European Commission

The European Commission is the main group that helps run the European Union. It is made up of 27 people, called Commissioners, one from each country in the European Union. These Commissioners work together to make decisions that help all the countries in the European Union work better together.

The European Commission has about 32,000 people who work for it, and they are split into groups called Directorates-General. These groups are like the different parts of a big team's work, each with its own leader.

The leader of the European Commission is called the Commission president. The current president is Ursula von der Leyen. She was chosen by the group of leaders from each country in the European Union, and she needed to be approved by the group of people who help make laws for the European Union. The whole group of Commissioners must also be approved by this law-making group before they can start their work. If they do a bad job, the law-making group can vote to remove them from their positions.

The current group of Commissioners is known as the second von der Leyen Commission, and they began their work in December 2024, after elections for the law-making group were held.

History

Further information: History of the European Union

The European Commission started as one of the main groups created to help run the European Community. It began in 1951 as the High Authority for the European Coal and Steel Community. Over time, it changed and grew to better manage the work of bringing European countries together.

The first group of leaders, called the High Authority, started in 1951 with nine members under President Jean Monnet. In 1958, new treaties created two more groups, called Commissions, for different parts of Europe. These groups worked together until 1967 when they merged into one big group under President Jean Rey. This group helped finish a big trade agreement and pushed for a stronger European Parliament.

Later leaders, like Jacques Delors, helped guide Europe through tough times and started plans for a shared money system. Other leaders faced challenges, like scandals, but kept working on making Europe stronger and more united. Today, the Commission continues to change and adapt to meet the needs of its member countries.

Powers and functions

The European Commission was created to work independently from any government. Its members come from each country in the European Union, but they must act without being influenced by the governments that chose them. This makes it different from groups like the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union.

The Commission has many important jobs. It helps make plans for the future, writes new laws, and works out problems when laws are being made. It also talks for the European Union when trading with other countries, creates rules for things like fair competition, and manages the EU’s budget. The Commission makes sure that all the rules and laws are followed.

College of Commissioners

The European Commission is made up of a group called the "College of Commissioners," which has 27 members. This group includes the president and some vice-presidents. Even though each member is chosen by their country, they work together as a team and do not just represent their own country’s interests. The president gives each Commissioner a specific area to focus on, called a portfolio. The importance of these portfolios can change over time depending on what issues are most important in Europe.

The president of the Commission is chosen by the European Council and then must be approved by the European Parliament. After the president is chosen, each country suggests a Commissioner, who must also be approved by the European Parliament. Once approved, the president may choose some Commissioners to serve as vice-presidents to help manage important areas. The European Parliament can vote to end the whole College of Commissioners if they are not doing well, and the president can ask a Commissioner to leave if they break the rules.

Administration

Further information: European Civil Service

The European Commission is made up of groups called Directorates-General, which are like departments or ministries. Each one handles a different area, such as farming or justice, and is led by a director-general. These groups help the commissioners, who make important decisions. The civil service of the Commission is led by a Secretary General.

Communication with the press is managed by the Directorate-General for Communication. The Commission's main spokesperson holds daily briefings where journalists can ask questions and get answers. This helps share news about the European Union's work with people all over the world.

Legitimacy and criticism

The European Commission is chosen by national governments, and its legitimacy comes from approval by the European Parliament and the power of the Parliament to dismiss it. Some people worry because not many people vote in European Parliament elections, and there are no direct elections for the Commission President. This makes some question how democratic the Commission truly is.

The Commission works on rules and policies, but these must be approved by both the Council (made up of ministers from each country) and the European Parliament before they can be used. This helps ensure that no single country can make a rule without agreement from others. There have also been concerns about transparency and openness in the Commission’s work, with some reports pointing out issues like unclear relationships with groups that try to influence decisions. In 2020, the Commission introduced plans to address fairness and equality issues within the European Union.

Initiatives

The European Commission created plans to help keep people safe and ready for emergencies. In October 2017, they made a strategy to protect over 511 million people in the European Union from dangerous attacks involving chemicals, biology, radiation, or nuclear materials. This plan shows how important it is to be prepared.

In May 2020, the European Commission helped leaders meet online to collect money for developing a vaccine against COVID-19. They raised US$8 billion to support this effort. The Commission also started a new plan in February 2020 to use digital technology in every part of European Union life. This helps grow the economy while keeping people’s privacy safe. The goal is to make data sharing easier across Europe, ensuring fair rules and benefits for everyone.

Location

The European Commission's main office is in Brussels, located in the Berlaymont building. The president’s office and where the Commission meets are on the 13th floor of this building. The Commission also works in many other buildings in Brussels and in Luxembourg City. When the Parliament meets in Strasbourg, the Commissioners go there too, to the Winston Churchill building, to join the debates. The Commissioners and their teams are based in the Berlaymont building in Brussels. The Commission also has science facilities in Ispra, Italy; Petten, Netherlands; Karlsruhe, Germany; Geel, Belgium; and Seville, Spain. In Ireland, near Grange in County Meath, there is a site for part of the Commission’s health department.