European Commission: concept, meaning and history of occurrence

To keep abreast of developments in the world and understand political processes, one should understand the structure of the existing authorities of the near and far abroad. One of the most ambitious associations is the European Union, in the specifics of which you can sort out first.

What is the European Commission?

Any state or union of states needs management. Control of activities within the European Union is carried out by the commission, which is not only the supreme executive body, but also has the right to legislative initiative. The objectives of the existence of this body of government is to monitor the observance of treaties and legal acts, the implementation of decisions of the European Parliament and the development of new bills.

Work principles

The Commission of the European Union consists of twenty-eight members, who are also called commissars. Each of them represents a separate member country of the association in which he was elected in the national government. However, for a period of work that lasts for five years, members become completely independent of the country and act exclusively in the interests of the European Union. There is control over the choice of commissioners. It is implemented by the European Parliament, which approves each proposed candidature, nominated by the Council of Ministers. Members of the commission are responsible for different areas of the association, for example, related to the issue of relations with third countries. Each of them is the head of a certain unit called the General Directorate.

Activities of the European Commission

The work of this body of government is an integral part of the work of the EU. Laws, which are developed by the European Commission, are considered in the Council, which carries out further control of the process. In addition, the body monitors the implementation of a variety of legal acts and, in the event of violations, can apply a variety of sanctions. Sometimes the result is an appeal to the European Court. The European Commission can make independent decisions in the fields of agriculture, transport, domestic market work, competition and environmental protection. She also manages funds, controls the budget and creates a network of representative offices outside the EU for diplomatic functions. For work, the committee holds weekly meetings in Brussels headquarters. The languages of its work are officially English, French and German.

The emergence of the organization

The European Commission, the UN or NATO appear on international news every day. However, more recently, many of these organizations did not exist. Thus, the first version of the highest governing body in Europe was the commission established in 1951. Its members were represented by the countries of the European coal and steel association, and Jean Monet was the chairman of the institution. Officially, the commission began work on August 10, 1952. Then the headquarters was located in Luxembourg. In 1958, as a result of the Rome agreements, new communities arose. The European Economic Commission of the new option controlled grain prices and participated in negotiations on tariffs and trade. With each new stage in the history of the development of the EU, the principles of the work of its higher bodies also changed, and the policy and structure of organizations was often determined by the head of government.

Contribution of Jose Barroso

The European Commission has been part of the EU governance structure from the very beginning of its existence, but the modern format of its work appeared only a few years ago. In 2004, Jose Manuel Barroso became the chairman, whose work became decisive for the development of the body. He faced certain problems in the formation of new members due to opposition protests. As a result, the European Commission was limited by the number of commissioners - previously large states could send several representatives at once, and the changes entailed the establishment of equality between all countries of the union. According to the Lisbon Treaty, developed under the control of Barroso, the number of members was fixed on a permanent figure of twenty-six representatives: one from each state plus one representative to the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy from the power that did not get a seat. Subsequently, the size of the EU changed, which entailed amendments to the current number of twenty-eight people.

Where are the meetings held?

The European Commission works in a building located in the very center of Brussels. It was designed specifically for the organization and built on land previously owned by nuns who lived in the monastery of Berlemont. The author of the project was De Veste, assisted by such architects as Jean Gilson and Andre Polak. In terms of construction, the wrong cross was used, making the building one of the most original for its time. To create "Berlemon" materials with asbestos content were used. Later, scientists identified carcinogenic properties of such compounds, and the European Commission left the headquarters for a while. From 1991 to 2004 there was a reconstruction and removal of asbestos-containing substances, after which the building became wider and deeper. In October 2004, the employees again began work in the "Berlemon". Another notable event was the 2009 fire, which occurred due to problems in the wiring system, but did not require a long evacuation or termination of work in the building.