Question

Explain the structure of the European Union.

Answer 1

The European Union (EU) is a unique political and economic union of 27 European countries. It has a complex yet well-organised structure consisting of seven main institutions that work together for decision-making, law-making, and implementation.

The structure of the EU is as follows:

1. The European Commission: The Commission is the executive-bureaucratic arm of the EU. It is mainly responsible for drawing up proposals for new European legislation, and it implements the policy decisions of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.
2. The European Parliament: The European Parliament is composed of 751 Members, who are directly elected every five years. It is a body entrusted with legislative, supervisory, and budgetary responsibilities.
3. The European Council: The structure of the European Council consists of the presidents or prime ministers of each member state, accompanied by their foreign ministers, and a full-time President of the European Council. The European Council meets four times a year and provides strategic leadership for the EU.
4. The European Court of Justice: The ECJ interprets and adjudicates on EU law and treaties. As EU law has primacy over the national law of EU member states.