Big Friendly Guide to the European Union Decision Makers
Uncover the key decision-making bodies of the European Union: European Council, European Commission, European Parliament, and Council of the EU. Learn about the roles and responsibilities of each group in shaping the future of the EU.
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Presentation Transcript
Hi, my name is Seamie Shamrock! Look out for me My Big Friendly Guide to the European Union Who makes the decisions? Lesson 5
To understand how the EU works, let s talk about who does what! Four groups are involved in making decisions - they represent either the countries and what matters to them or the people of the EU and what matters to them!!
The European Council The European Council is made up of the men and women who are leading the countries in the EU. They come up with the big ideas for the future of the EU Who is it for Ireland? The European Council also has a President in 2021, he s called Charles Michel. He s in charge of making sure that all the leaders of the countries listen to each other and agree on what to do next. He looks for the compromise.
The European Commission 27 Commissioners write up the European Council s ideas. The way you write up an idea can give you a lot of power. It is one per country but they don t fight for the best interest of their own country. They fight for the whole of the EU! They have teams of people helping them to put the European Council s ideas into words. They have a president. From 2020 to 2025, for the 1st time, it is a woman: Ursula von der Leyen. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission Mairead McGuinness, Irish Commissioner
The European Parliament The European Parliament is made up of 720, elected by all European citizens every 5 years. Ireland has 14 members in the Parliament. The number of members for each country depends on their population. The European Parliament must discuss all the ideas that come from the European Commission. They need to vote on the Commission s proposal and agree with the Council of the EU. If they both agree, then the proposal of the Commission becomes reality. Roberta Metsola President of the European Parliament
The Council of the EU It s the last group of people which makes decisions in the EU A minister from each country comes to the meetings. If it is agriculture that is being discussed, then it is the ministers for agriculture from all the EU countries that are meeting. They look at the same proposal as the European Parliament, the proposal written up and sent by the European Commission. They have to agree with the European Parliament for the proposal to be implemented. They are at the meeting to fight for their country, not the people of the EU.
What I find super confusing is that they called two institutions nearly the same: - The European Council - - The Council of the EU TOTAL LACK OF IMAGINATION!!!
How decisions are made in the EU explained in 20 seconds!
A little summary : Fights for the EU : Fights for individual countries European Council - Gives the big ideas - All the leaders of the EU countries European Commission - Takes the European Council s idea, researches it and puts it into words = proposal - 27 Commissioners Council of the European Union - Reads the Commission s proposal, changes it if wants to, usually agrees by consensus. - 27 Ministers European Parliament - Reads the Commission s proposal, changes it if wants to, votes on it - 705 Members of the European Parliament Proposal adopted only if both agree.
Now, you are the European Union institutions Each table will be given a role sheet. Each table will be a European institution If you are the European Commission, you are fighting for the good of the EU If you are the European Parliament, you are fighting for the good of the European citizens If you are the European Council, you are fighting for your own country If you are the Council of the EU, you are fighting for your own country.
How to play the game? Each table gets a role sheet and takes a few minutes to read it. The European Council starts by saying what its big idea is. The European Commission needs to think and make up its mind on how to write it up. Then, both the Council of the EU and the European Parliament at the same time take 5 minutes to discuss the idea and agree or disagree. The European Council members and the European Commission members can move from their table to try and convince the other two tables of the best option. You reconvene and listen to whether the proposal is approved or rejected.
