EU structureEU structure

ParliamentParliament• only directly elected body

• the legislative and budgetary authority

• 785 members every 5 years

• represent nearly 500 million citizens

• does not have legislative initiative

• have powers over the Commission which the Council does not

ParliamentParliament

CouncilCouncil• main decision making bodies

• holds legislative and executive powers

• composed of twenty-seven national ministers

• accountable to national political systems

• votes taking- either by majority or unanimity, according to population

CouncilCouncil

CommissionCommission• the executive branch

• composed of one appointee from each state

• independent of national interests

• responsible for drafting all law of the European Union

• led by a President who is nominated by the Council and approved by Parliamen

CommissionCommission

Court of JusticeCourt of Justice• has the last word on Union law • and is composed of 27 judges with a

President elected from among them• role is to ensure that Union law is applied in

the same way across all states • assisted by a lower court called the Court of

First Instance of the European Communities • a Civil Service Tribunal

Court of JusticeCourt of Justice

Court of AuditorsCourt of Auditors• has no judicial powers

• ensures taxpayer funds from the budget Union have been correctly spent

• provides an audit report for each financial year to the Council and Parliament

Court of AuditorsCourt of Auditors

European CouncilEuropean Council• At present is linked to the Council

• meets 4 times a year to define the Union's policy agenda and give impetus to integration

• Is going to be more formal and have its own, permanent, President of the European Council

European CouncilEuropean Council

European Central BankEuropean Central Bank• the central bank for the eurozone

• controls monetary policy

• maintain price stability

• is governed by a board comprising of national bank governors and a President

• was designed to be independent of political influences

European Central BankEuropean Central Bank

• Thank you for your attention.

• Please, if you have any questions, you can direct them to http://europa.eu