Introducing the European Union

The European Union (EU) is not a federation like the United States. Nor is it simply an organisation for co-operation between governments, like the United Nations. It is, in fact, unique. The countries that make up the EU (its "member states") pool their sovereignty in order to gain a strength and world influence none of them could have on its own.

Pooling sovereignty means, in practice, that the member states delegate some of their decision-making powers to shared institutions they have created, so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level.

The EU's decision-making process in general, and the co-decision procedure in particular, involve three main institutions:

• the European Parliament, which represents the EU's citizens and is directly elected by them;
• the Council of the European Union, which represents the individual member states;
• the European Commission, which seeks to uphold the interests of the Union as a whole.

This "institutional triangle" produces the policies and laws (directives, regulations and decisions) that apply throughout the EU. In principle, it is the Commission that proposes new EU laws but it is the Parliament and Council that adopt them.

Two other institutions have a vital part to play: the Court of Justice upholds the rule of European law, and the Court of Auditors checks the financing of the Union's activities.

These institutions were set up under the Treaties, which are the foundation of everything the EU does. The Treaties are agreed by the member states' presidents and prime ministers and ratified by their parliaments. They lay down the rules and procedures that the EU institutions must follow.

In addition to its institutions, the EU has a number of other bodies that play specialised roles:

The European Ombudsman

The European Ombudsman guards EU citizens and businesses against maladministration.

European Data Protection Supervisor

The EDPS ensures that EU institutions or bodies respect people’s right to privacy when processing their personal data.

Financial bodies

• the European Central Bank is responsible for European monetary policy;
• the European Investment Bank finances EU investment projects;
  • The European Investment Fund provides guarantees and venture capital to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Advisory bodies

• the European Economic and Social Committee represents civil society and the two sides of industry;
• the Committee of the Regions represents regional and local authorities.

Interinstitutional bodies

• the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities publishes, prints and distributes information about the EU and its activities;
• the European Communities Personnel Selection Office recruits staff for the EU institutions and other bodies.

Decentralized agencies

• 16 specialised agencies ("Community agencies") handle specific technical, scientific or management tasks within the EU's "Community domain" (the "first pillar" of the European Union);
• the European Institute for Security Studies and the European Union Satellite Centre handle specific tasks relating to the Common Foreign and Security Policy (the "second pillar" of the European Union);
• Europol and Eurojust help co-ordinate police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters (the "third pillar" of the European Union).