5.5 The institutions of the European Community The Treaty of Rome set up a range of institutions to make the European Community function. The number of institutions has steadily increased in the intervening decades and currently some of the most important and relevant for your purposes are: • the European Parliament; • the European Commission; • the Council of Ministers; • the European Court of Justice; • the Court of Auditors; • the European Central Bank (ECB); • the European Investment Bank (EIB) 5.5.5.1 The European Council (now known as the Council of the European Union) This is an important group and is often confused with the Council of Ministers (and of course the name makes it ripe for confusion with the Council of Europe discussed in 5.4.1.1, above, in relation to the ECHR). The Council of the European Union is made up of the heads of government of Member States with representatives from the Commission of the Union. Whilst such a group has been core in the idea of the Community from the beginning it is not part of the legal or executive institutions of the Union. It is purely composed of those with loyalty to the Member State but desiring to forward their own agenda alongside the Union. They meet twice a year or more if necessary and have the power to agree new treaties. What appears to be happening is that the Council of the European Union is exerting increasing power and influence on the policy of the Union whilst standing outside the institutions. 5.5.5.2 The important law making institutions Several institutions within the EC have essential roles in the law making process either as initiators of legislation or with the authority to make law. You will, of course, learn about these in detail in English legal system, EU and public law courses. The main ones are as follows: • the European Parliament; • the European Commission; • the Council of Ministers; • the European Council; • the ECB. These areas will be covered in detail in specific subjects such as English legal system and constitutional law but they will be discussed briefly and sometimes illustrated with tables or diagrams for two reasons: • to provide a quick overview that will hopefully aid reading set texts covering these areas; and

DOI link for 5.5 The institutions of the European Community The Treaty of Rome set up a range of institutions to make the European Community function. The number of institutions has steadily increased in the intervening decades and currently some of the most important and relevant for your purposes are: • the European Parliament; • the European Commission; • the Council of Ministers; • the European Court of Justice; • the Court of Auditors; • the European Central Bank (ECB); • the European Investment Bank (EIB) 5.5.5.1 The European Council (now known as the Council of the European Union) This is an important group and is often confused with the Council of Ministers (and of course the name makes it ripe for confusion with the Council of Europe discussed in 5.4.1.1, above, in relation to the ECHR). The Council of the European Union is made up of the heads of government of Member States with representatives from the Commission of the Union. Whilst such a group has been core in the idea of the Community from the beginning it is not part of the legal or executive institutions of the Union. It is purely composed of those with loyalty to the Member State but desiring to forward their own agenda alongside the Union. They meet twice a year or more if necessary and have the power to agree new treaties. What appears to be happening is that the Council of the European Union is exerting increasing power and influence on the policy of the Union whilst standing outside the institutions. 5.5.5.2 The important law making institutions Several institutions within the EC have essential roles in the law making process either as initiators of legislation or with the authority to make law. You will, of course, learn about these in detail in English legal system, EU and public law courses. The main ones are as follows: • the European Parliament; • the European Commission; • the Council of Ministers; • the European Council; • the ECB. These areas will be covered in detail in specific subjects such as English legal system and constitutional law but they will be discussed briefly and sometimes illustrated with tables or diagrams for two reasons: • to provide a quick overview that will hopefully aid reading set texts covering these areas; and

ABSTRACT

The Treaty of Rome set up a range of institutions to make the European Community function. The number of institutions has steadily increased in the intervening decades and currently some of the most important and relevant for your purposes are: • the European Parliament; • the European Commission; • the Council of Ministers; • the European Court of Justice; • the Court of Auditors; • the European Central Bank (ECB); • the European Investment Bank (EIB)

5.5.5.1 The European Council (now known as the Council of the European Union)

This is an important group and is often confused with the Council of Ministers (and of course the name makes it ripe for confusion with the Council of Europe discussed in 5.4.1.1, above, in relation to the ECHR). The Council of the European Union is made up of the heads of government of Member States with representatives from the Commission of the Union. Whilst such a group has been core in the idea of the Community from the beginning it is not part of the legal or executive institutions of the Union. It is purely composed of those with loyalty to the Member State but desiring to forward their own agenda alongside the Union. They meet twice a year or more if necessary and have the power to agree new treaties. What appears to be happening is that the Council of the European Union is exerting increasing power and influence on the policy of the Union whilst standing outside the institutions.