THE European Union it is neither the largest economic bloc in the world nor the one with the greatest added value of the economies of its member countries. However, the European bloc is considered the most important on the planet, not only because of the political weight of its members, but mainly because of its high level of integration and functioning, with a single currency, a centralized economic organization and the free circulation of products, capital and people.
The structure of the European Union, that is, the institutions that guarantee the functioning and organization of this block, is composed of some bodies that have specific attributions in a structural division of the work. Thus, the main institutions of the European Union can be listed below:
a) European Council:
Thirst: Brussels Belgium)
assignments: The highest body of the European Union is formed by a council of ministers made up of a total of fifteen state leaders, in addition to the president of the European Commission. In frequent meetings, these leaders make the most important decisions of the bloc, including the integration policies and approval on the entry of new members, among numerous others resolutions.
b) European Commission:
Thirst: Brussels Belgium)
assignments: Executive body of the European bloc composed of representatives from each of the member countries, in addition to having a president. All of these members have a five-year term and must therefore represent the interests of their respective territories. This body, in addition to triggering requests and forwarding to all others, is also responsible for regulation of companies, citizens and countries of the bloc, in addition to acting as the international representative of the Union European.
c) European Parliament:
Thirst: Strasbourg (France)
assignments: It is the legislative power of the EU, therefore, its function is to debate and approve the laws and budget of the economic bloc, as well as to ensure the correct application of the general statute.
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d) Court of Justice:
Thirst: The Hague (Netherlands)
assignments: Represents the EU judiciary. Therefore, it not only assesses the legal issues involving the bloc internally and externally, but also judges and establishes norms on the treaties undertaken by the European Commission.
e) European Central Bank:
Thirst: Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
assignments: Like any country's central bank, it is responsible for regulating the European bloc's economic and monetary policy. Controls interest rates, issuance and dissemination of Euro and organizes the economic prospects of member countries, aligning them.
f) European Investment Bank:
Thirst: Luxembourg (Luxembourg)
assignments: This is a financial institution that is responsible for financing or allocating resources to public policies in the bloc and also granting credit for investments in the private sector. Its objective is to assist the countries' economic needs, in addition to ensuring the promotion of the industrial sector and the infrastructure necessary for the smooth running of the economy. EU member countries are its shareholders, so that a large part of its resources come from the sale of bonds in the world financial market.
In addition to these aforementioned institutions, there are still dozens of other organizations that guarantee the functioning of the European Union, such as the Court of Auditors European, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the various specialized agencies that are focused on community, political, legal and executives.
By Me. Rodolfo Alves Pena
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PENA, Rodolfo F. Alves. "Structure of the European Union"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/estrutura-uniao-europeia.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
