European Commission

The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. It operates in the method of cabinet government, with 27 "Commissioners", one for each country of the EU, led by a Commission President (currently José Manuel Barroso). The present Commission, known after its President as the "Barroso Commission" took office in late 2004 and is serving a five-year term. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union.
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The institution of the European Community that ensures the application of the provisions of the Treaty. The Commission develops Community policies, proposes Community legislation and exercises powers in specific areas. In the area of economic policy, the Commission recommends broad guidelines for economic policies in the Community and reports to the EU Council on economic developments and policies. It monitors public finances within the framework of multilateral surveillance and submits reports to the Council.

The European Commission is a body with powers of initiative, implementation, management and control. It is the guardian of the Treaties and the embodiment of the interests of the Community. It is composed of twenty independent members (two each from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom and one each from all the other countries), including a President and two Vice-Presidents. It is appointed for a five-year term by the Council, acting by qualified majority in agreement with the Member States. It is subject to a vote of appointment by the European Parliament, to which it is answerable. The Commissioners are assisted by an administration made up of directorates-general and specialised departments whose staff are divided mainly between Brussels and Luxembourg.

The new Commission, which took office on 23 January 2000 for a five-year term, has launched wide-ranging reforms in the institution with a view to modernising its working methods and procedures and ensuring a truly collegiate decision-making process, while delegating more in specific areas (e.g. regional policy, common agricultural policy, internal market). The importance attached by the Commission to reform is reflected in the White Paper adopted on 1 March 2000. This reform has three main strands:

•setting of priorities and allocation of resources;
•overhaul of human resources policy;
•improvement in financial management, effectiveness and empowerment.

See:

•Composition of the Commission 
•Confirmation of the Commission 
•European Council
•European Parliament 
•Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) 
•Monitoring the application of Community law 
•President of the European Commission 
•Right of initiative

is the politically independent institution that represents and upholds the interests of the European Union as a whole. It proposes legislation, policies and programmes of action and it is responsible for implementing the decisions of Parliament and the Council.

A European Community institution with powers of legislative initiative, implementation, management and control. It is the guardian of the Treaties and the embodiment of the interests of the Community. The Commission shares the right to initiate proposals in justice and home affairs with Member States.