Key European Union Institutions and CAP Policy

Main Institutions of the EU

European Commission

The Commission is independent of the national governments and its goal is to represent and defend the interests of the EU as a whole. They elaborate law proposals that are presented in the Parliament.

It also has an executive function and must implement the decisions of the Parliament and the Council. Its main duties are:

• Propose legislation to the Council and the Parliament.
• Manage and implement EU policies and budget.
• Enforce European legislation (together with the Court of Justice).
• Represent the EU in international forums.

EU Council (Council of the European Union)

It is comprised of the heads of the member states, along with the President of the Council and the President of the Commission. It has a rotatory presidency that lasts for six months. Its basic responsibilities are:

• Approve European laws, together with the Parliament.
• Coordinate general economic policies of the member states.
• Conclude international agreements between the EU and other countries or international organizations.
• Approve the EU budget together with the Parliament.
• Develop the Common Foreign and Security Policy.
• Coordinate the cooperation between national courts of justice and police.

EU Parliament

Elected by the European citizens in the European elections that take place once every five years. The Parliament has three main functions:

• Approve European legislation.
• Exert democratic control over the European institutions, especially the European Commission. The Parliament can approve or reject the appointment of the Commissioners, and even has the right to censure the Commission as a whole.
• It shares the budget control with the Council.

Together with these are the European Court of Justice, the European Central Bank, and the European Court of Auditors.

These institutions are ruled by the different treaties and agreements of the European Union.

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

Probably one of the most discussed policies because of its implications for developing countries, and because it takes half of the European budget.

Firstly, it’s about an integrated market for this kind of goods without barriers. Secondly, there is a price support for the majority of agricultural products – we are subsidizing the production.

The objectives, set out in Article 39 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, are as follows:

• To increase productivity, by promoting technical progress and ensuring the optimum use of the factors of production, in particular labour;
• To ensure a fair standard of living for the agricultural Community;
• To stabilize markets;
• To secure availability of supplies;
• To provide consumers with food at reasonable prices.