European Union Institutions: Roles, Members, and History

Key Institutions of the European Union

European Parliament

• Role: A body of the European Union elected by direct universal suffrage, with legislative, budgetary, and supervisory powers.
• Members: 751 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
• President: Antonio Tajani.
• Established:
  • 1952 as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community.
  • 1962 as the European Parliament (first direct elections in 1979).
• Seats: Strasbourg (France), Brussels (Belgium), and Luxembourg (Luxembourg).

European Council

• Role: Defines the main orientations and political priorities of the European Union.
• Members: The Heads of State and Government of the EU Member States, the President of the European Commission, and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
• President: Donald Tusk.
• Established:
  • 1974 (informal assembly).
  • 1992 (official status).
  • 2009 (official institution of the EU).
• Headquarters: Brussels (Belgium).

Council of the European Union

• Role: Serves as the voice of EU Member States, adopting legislation and coordinating EU policies.
• Members: National ministers from each EU country, depending on the specific policy area.
• President: Each EU country holds the rotating presidency for a period of six months.
• Established: 1958 (originally as the "Council of the European Communities").
• Headquarters: Brussels (Belgium).

European Commission

• Role: To promote the general interest of the European Union by proposing legislation and ensuring its implementation, as well as by implementing the EU's policies and budget.
• Members: A team of Commissioners (one from each Member State), who together form the "College".
• President: Jean-Claude Juncker.
• Founded: 1958.
• Headquarters: Brussels (Belgium).

European Court of Justice (ECJ)

• Role: To ensure that EU legislation is interpreted and applied in the same way across all EU countries, and to ensure that EU countries and institutions comply with EU legislation.
• Members:
  • Court of Justice: One judge per Member State and 11 Advocates General.
  • General Court: 47 judges. (In 2019, their number was increased to 56, with two judges per Member State).
• Founded: 1952.
• Headquarters: Luxembourg.

European Central Bank (ECB)

• Role: Managing the single currency, ensuring price stability, and conducting the EU's economic and monetary policy.
• President: Mario Draghi.
• Members: The President and Vice-President of the ECB, as well as the governors of the central banks of all EU Member States.
• Founded: 1998.
• Headquarters: Frankfurt (Germany).