The European Commission: Functions and Structure

The European Commission

The European Commission is one of the main institutions of the European Union. It represents and upholds the interests of the EU as a whole and drafts proposals for new European laws.

The 27 Commissioners, one from each EU country, provide the Commission’s political leadership during their 5-year term. Each commissioner is assigned responsibility for specific policy areas by the President. The President is proposed by the Council (composed of the heads of government) and elected from the most voted European party.

Core Purposes

• Proposing new laws: The Commission proposes new laws to protect the interests of the EU and its citizens, aiming to satisfy the widest possible range of interests. Its departments produce a draft of the proposed law. If at least 14 of the 27 Commissioners agree, the draft is sent to the Council and Parliament for debate, amendment, and adoption.
• Managing the EU’s budget and allocating funding: The Commission sets broad long-term spending priorities in the EU 'financial framework,' draws up an annual budget for approval by Parliament and the Council, and supervises how EU funds are spent.
• Enforcing European law: Acting as the “guardian of the Treaties” alongside the Court of Justice, the Commission ensures that each member country applies EU law properly.
• Representing the EU internationally: The Commission speaks on behalf of all EU countries in international bodies, such as the World Trade Organization, and negotiates international agreements like the Cotonou Agreement.

Location and Structure

The Commission is based in Brussels and Luxembourg, with offices in every EU country and delegations in capital cities worldwide.

The Commission operates through two distinct dimensions:

• Political face: Comprised of the President, the Commissioners, and their Cabinets.
• Administrative face: Comprised of Departments (Directorates-General) and Services, which function similarly to national ministries.