: Far right nationalist
• Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy:
Eurosceptist/Nationalist
 The composition of the EP with regard to percental share of
deputies for each political group, 1979 to 2019.

Left-wing, Social democrats, Greens and regionalists, Liberals and

centrists, Christian democrats and conservatives, Eurosceptics,
Eurosceptic conservatives, Far-right nationalists, Heterogeneous, Non-
Inscrits
Decision Making Process
CLOSE UP: The European Council

Consists of the Head of State or Government of the EU Member States

Role: Defines political direction and priorities.

Members: heads of state or Government
from each Member States, the President of
the European Council and the President of
the European Commission.
Location: Brussels (Belgium)
President: Donald Tusk

It represents the highest level of political

cooperation between Member States. At
their meetings, the leaders decide by
consensus on the overall direction and
priorities of the Union.
The European Council does not adopt
legislation.
CLOSE UP: The European Council

•The European Council brings together EU leaders to set

the EU's political agenda. It represents the highest
level of political cooperation between EU countries.

•One of the EU's 7 official institutions, the Council takes

the form of (usually quarterly) summit
meetings between EU leaders, chaired by a permanent
president.
 What does the European Council
do?
• Decides on the EU's overall direction and
political priorities – but does not pass laws.
• Deals with complex or sensitive issues that cannot
be resolved at lower levels of intergovernmental
cooperation
• Sets the EU's common foreign & security policy,
taking into account EU strategic interests and
defence implications
• Nominates and appoints candidates to certain high
profile EU level roles
 What does the European Council
do?
On each issue, the European Council can:

• ask the European Commission to make

a proposal to address it.

• pass it on to the Council of the EU to deal with

 Composition
• The European Council is made up of the heads
of state or government of all EU countries, the
European Council President, and the European
Commission President.
• It is convened and chaired by its President,
who is elected by the European Council itself
for a once-renewable two-and-a-half-year
term. The President represents the EU to
the outside world.
 How does the European Council
work?
• It usually meets 4 times a year – but the
President can convene additional meetings to
address urgent issues.
• It generally decides issues by consensus – but
by unanimity or qualified majority in some
cases. Only the heads of state/government
can vote.
CLOSE UP: The Council of the EU

Represents the governments of the EU Member States

Role: Deciding on policies and adopting
legislation.
Members: One minister from each Member
States.
Location: Brussels (Belgium), and
Luxembourg City (Luxembourg)
President: The Presidency changes every 6
months between the Member States. Three
successive presidencies are known as
presidency trios.
Which ministers attend which Council
meeting depends on the subject on the
agenda. If, for example, the Council is to
discuss environment, all the environment
Ministers from each Member States will
attend.
 A Rotating Presidency

The presidency of the Council rotates among the EU

member states every 6 months. During this 6-month
period, the presidency chairs meetings at every level in
the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the
EU's work in the Council.
 Presidency Trios
• Member states holding the presidency work
together closely in groups of three, called 'trios'. This
system was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.
The trio sets long-term goals and prepares a
common agenda determining the topics and major
issues that will be addressed by the Council over an
18 month period.
• The current trio (2019–20) is made up of Romania
(January–June 2019), Finland (July–December 2019)
and Croatia (January–June 2020).
 The Council of the EU
In the Council, government ministers from each EU
country meet to discuss, amend and adopt laws, and coordinate
policies. The ministers have the authority to commit their
governments to the actions agreed on in the meetings. Together
with the European Parliament, the Council is the main decision-
making body of the EU.

Not to be confused with:

• European Council - quarterly summits, where EU leaders meet
to set the broad direction of EU policy making
• Council of Europe - not an EU body at all.
 What does the Council of the EU
do?
• Negotiates and adopts EU laws, together with
the European Parliament, based on 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.
 Composition
• There are no fixed members of the EU
Council. Instead, the Council meets in 10
different configurations, each corresponding
to the policy area being discussed. Depending
on the configuration, each country sends their
minister responsible for that policy area.
• For example, when the Council meeting on
economic and financial affairs (the "Ecofin
Council") is held, it is attended by each
country's finance minister.
 Who chairs the meetings?
• The Foreign Affairs Council has a permanent chairperson -
the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy. All other Council meetings are chaired by the relevant
minister of the country holding the rotating EU presidency.
• For example, any Environment Council meeting in the period
when Estonia holds the presidency will be chaired by the
Estonian environment minister.
• Overall consistency is ensured by the General Affairs Council -
which is supported by the Permanent Representatives
Committee. This is composed of EU countries' Permanent
Representatives to the EU, who are, in effect, national
ambassadors to the EU.
 Eurozone countries
• Eurozone countries coordinate their economic
policy through the Eurogroup, which consists
of their economy and finance ministers. It
meets the day before Economic & Financial
Affairs Council meetings. Agreements reached
in Eurogroup gatherings are formally decided
upon in the Council the next day, with only
ministers of Eurozone countries voting on
those issues.
•
 Eurogroup
• The Eurogroup is an informal body where the
ministers of the euro area member states discuss
matters relating to their shared responsibilities
related to the euro.
• Its main task is to ensure close coordination of
economic policies among the euro area member
states. It also aims to promote conditions
for stronger economic growth.
• The Eurogroup is also responsible for preparing
the Euro Summit meetings and for their follow-up.
 Eurogroup
• The Eurogroup usually meets once a month, on the
eve of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council
meeting. The commissioner for economic and
financial affairs, taxation and customs and the
president of the European Central Bank also
participate in the Eurogroup meetings.
• The first informal meeting of finance ministers of the
euro area countries took place on 4 June 1998 at
the Château de Senningen in Luxembourg.
 President of Eurogroup
The Eurogroup elects its
president for a term
of 2.5 years by a simple
majority of votes. The
incumbent president
is Mário Centeno. He was
elected to the post on 4
December 2017. Mário
Centeno is Minister for
Finance of Portugal.
How does the Counci of EU work?
• All discussions & votes take place in public.
• To be passed, decisions usually require a qualified majority :
– 55% of countries (with 28 current members, this means 16
countries)
– representing at least 65 % of total EU population.
• To block a decision, at least 4 countries are needed
(representing at least 35% of total EU population)
• Exception - sensitive topics like foreign policy and taxation
require a unanimous vote (all countries in favour).
• Simple majority is required for procedural & administrative
issues
 CONCILIATION COMMITTEE
• Under the ordinary legislative procedure (codecision), a
Conciliation Committee may be set up as provided for in
Article 294 (10) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union (TFEU). It can be convened to resolve any
disagreements between the Council and the European
Parliament following the second reading of a legislative
proposal of the European Commission.
• The Committee has equal numbers of Council and Parliament
representatives. Co-chaired by the Presidents of the
Parliament and the Council, it has the task of reaching an
agreement on a joint text on the basis of the positions of both
institutions at second reading. The European Commission
takes part in its proceedings with a view to reconciling the
differing positions.
 CONCILIATION COMMITTEE

This Committee has to adopt a proposal within 6 weeks following

its convening:

• by an absolute majority of the Parliament's votes;

• by a qualified majority of the Council's votes.

If, within 6 weeks of its being convened, the Conciliation

Committee does not approve the joint text, the legislative act is
deemed not to have been adopted.
Specific rules exist if a Conciliation Committee is convened for
budgetary matters.
 COREPER
• The Permanent Representatives Committee or Coreper (Article 240 of the
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union - TFEU) is responsible for
preparing the work of the Council of the European Union. It consists of
representatives from the EU countries with the rank of ambassador to the
European Union and is chaired by the EU country which holds the Council
Presidency.
• Coreper occupies a pivotal position in the EU's decision-making system. It
is both a forum for dialogue (among the Permanent Representatives and
between them and their respective national capitals) and a means of
political control (guidance and supervision of the work of the expert
groups).
• It thus carries out preliminary scrutiny of the dossiers on the Council's
agenda (proposals and drafts for acts tabled by the Commission). It seeks
to reach agreement at its own level on each dossier, failing which it may
suggest guidelines, options or suggested solutions to the Council.
 COREPER
• The agendas for Council meetings reflect the progress made in Coreper.
They consist of A items, to be approved without discussion following
agreement within Coreper, and B items, for discussion.

Coreper works in 2 configurations:

• Coreper II, consisting of the ambassadors, deals with items pertaining to
the General Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Economic and Financial Affairs and
Justice and Home Affairs formations of the Council;
• Coreper I, consisting of the deputy permanent representatives, prepares
all other Council formations.
• Coreper deals with all areas of the Council's work apart from some
agricultural issues. When the Council sets up a special committee, such as
the Political and Security Committee (PSC) for the CFSP or the
Employment Committee for the field of employment, these operate with
due regard for Coreper's prerogatives.
CLOSE UP: The European Commission

Represents the interests of the EU as a whole

Role: Executive arm of the EU that proposes
laws, policies agreement and promotes the
Union.
Members: A College of Commissioners, one
from each Member States.
Location: Brussels (Belgium)
President: Jean-Claude Juncker

It is the politically independent institution

that represents and upholds the interest of
the EU as a whole. In many areas, it is the
driving force within the EU’s institutional
system: it proposes legislation, policies and
programmes action and is responsible for
implementing the decision of the European
Parliament and the Council.
 Same facts
• Founded: November 1, 1993
Maastricht, Netherland.
• Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium,
and some services also in
Luxembourg.
• The Commission has
representations in all EU member
states and 139 Delegations across
the globe.
• It represents the interests of the
EU as a whole (not the interests of
individual countries)
• Motto: United in Diversity
New Presidency in the Commission
In July 2019, the European
Council nominated Ursula von der Leyen to
succeed Jean-Claude Juncker, and she was
elected the 13th president of the European
Commission by the European Parliament on 16
July. Juncker will continue to lead the
Commission until the newly elected president
takes office on 1 November 2019.
 Divisions
• The Commission is divided into several
departments and services.
• The Departments are known as Directorate-
Generals (DGs). Each DG is classified according
to the policy it deals with.
• For example: Agriculture and Rural
Development (AGRI), Budget (BUDG), Climate
Action (CLIMA), Communication (COMM), etc.
 The European Commission has
four main roles:
1.To propose legislation to the Parliament and
the Council
2.To manage and implement EU policies and the
budget
3.To enforce European law (Jointly with the
Court of Justice)
4.To represent the Union around the world
EEAS

To make sure the voice of the EU and its people are heard in the world

The EEAS – European External Action

Service is the European Union's diplomatic
service. It helps the EU's foreign affairs
chief – the High Representative for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy – carry
out the Union's Common Foreign and
Security Policy.

Head of EEAS: HR/VP Federica Mogherini

Established: 2011

Location: Brussels
 What does the EEAS do?
• Supports the EU High Representative in
conducting EU foreign and security policy
• Manages diplomatic relations & strategic
partnerships with non-EU countries
• Works with the national diplomatic services
of EU countries, the UN and other leading
powers.
 Practical examples include:
• Peace building – through political, economic and
practical support
• Ensuring security – under the Common Security &
Defence Policy
• Maintaining good relations with the EU's immediate
neighbours through the European Neighbourhood
Policy
• Development and humanitarian aid and crisis
response
• Tackling climate change and human rights issues.
 Composition
• The European External Action Service is led by
the EU foreign affairs chief – or High
Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security
Policy. It is composed of:
• in Brussels – expert staff transferred from
the Council of the EU, the European
Commission and EU countries' diplomatic
services
• worldwide – a network of EU "embassies"
(delegations).
 How does EEAS work?
The High Representative is also a Vice-President
of the European Commission. She represents
the EU's foreign and security policy around the
world, coordinates the work of the European
Commission on EU external relations and chairs
meetings of EU Foreign, Defence and
Development ministers.
 How does EEAS work?
• The High Representative/Vice President
implements EU foreign & security policy,
together with EU countries and using national
and EU resources. This helps ensure
consistency in foreign policy across the bloc.
• Outside its borders, the European Union is
represented by a number of in-country
offices – EU delegations – which have a similar
role to that of an embassy.
 The Court of Justice
• Role: Ensuring EU law is interpreted and applied the
same in every EU country; ensuring countries and EU
institutions abide by EU law.
• Members:
Court of Justice: 1 judge from each EU country, plus
11 advocates general
– General Court: 2 judges from each EU country
• Established in: 1952
• Location: Luxembourg
 Court of Justice of the European
Union (CJEU)
• The Court of Justice of the European Union
(CJEU) interprets EU law to make sure it
is applied in the same way in all EU countries,
and settles legal disputes between national
governments and EU institutions.
• It can also, in certain circumstances, be used
by individuals, companies or organisations to
take action against an EU institution, if they
feel it has somehow infringed their rights.
 What does the CJEU do?
The CJEU gives rulings on cases brought before
it. The most common types of case are:
• Interpreting the law
• Enforcing the law
• Annulling EU legal acts
• Ensuring the EU takes action
• Sanctioning EU institutions
 interpreting the law (preliminary
rulings)
• national courts of EU countries are required to
ensure EU law is properly applied, but courts
in different countries might interpret it
differently. If a national court is in doubt about
the interpretation or validity of an EU law, it
can ask the Court for clarification. The same
mechanism can be used to determine
whether a national law or practice is
compatible with EU law.
 enforcing the law (infringement
proceedings)
• this type of case is taken against a national
government for failing to comply with EU law.
Can be started by the European
Commission or another EU country. If the
country is found to be at fault, it must put
things right at once, or risk a second case
being brought, which may result in a fine.
annulling EU legal acts (actions for
annulment)
• if an EU act is believed to violate EU treaties or
fundamental rights, the Court can be asked to
annul it – by an EU government, the Council of
the EU, the European Commission or (in some
cases) the European Parliament.
Private individuals can also ask the Court to
annul an EU act that directly concerns them.
 ensuring the EU takes
action (actions for failure to act)
• the Parliament, Council and Commission must
make certain decisions under certain
circumstances. If they don't, EU governments,
other EU institutions or (under certain
conditions) individuals or companies can
complain to the Court.
 sanctioning EU institutions
(actions for damages)
• any person or company who has had their
interests harmed as a result of the action or
inaction of the EU or its staff can take action
against them through the Court.
 Composition
The CJEU is divided into 2 courts:
• Court of Justice – deals with requests for preliminary rulings
from national courts, certain actions for annulment and
appeals.
• General Court – rules on actions for annulment brought by
individuals, companies and, in some cases, EU governments.
In practice, this means that this court deals mainly with
competition law, State aid, trade, agriculture, trade marks.

Each judge and advocate general is appointed for a renewable 6-

year term, jointly by national governments. In each Court, the
judges select a President who serves a renewable term of 3
years.
 European Central Bank
• The central bank for the euro and administers monetary
policy within the Eurozone, which comprises 19 member
states of the European Union and is one of the largest
monetary areas in the world.
• Established by the Treaty of Amsterdam, the ECB is one of the
world's most important central banks and serves as one of
seven institutions of the European Union, being enshrined in
the Treaty on European Union (TEU).
• The bank's capital stock is owned by all 28 central banks of
each EU member state.
• The current President of the ECB is Mario Draghi.
• Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany,
 Independency

The ECB is completely independent. Neither the

ECB, the national central bank is in the Euro
system, nor any member of their decision-
making bodies can ask for or accept instructions
from any other body. All EU institutions and
governments must also respect this principle.
 EUROPEAN COURT OF AUDITORS
• The European Court of Auditors was established by the Treaty
of Brussels of 22 July 1975. The Court started operating as an
external Community audit body in October 1977, with its
headquarters in Luxembourg.
• Since the Treaty of Maastricht the European Court of
Auditors has been recognised as one of the five institutions of
the European Communities.
• Under the constitutional system the auditing function
normally takes two separate but complementary forms,
known respectively as internal control and external auditing.
• The setting-up of the European Court of Auditors followed
this same reasoning.
 MISSION
• The European Court of Auditors is the EU
Institution established by the Treaty to carry
out the audit of EU finances.
• As the EU's external auditor it contributes to
improving EU financial management and acts
as the independent guardian of the financial
interests of the citizens of the Union.
 MISSION
• The Court renders audit services through
which it assesses the collection and spending
of EU funds.
• It examines whether financial operations have
been properly recorded and disclosed, legally
and regularly executed and managed.
• The Court communicates the results of its
audits in clear, relevant and objective reports.
It also provides its opinion on financial
management issues.
 ORGANISATION
• The Treaty of Nice of 1 February 2003 confirmed the principle
that there should be one Member from each Member State,
allowed the Court the option of being organised in chambers
and highlighted the importance of the Court's cooperation
with the national audit bodies.
• The actual president is Vítor Manuel da Silva Caldeira and the
secretary general is Michel Hervé.
• It’s divided into groups: the preservation and management of
natural resources; the structural policies, transport, research
and energy; external actions; internal policies; coordination,
communication, evaluation, assurance and development; and
the administrative committee. There are from 3-5 people in
each group.
• It consists of 27 members (one for each country) designated
by the Council for a renewable term of six years.
Members select a President among themselves for a period of
three years.
 European Committee of the
Regions (CoR)
• Role: Advisory body representing Europe's regional
and local authorities
• President: Karl-Heinz Lambertz (PES)
• Established in: 1994
• Location: Brussels (Belgium)
An EU advisory body composed of locally and
regionally elected representatives coming from all 28
Member States.
Through the CoR they are able to share their opinion on
EU legislation that directly impacts regions and cities.
 The Committee of Regions (COR)
A political assembly of the EU, representing local
and regional authorities.
Aims:
• To improve EU legislation using the expertise
of local and regional representatives
• To act as the voice of local and regional
authorities in Brussels
• To bring Europe closer to its citizens.
 What does the CoR do?
The CoR gives regions and cities a formal say in EU law-
making ensuring that the position and needs of
regional and local authorities are respected.
• The European Commission, the Council of the EU and
the European Parliament must consult the CoR when
drawing up legislation on matters concerning local
and regional government such as health, education,
employment, social policy, economic and social
cohesion, transport, energy and climate change.
• If this is not done, the CoR can bring a case before
the Court of Justice.
 What does the CoR do?
• Once the CoR receives a legislative proposal,
it prepares and adopts an opinion and
circulates it to the relevant EU institutions.
• The CoR also issues opinions on its own
initiative.
 Member Composition
• The CoR members are elected representatives
serving in local or regional authorities. Each
country nominates members of its choice who
are appointed for renewable five-year terms
by the Council of the EU. The number of
members per country depends on the size of
that country's population.
• Members from one country form the national
delegation which reflects the political,
geographical, regional and local balance of
 Member Composition
• Each member can also choose to be part of a political
group in the CoR. Currently there are five political
groups reflecting a range of political affiliations:
the European People's Party (EPP), the Party of
European Socialists (PES), the Group of the Alliance
of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE),
the European Alliance Group (EA) and the European
Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR). Members
can also choose not to be part of a political party if
they so wish (non-aligned).
• The CoR appoints a president from among its
members for a two-and-a-half-year term.
European Economic and Social Committee

• An advisory body set up by the Treaty of Rome

(1957)
• Represents organised civil society

European
European Parliament Council of the
Commission European
Union

European Economic and Social Committee

 What is organised civil society?

• People “on the ground” – represented by organisations of

Employers Workers Various Interests

(including farmers,
consumers, NGOs,
professions…)

• committed to defending their interests or convictions

(human rights, children's rights, the environment,
poverty, the fight against racism and discrimination...)
What is the role of the EESC?

• Through its consultative role vis-à-vis the European

Parliament, the Council and the European
Commission, the EESC has three main tasks:
• to ensure that EU policies reflect the true
economic, social and civic picture,
• to build a more participatory EU, closer to its
citizens, and
• to promote EU values and civil society
organisations globally.
What is the structure of the EESC?

• It is an assembly of 350 members (appointed for 5

years) from the 28 Member States of the EU.
• The EESC has 1 president and 2 vice-presidents elected
every 2 and a half years.
• It represents economic and social interest groups:
employers, workers, various interests (NGOs, farmers,
youth, consumer protection, etc.).
• It has 6 sections and a Consultative Commission on
Industrial Change (CCMI).
• Its opinions are debated and adopted by simple
majority at its plenary sessions (+/-9 a year).
 How does the EESC work?

• The Committee can be consulted by the European

Parliament, the Council of the EU or the European
Commission. Its Opinion can be mandatory, own-
initiative or exploratory
• To issue opinions, the sections usually set up study
groups, each with a rapporteur
• Constructive debate in meetings to reach consensus
• A vote is taken in the section, then in the plenary session
• The final opinion is sent to the European institutions and
published in the Official Journal of the EU
 Agencies in the EU
• Decentralised agencies
• Agencies under Common Security and
Defence Policy
• Executive agencies
• EURATOM agencies and bodies
• Other organisations