JeanieBukowski

AssociateProfessor
InstituteofInternationalStudies
BradleyUniversity

TheEUasahybridsystem

Itisanintergovernmental
organization(IGO),madeupof27
memberstates.

Italsohassupranational
characteristics,including
legislativeandjudicial
processes.

Theresultisacomplexdecisionmaking
system,inwhichthereisaconstant
tensionbetweentheprinciplesof
sovereignty andsupranationality.

OVERVIEWOFMAININSTITUTIONS
EuropeanCouncil
(HeadsofGovernmentandState)

Setslongtermagenda;
makesstrategicdecisions;
agreestreaties
Intergovernmental

JudicialProcess
EuropeanCourtof
Justice
Supranational

LegislativeProcess
EuropeanCommission
Supranational

CouncilofMinisters
(CounciloftheEuropean
Union)

Intergovernmental,with
supranationalaspects

EuropeanParliament
Supranational

TheEuropeanCouncil
y Forumforsummitmeetingsofthehighestofficialsofthe
y
y
y
y
y

memberstates,i.e.headsofgovernment/state
Wasestablishedin1974;confirmedasaninstitutionin
TreatyofLisbon
ChairedsinceTreatyofLisbonbyanappointedpresident
BasedinBrussels,meetsatleast4timesannually
Makesmostdecisionsthroughconsensus
Responsibilities:
y Takesstrategicdecisions;dealswithcrises;launchesnew

initiatives,includingeverynewEUtreatyandinstitutional
reform
y Setsbroaderagenda
y Makesnominationstoseniorpositions

HermanvanRompuy
PresidentoftheEuropeanCouncil
aka,HaikuHerman
Inresponsetoasurveyshowingthatonly4%
ofGermanshadeverheardofhim,he
tweetedthefollowing:
Inthedeadofnight
Anowlshootechoesinthevoid
Hardlyasoullistens
Anearlierclassic:
Hairblowsinthewind
Afteryearsthereisstillwind
Sadlynomorehair

OVERVIEWOFMAININSTITUTIONS
EuropeanCouncil
(HeadsofGovernmentandState)

Setslongtermagenda;
makesstrategicdecisions;
agreestreaties
Intergovernmental

JudicialProcess
EuropeanCourtof
Justice
Supranational

LegislativeProcess
EuropeanCommission
Supranational

CouncilofMinisters
(CounciloftheEuropean
Union)

Intergovernmental,with
supranationalaspects

EuropeanParliament
Supranational

TheEuropeanCommission
y Consistsof27memberCollegeofCommissioners;oneCommissioner

nominatedbyeachmemberstate,approvedbytheEuropeanCouncil
andEP;eachisgivenresponsibilityoverapolicyarea(Portfolio);
supportedbyDirectoratesGeneral
y LocatedinBrussels;managesanetworkof130+delegationsin
countriesoutsidetheEU
y HeadedbyaPresidentnominatedbytheEuropeanCounciland
approvedbytheEP(Jos ManuelBarroso)
y Powers/functions
y RightofinitiativeofEUlegislation;promotestheinterestsoftheEUasa
y
y
y
y
y

whole
Executes/implementspolicy
DevelopsandmanagesEUbudget
RepresentsEUininternationaltradenegotiations(e.g.WTO)
ManagesEUsdevelopmentassistanceandhumanitarianaid
Overseesmembershipapplicationprocess

TheCouncilofMinisters
(CounciloftheEuropeanUnion)
y Consistsofmemberstatecabinetministers,meetingunder10different
y
y
y

configurations,dependinguponproposedlegislation
MinistersaidedbypowerfulCommitteeofPermanentRepresentatives
(Coreper)
LocatedinBrussels
SinceTreatyofLisbon,ForeignAffairsCouncilischairedbytheHigh
RepresentativeoftheUnionforForeignAffairsandSecurityPolicy;all
otherconfigurationsarechairedbymemberstatesona6monthrotation
Powers/functions
y Passeslegislation(withEP),primarilythroughQualifiedMajorityVoting
y
y
y
y
y

(QMV);historicallyhasbeenthemorepowerfullegislativebody
SharespowerwithEPforapprovingandadoptingtheEUbudget
Coordinatesmemberstateeconomicpolicies
Coordinatesmemberstatejusticeandhomeaffairspolicies
DefinesandimplementsEUCommonForeignandSecurityPolicy
ConcludesinternationalagreementsonbehalfoftheEU

QualifiedMajorityVoting
intheCouncilofMinisters
y Aqualifiedmajority(QM)isthenumberofvotesrequiredintheCouncilforadecision

tobeadopted.
y TheTreatyofNiceintroducedaqualifiedmajoritysystembasedonanewweightingof

votesandademographicverificationclause.Thenumberofvotesallocatedtoeach
MemberStatewasreweighted,inparticularforthosestateswithlargerpopulations.
After1January2007andfollowingenlargementoftheUnion,thequalifiedmajority
increasedto255votesoutofatotalof345,representingamajorityoftheMemberStates.
Moreover,aMemberStatemayrequestverificationthattheQMrepresentsatleast62%
ofthetotalpopulationoftheUnion.Ifthisisnotthecase,thedecisionisnotadopted.
y WiththeentryintoforceoftheTreatyofLisbonanewsystemknownasdouble

majoritywasintroduced.Itwillenterintoforceon1November2014.TheNicesystem
shallremainapplicableduringthetransitionperiodupto31October2014.Inaccordance
withtheTreaty,thenewqualifiedmajoritycorrespondstoatleast55%ofthemembersof
theCouncil,comprisingatleast15ofthemandrepresentingatleast65%oftheEuropean
population.Ablockingminoritymaybeformedcomprisingatleastfourmembersofthe
Council.
Source:Europa,2012

TheEuropeanParliament
y Consistsof736MembersoftheEuropeanParliament(MEPs),directly

electedbyvotersinthememberstates,whositandworktogetherincross
nationalpartygroups
y LocatedinBrusselsandStrasbourg(withanadministrativesecretariatin
Luxembourg)
y Powers/functions
y Passeslegislation(withtheCouncilofMinisters);hasgraduallygainedpoweras
y
y
y
y
y

morepolicyareasaresubjecttocodecision(ordinarylegislative)procedure
SharespowerwiththeCouncilofMinistersforapprovingandadoptingEU
budget
RighttoconfirmorrejectnomineesforpresidentofEuropeanCommissionand
HighRepresentativeforForeignAffairsandSecurity
RighttoapproveorrejectappointmentstotheCollegeofCommissioners,the
managementteamoftheEuropeanCentralBank,andtheCourtofAuditors
MayforceresignationofCollegeofCommissionersthroughamotionof
censure
ManagestheofficeofEuropeanOmbudsman

EUCodecision(OrdinaryLegislative)Procedure

EuropeanCourtofJustice
(CourtofJusticeoftheEuropeanUnion)
y Consistsof27judges,appointedbymemberstates;assistedby8

advocatesgeneral;assistedbylower27memberGeneralCourtand7
memberEUCivilServiceTribunal
y LocatedinLuxembourg
y ThecourtisthesupremelegalbodyoftheEUandthefinalcourtof
appealonallmattersofEUlaw
y Procedures:
y PreliminaryRulings
y DirectActions

y Importantprinciples:
y Directeffect
y Supremacy
y Mutualrecognition

OtherInstitutions,Agencies,and
Bodies
y EuropeanCentralBank
y EuropeanCourtofAuditors
y EuropeanEconomicandSocialCommittee
y CommitteeoftheRegions
y EuropeanInvestmentBank
y EuropeanPoliceOffice(Europol)
y ExecutiveAgencyforHealthandConsumers
y Eurocorps

JeanieBukowski
jbukow@bradley.edu