EUROPE - ABOUT

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
The European Parliament (EP) has 736 members, 12 of whom are Irish.  It is elected to protect European citizens’ rights and interests.  The EP makes European Union laws and determines the EU’s annual budget (jointly with the Council of Ministers).

European elections take place every 5 years and the last one was in June 2009.  The European Parliament makes decisions that affect us all, so make sure you have a say in electing your MEPs. 

EUROPEAN COMMISSION
The European Commission (EC) has 27 members, one from each EU Member State and is responsible for preparing draft EU legislation, administering the EU budget and ensuring that EU laws are respected and properly enforced in the EU Member States. 

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
The Council of Ministers is made up of one Minister from each Member State and is responsible, jointly with the European Parliament, for making EU laws and drawing up the annual EU budget.

EUROPEAN COUNCIL
The European Council consists of the Heads of Government of each Member State.  It meets four times a year to set general political guidelines and priorities for EU action.

HOW EU LAWS ARE MADE
EU Treaties, ratified by all Member States, give the EU institutions power to make laws in certain areas.

In general, EU laws are enacted as follows: firstly, the European Commission proposes a draft law.  The draft legislation is then passed to the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, who examine it carefully, propose amendments, find a political compromise and jointly enact the law.  The European Commission is subsequently responsible for ensuring that the law is properly applied.

The EU can only act in areas where it has a legal basis to do so, and it does not have power to make laws in areas not covered by the EU Treaties.

Maryborough Lodge,
 Maryborough Hill,
 Douglas, Cork, Ireland

Tel: +353 (21) 4896 433
 Fax: +353 (21) 4896 401