European Competition law

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They delegate some of their decision-making powers to shared institutions they have created

- The European Parliament (EP): the voice of people

Headquarters – Strasbourg, works in Brussels and Luxembourg too

Directly elected by EU citizens – 751 members, 3 main missions.

- Legislative: Passing laws together with the Council of the EU based on Commission proposals. The EP has power to submit amendments to the council and commission, deciding on enlargement or international agreements

- Supervisory: electing the commission president, can dismiss the commission, in charge of democratic scrutiny of all the EU institutions

- Budgetary: establishing the EU budget, together with the Council. Can refuse to approve the budget, uses a series of committees.

2014-2020 budget: 908 billion payments, 960 billion commitments

- The Council of European union: the voice of member states

“Council of ministers”

Sits in Brussels , composed of gov ministers of member states and assisted by a secretariat, holds regular summit meetings that may be up to 4 times a year

Plays a key role to enlarge EU, major changes to the institutional structure , common foreign and security policy…

Shares legislative and budgetary power with EP

Presidency of the council changes every six months

- The European Commission: promoting the common interest

Sits in Brussels, it is composed of 28 members assisted by 24000 civil servants. Spilt into different departments

Guardian of the treaties- monitoring and policing EU laws, can investigate suspected breaches of EU laws, can impose fines- day to day control on policies and programs

Independent of national gov, cant be linked with any country because the commission needs to be fair when imposing fines to any country

- The European court of justice (ECJ): the rule of law

Sits un Luxemburg, it is composed of 15 judges and 6 advocate-generals. It is a final court- cant appeal , final level (1st- tribunal or court, 2nd- court of appeal, 3rd- final court its job is to be sure that companies, states respect European legal frameworks, solving disputes, interpret EU laws and harmonized them with national legal systems

Responsible for: Interpreting EU laws, making judgements, ensuring that law is equal for everyone.

2 years to reach a decision, helped by the court of first instance.

- The European council: the EU policy

Sits in Brussels, defines the general political direction and priorities a¡of the European union. Members: heads od State or Gov of EU countries. European commission president – high representative for foreign affairs and security policy.

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