Overview
- Role: Promotes the general interest of the EU by proposing and enforcing legislation as well as by implementing policies and the EU budget
- Members: A team or 'College' of Commissioners, 1 from each EU country
- President: Ursula von der Leyen
- Year established: 1958
- Location: Brussels (Belgium)
- Website:European Commission
The European Commission is the EU'spolitically independent executive arm. It is alone responsible for drawing up proposals for new European legislation, and it implements the decisions of theEuropean Parliamentand theCouncil of the EU.
What does the Commission do?
Proposes new laws
The Commission is the sole EU institution tabling laws for adoption by the Parliament and the Council that:
- protect the interests of the EU and its citizens on issues that can't be dealt with effectively at national level
- get technical details right by consulting experts and the public
Manages EU policies & allocates EU funding
- sets EU spending priorities, together with the Council and Parliament
- draws up annual budgets for approval by the Parliament and Council
- supervises how the money is spent, under scrutiny by theCourt of Auditors
Enforces EU law
- together with the Court of Justice, ensures that EU law is properly applied in all the member countries
Represents the EU internationally
- speaks on behalf of all EU countries in international bodies, in particular in areas of trade policy and humanitarian aid
- negotiates international agreements for the EU
Composition
Political leadershipis provided by a team of27 Commissioners(one from each EU country) – led by theCommission President, who decides who is responsible for which policy area.
The College of Commissioners is composed of the President of the Commission, eight Vice-Presidents, including three Executive Vice-Presidents, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and 18 Commissioners, each responsible for a portfolio.
Theday-to-day runningof Commission business is performed by its staff (lawyers, economists, etc.), organised into departments known asDirectorates-General (DGs), each responsible for aspecific policy area.
Appointing the President
The candidate is put forward by national leaders in the European Council, taking account of the results of the European Parliament elections. He or she needs the support of a majority of members of the European Parliament in order to be elected.
Selecting the team
The Presidential candidate selects potential Vice-Presidents and Commissioners based on suggestions from the EU countries. The list of nominees has to be approved by national leaders in the European Council.
Each nominee appears before the European Parliament to explain their vision and answer questions. Parliament then votes on whether to accept the nominees as a team. Finally, they are appointed by the European Council, by a qualified majority.
The current Commission's term of office runs until 31 October 2024.
How does the Commission work?
Strategic planning
The President defines the policy direction for the Commission, which enables the Commissioners together to decide strategic objectives, and produce theannual work programme.
Collective decision making
Decisions are taken based on collective responsibility. All Commissioners are equal in the decision-making process and equally accountable for these decisions. They do not have any individual decision-making powers, except when authorized in certain situations.
The Vice-Presidents act on behalf of the President and coordinate work in their area of responsibility, together with several Commissioners.Priority projectsare defined to help ensure that the College works together in a close and flexible manner.
Commissioners support Vice-Presidents in submitting proposals to the College. In general, decisions are made by consensus, but votes can also take place. In this case, decisions are taken by simple majority, where every Commissioner has one vote.
The relevantDirectorate-General(headed by a Director-General, answerable to the relevant Commissioner) then takes up the subject. This is usually done in the form of draftlegislative proposals.
These are then resubmitted to the Commissioners for adoption at their weekly meeting, after which they become official, and are sent to the Council and the Parliament for the next stage in the EU legislative process.
The European Commission and you
Give input
If you want togive us your viewson EU policies or suggest changes or new policies, you have various options:
- send a response to a Commissionpublic consultationon an issue that concerns you
- launch aEuropean Citizens' Initiative
- make aformal complaintif you think EU law is not being applied properly in your case
Get info
The Commission also providesto help you with business, study, legal matters, and moving and working around Europe.
Contact us
For anyquestionsyou have about our work:
- contact Commission staff(in Brussels, etc.)
- contact a local Commission officein your country
Access to documents
Access to information
Commission President calendar
Commissioners' calendar
Further information
Who's who
Audiovisual material
Funding
Publications
European Commission Library and e-Resources Centre (Find-eR)
Jobs
