How does the EU work?

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the Commission is

Federica Mogherini

The FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT of the EU COmmision is

Frans Timmermans

The Council (also known as the Council of Ministers) is made up of ____ from the EU's national governments.

ministers

Parliament holds its major debates at _____ gatherings (known as 'plenary sessions')

monthly

The Council's main job is to ____ which shares with the

pass new laws, EU Parliament

FIELDS FOR WHICH THE MEMBER STATES REMAIN RESPONSIBLE AND IN WHICH THE EU MAY PLAY A SUPPORTING OR COORDINATING ROLE:

protection and improvement of human health industry culture tourism education, vocational training, youth and sport civil protection administrative cooperation

A ______ is a law that is applicable and binding in all Member States directly. It does not need to be passed into national law by the Member States although national laws may need to be changed to avoid conflicting with the regulation.

regulation

As 'Guardian of the Treaties', it has to ensure that the _______ adopted by the Council and Parliament are being implemented in the Member States.

regulations and directives

The Treaties (known as 'primary' legislation) are the basis for a large body of 'secondary' legislation which has a direct impact on the daily lives of EU citizens. The secondary legislation consists mainly of _____ adopted by the EU institutions.

regulations,directives,recommendations

This EU budget is financed by what are called the EU's 'own resources'. These resources are mainly drawn from:

customs duties on products imported into the EU, including farm levies; • a percentage of the value added tax (VAT) levied on goods and services throughout the EU; • contributions from the Member States, reflecting the wealth of each country.

THE EUROPEAN UNION ALONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR:

customs union rules governing competition within the single market monetary policy for countries using the euro conservation of marine biological resources under the common fisheries policy common commercial policy concluding an international agreement when this is provided for in EU legislation

To fund its policies, the European Union has an annual budget which, in 2014, amounted to more than €142 billion. This is _____ of the total gross national income of all the Member States put together.

1.06 %

The term of the president of the european parliament is

2.5 years

From 1 November 2014, according to the Lisbon Treaty, a decision will be adopted if ___ of the Member States are in favour of it and if they represent at least ___ of the EU's population.

55 %,65 %

The Member States take it in turns to hold the Council Presidency for a _____ period.

6-month

The _____ finances transport infrastructure and environmental projects in EU countries whose GDP per capita is lower than 90 % of the EU average.

Cohesion Fund

There is one Commission member ('Commissioner') from each EU country, including the _____ and the ______ of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who is one of the Commission's vice-presidents.

Commission President High Representative

The ______ consists of representatives of regional and local government. They are proposed by the Member States and appointed by the Council for a 5‑year term. The Council and Commission must consult the CoR on matters of relevance to the regions, and it may also issue opinions on its own initiative.

Committee of the Regions (CoR)

The ____ of the European Union, located in Luxembourg, is made up of one judge from each EU country, assisted by eight advocates-general.

Court of Justice

The EU council has a permanent President(______), whose job is to coordinate the European Council's work and ensure its continuity.

Donald Tusk

The ____ tackles current international problems via the 'common foreign and security policy'

EU Council

The European Parliament also shares with the Council equal responsibility for adopting the ____ (proposed by the European Commission).

EU budget

The Court's role is to ensure that ____ is complied with, and that the _____ are correctly interpreted and applied.

EU law ,Treaties

The Council and the Parliament also share equal responsibility for adopting the

Eu budget.

the European Parliament exercises democratic supervision over the Union, and in particular over the

European Commission

The _____ located in Luxembourg, was established in 1975. It has one member from each EU country, appointed for a term of 6 years by agreement between the Member States following consultation of the European Parliament. It checks that all the European Union's revenue has been received and all its expenditure incurred in a lawful and regular manner and that the EU budget has been managed soundly.

European Court of Auditors,

When taking decisions in a number of policy areas, the Council and Commission consult the ______. Its members represent the various economic and social interest groups that collectively make up 'organised civil society', and are appointed by the Council for a 5-year term.

European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

The _____,based in Luxembourg, provides loans and guarantees to help the EU's less developed regions and to help make businesses more competitive.

European Investment Bank (EIB),

The _____ is used to finance regional development projects and to boost the economy in regions that are lagging behind. This includes the redevelopment of declining industrial areas.

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

The European Council is the EU's top political institution. It consists of the ____,plus the President of the ____

Heads of Government, EU Commision

The president of the EU Commision is

Jean Claude Junker

The current Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries is

Karmenu Vella

the President of the European Parliament is

Martin Schulz

_____ is a key EU institution. It alone has the right to draw up proposals for new EU legislation, which it sends to the Council and Parliament for discussion and adoption.

The Commission

The EU primary legislation is the

Treaties

The European Union is more than just a confederation of countries, but it is not a federal state.

True

The Parliament takes part in the legislative work of the EU in two ways.

Via 'co-decision Via the 'assent'

The Current Transport COMMISSIONER is

Violeta Bulc

The members of the Commission are appointed for a 5-year term by _________, subject to approval by the European Parliament . The Commission is answerable to the Parliament, and the entire Commission has to resign if the Parliament passes a motion of censure against it.

agreement between the Member States,

Every 5 years, when the time comes to appoint a new Commission, the newly elected European Parliament can — by a simple majority vote —_____ the European Council's nominee for the post of Commission President.

approve or reject

The Commission enjoys a substantial degree of independence in exercising its powers. Its job is to uphold the_____ which means that it must not take instructions from any national government

common interest,

A ______ can be addressed to Member States, groups of people, or even individuals. It is binding in its entirety. Decisions are used, for example, to rule on proposed mergers between companies.

decision

A ______ is a law that binds the Member States, or a group of Member States, to achieve a particular objective. Usually, directives must be transposed into national law to become effective. Significantly, a directive specifies the result to be achieved: it is up to the Member States individually to decide how this is done.

directive

Tasks/Actions of the EU council

fixes the EU's goals sets the course for achieving them provides the impetus for the EU's main policy initiatives takes decisions on thorny issues that the Council of Ministers has not been able to agree on.

The EU council normally meets ____ a year, in Brussels.

four times

According to the Lisbon Treaty, the Council has to take its decisions either by a majority Vote.

simple majority vote, a 'qualified majority' vote or unanimously, depending on the subject to be decided.

THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS MEMBER STATES SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR:

the single market aspects of social policy as defined in the Lisbon Treaty economic and social cohesion agriculture and fisheries, except for the conservation of marine biological resources the environment consumer protection transport trans-European networks energy creating an area of freedom, security and justice aspects of common security challenges relating to public health, as defined in the Treaty of Lisbon research, technological development and space development cooperation and humanitarian aid

The European Central Bank (ECB), in Frankfurt, is responsible for managing the euro and the EU's monetary policy. Its main tasks are

to maintain price stability and to supervise banks in the euro area.