The European Commission

KEY POINTS

Role

1. Proposes new laws – the Commission is the sole EU institution that formally presents laws for adoption by the European Parliament and the Council.
2. Manages EU policies and allocate EU funding – the Commission sets spending priorities along with the Council and the Parliament, and draws up and executes the annual budget.
3. Enforces EU law – together with the Court of Justice of the EU, the Commission ensures that EU law is applied properly in all EU countries.
4. Represents the EU internationally – speaks on behalf of all EU countries in international bodies (such as the World Trade Organisation – WTO).

Composition

• The Commission is led politically by a team of 27 Commissioners. The College of Commissioners includes one Commissioner from each EU country and includes:
  • a president;
  • 7 vice-presidents including 3 executive vice-presidents and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission (HR/VP);
  • 19 Commissioners in charge of portfolios.
• The Commission’s work is organised into departments known as directorates-general (DGs), each responsible for a specific policy area.

The president

• The European Council puts forward a candidate for president, taking into account the results of the European Parliament elections. The candidate must have the support of the majority of European Parliament members to be elected. He/she is responsible for:
  • establishing the political guidelines for the College of Commissioners;
  • deciding upon the Commission’s internal organisation and delegating responsibility for particular policy areas to the individual Commissioners – these tasks may be reallocated throughout his/her time in office;
  • appointing vice-presidents from amongst Members of the Commission, with the exception of the HR/VP.
• He/she may also ask a Commissioner to leave his/her post without the College’s approval.

Appointment

• By common agreement with the elected president, the Council adopts the list of persons which it proposes to appoint as Members of the Commission, with the exception of the HR/VP.
• The HR/VP is appointed by the European Council, in agreement with the President of the Commission.
• The Members of the Commission are chosen for their general competence and their independence.
• The entire College is approved by a European parliamentary vote.

Summary table