The European Commission: the engine of the European Union

In previous blog posts, we explored how European laws are made, what the ordinary legislative procedure involves, and how EU rules affect our daily lives. We now turn to the institutions behind this process, starting with the one often described as the engine of the Union: the European Commission. But what exactly is it, and what does it do?

What is the European Commission and how is it structured?

Established in 1958, the European Commission is the executive body of the Union, meaning the institution responsible for proposing and enforcing European laws. Unlike the European Parliament, whose members are directly elected by citizens, or the Council of the European Union, which represents national governments, the Commission must act independently, pursuing the general interest of the EU, certainly not a simple task!

Did you know that the Commission is made up of 27 members, the Commissioners, one from each Member State? Currently, Italy is represented by Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms. The Commission also includes the President, today Ursula von der Leyen, as well as several Vice-Presidents and Executive Vice-Presidents. All of them serve a five-year mandate.

Each Commissioner is responsible for specific policy areas assigned by the President, such as agriculture, budget, energy, migration, and many others. The 27 Commissioners meet once a week in the College of Commissioners, where they discuss and adopt legislative proposals and analyse ongoing political developments.

Beyond the College, around 32,000 people work within the European Commission, including policy officers, researchers, legal experts, and translators, on permanent or temporary contracts. They work within the Directorates-General, the bodies responsible for implementing the Commission’s decisions in practice, each dealing with a specific policy area. All these people, coming from different countries, cultures, and traditions, are called to work together every day in the common interest of all Member States.

The right of legislative initiative

One of the most important features of the European Commission is the right of legislative initiative: it is, in fact, the only institution that can formally propose a draft European law. This proposal is then discussed and amended by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, as we saw in the previous blog posts.

Before putting forward a proposal, the Commission carries out extensive consultations with experts, stakeholders, civil society organisations, and national authorities. In addition, it conducts impact assessments to analyse the economic, social, and environmental effects of the proposed measures. This preparatory work helps ensure that European legislation is based on solid evidence, coherent, and aligned with the Union’s objectives and, above all, that it takes into account the needs expressed by European citizens. For this reason, the European Union can be described as an open, inclusive democratic society!

The “guardian of the Treaties”

In addition to proposing laws, the European Commission has the task of ensuring the correct application of EU law in all Member States. If a country fails to comply with European rules, the Commission may launch an infringement procedure, which can ultimately lead to the case being referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union. Through this role, the Commission ensures that rules are applied uniformly, protecting citizens’ rights and maintaining mutual trust among Member States.

Policy management and external representation

The European Commission manages and implements numerous EU policies and programmes, such as Erasmus+, and supervises the EU budget, ensuring that resources are spent correctly. Another fundamental role is that of representing the Union on the international stage in areas where the EU has specific competences, such as trade and climate negotiations. This allows Europe to speak with a single voice at global level.

Why the European Commission matters

The European Commission has the task of defending democracy, strengthening the rule of law, and promoting civic engagement and active participation. As we have seen, its legislative initiatives originate from the requests and needs expressed by European citizens through public consultations, which allow not only for their views to be heard, but also for them to be used as a concrete basis for drafting legislative proposals. Every citizen, as well as any organisation based in the EU, can contact the Commission, as well as the European Parliament, to submit requests or reflections through consultations and petitions, in areas where the Union has competence. Petitions can be submitted online, following registration on the dedicated portal, or by post. Which topic would you raise with the EU institutions?