114-593: The European Civil Service is a generic term applied to all staff serving the institutions and agencies of the European Union (EU). Although recruitment is sometimes done jointly, each institution is responsible for its own internal structures and hierarchies. The rules, principles, standards and working conditions of the European civil service are set out in the Staff Regulations . In 2012,
228-581: A parliamentary system ). A difference from all other parliaments is the absence of a Parliamentary legislative initiative . However, given that in most national parliaments initiatives not backed by the executive rarely succeed the value of this difference is in question. Equally, its independence and power means that the European Parliament has an unusually high success rate for its amendments in comparison to national parliaments; 80% average and 30% for controversial proposals. The composition of
342-418: A 'second division' of workers with limited managerial prospects. As a consequence of these changes, the institutions recruit with difficulty staff from certain countries like UK, Luxembourg, Denmark as wages are the same or lower than in the home country. For example, a Director General's salary is below what a senior executive with similar responsibilities could expect to be earning at the end of their career in
456-682: A Commissioner unless the Commissioner learns to assert control over his/her staff. The DGs work closely with the Commissioner's cabinet . While the DG has responsibility for preparation of work and documents, the cabinet has responsibility for giving the Commissioner political guidance. However, in practice both seek a share of each other's work. It has been alleged that some DGs try to influence decision making by providing Commissioners with briefing documents as late and large as possible, ensuring that
570-547: A common administrative culture. The Directorates-General are divided into four groups: Policy DGs, External relations DGs, General Service DGs and Internal Service DGs. Internally, the DGs are referred to by their abbreviations ; provided below. The European Civil servants working for the European Civil Service can vote for representatives amongst several trade unions which then sit in representatives instances of
684-741: A common programme. This body is separate from the European Council , which is a similar body, but is composed of national leaders. The council is composed of twenty-seven national ministers (one per state). However the Council meets in various forms depending upon the topic. For example, if agriculture is being discussed, the council will be composed of each national minister for agriculture. They represent their governments and are accountable to their national political systems. Votes are taken either by majority or unanimity with votes allocated according to population. In these various forms they share
798-435: A fixed pension reduction coefficient per year before the pensionable age. For staff who entered service 2014 or later, the annual accrual rate is 1.8%, the pensionable age is 66 years, early retirement is possible as of 58 years with a pension reduction coefficient of 3.5%. Different conditions apply to those hired before 2014: Those who entered service between 1 May 2004 and 31 December 2013 have an annual accrual rate of 1.9%,
912-529: A formula is used to create the so-called "harmonised VAT base", upon which the EU charge is levied. The starting point for calculations is the total VAT raised in a country. This is then adjusted using a weighted average rate of VAT rates applying in that country, producing the intermediate tax base. Further adjustments are made where there is a derogation from the VAT directive allowing certain goods to be exempt. The tax base
1026-579: A government as complex and as redundant as the EU." The first institutions were created at the start of the 1950s with the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), based on the Schuman declaration , between six states . The ECSC was designed to bring the markets of coal and steel, the materials needed to wage war, under the control of a supranational authority with the aim of encouraging peace and economic development. It established
1140-889: A greater role in checking the executive. The three communities were later merged in 1967, by the Merger Treaty , into the European Communities. The institutions were carried over from the European Economic Community (making the Commission of that community the direct ancestor of the current Commission). Under the Treaties of Rome, the Common Assembly (which renamed itself the Parliamentary Assembly, and then
1254-432: A large extent. The second share of EU spending goes to regional development (34% for the period 2014–2020). EU funding for regional and social development is an important source for key investment projects. In some EU countries that have otherwise limited means, European funding finances up to 80% of public investment. However, EU regional spending does not just help poorer regions. It invests in every EU country, supporting
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#17327757563511368-545: A monitor, counterweight and to add democratic legitimacy was composed of 78 national parliamentarians. The second was the Council of Ministers, pushed by the smaller states also to add an intergovernmental element and harmonise national policies with those of the authority. In 1957 the Treaties of Rome established two similar communities, creating a common market ( European Economic Community ) and promoting atomic energy co-operation ( Euratom ). The three institutions shared
1482-411: A number of types of legislation which can be passed. The strongest is a regulation , an act or law which is directly applicable in its entirety. Then there are directives which bind members to certain goals which they must achieve. They do this through their own laws and hence have room to manoeuvre in deciding upon them. A decision is an instrument which is focused at a particular person/group and
1596-400: A pensionable age between 63 and 65 years, the same early retirement age limit of 58 years and a lower pension reduction coefficient of 1.75% for years above the age of 60. Those in place before 1 May 2004 have an annual accrual rate of 2.0%, a pensionable age between 60 and 65 years, the same early retirement age limit of 58 years and a lower pension reduction coefficient of 1.75% for years above
1710-409: A position or leaving the service. Earnings are also lowered by various additional taxes (i.e. "Special Levy" alias 'crisis levy' introduced in 1973 and increasing regularly every year) and indexes (for EU staff working out-side Brussels). For a contribution of 2% basic salary, employees are provided with health insurance which covers a maximum of 85% of expenses (100% for serious injury). Employees have
1824-597: A recommendation by the Council, on whether or not to provide its final approval, known as 'granting discharge', to the way the Commission implemented the EU budget in a given year. When granted, it leads to the formal closure of the accounts of the institution for a given year. When deciding whether to grant, postpone or refuse the discharge, the Parliament takes into consideration the Integrated Financial Reporting Package prepared by
1938-400: A separate, ring-fenced pension fund; rather, pension payments are made from the general administrative budget of the commission. Pensions are paid as a percentage of the final basic salary, with the percentage increasing by an annual accrual rate (a fixed percentage per year of service) up to a ceiling of 70%. Early retirement is possible as of 58 years, albeit with the pension being reduced by
2052-544: A small percentage of officials could retire early without that pension reduction if it was in the interest of the service. To mitigate the changes implemented as of 2014, transitional pension rules were put in place for staff in place on 1 January 2014, which included setting the pensionable age for staff between 55 and 60 years of age on 1 January 2014 to lie between 60 and 61 years. Transition measures applied also to early retirement: Staff already aged 54 years or older on 1 January 2014 could still retire, albeit with application of
2166-496: A total of €1,050,851 million: €900,638.1 million for the EU-28 member states, €62,021.8 million for non-EU expenditures, €56,022.9 million earmarked, and €32,168 million for other expenditures. The expenditures were divided into six categories or "headings": Besides those six categories, there were also expenditures allocated to "special instruments" (Emergency Aid Reserve, European Union Solidarity Fund, etc.). The EU budget for
2280-583: A uniform call rate is applied to the GNI of each of the Member States. Due to this covering mechanism the rate to be applied to the Member States' gross national income varies from one financial year to another. Nowadays this resource represents the largest source of revenue of the EU Budget (generally around 70% of the total financing). In 2017, due to the higher than usual other revenues and surplus from
2394-409: A week, though they are theoretically available 24/7. They receive a minimum of 24 days of leave a year (maximum of 30), with additional leave entitlements on grounds of age, grade but no longer distance from home country (this is now a flat-rate 2.5 days for all) . The lowest grades receive between €1,618.83 gross (FG 1 step 1) each month, while the highest grades (AD 15–16 – i.e. Directors General at
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#17327757563512508-576: Is Christine Lagarde . The European Court of Auditors (ECA), despite its name, has no judicial powers. It ensures that taxpayer funds from the budget of the European Union have been correctly spent. The court provides an audit report for each financial year to the Council and Parliament. The Parliament uses this to decide whether to approve the commission's handling of the budget. The Court also gives opinions and proposals on financial legislation and anti-fraud actions. The Court of Auditors
2622-745: Is a President (the Council President) and Prime Minister (the Commission President). However, unlike the French model, the Council President does not hold formal powers such as the ability to directly appoint and sack the other, or the ability to dissolve Parliament. Hence while the Council President may have prestige, it would lack power and while the Commission President would have power, it would lack
2736-540: Is at the centre of the European System of Central Banks which comprises all EU national banks. The bank is governed by a board of national bank governors and a President. It is also the central bank for the eurozone (the states which have adopted the euro) and thus controls monetary policy in that area with an agenda to maintain price stability . The ECB is located in Frankfurt. The current president
2850-418: Is capped, such that it may not be greater than 50% of a Member State's gross national income (GNI). In 2017, eight Member States saw their VAT contribution reduced thanks to this 50% cap ( Estonia , Croatia , Cyprus , Luxembourg , Malta , Poland , Portugal and Slovenia ). Member countries generally pay 0.3% of their harmonised VAT base into the budget, but there are some exceptions. The rate for Germany,
2964-405: Is directly applicable. Institutions may also issue recommendations and opinions which are merely non-binding declarations. The ordinary legislative procedure is used in nearly all policy areas and provides an equal footing between the two bodies. Under the procedure, the Commission presents a proposal to Parliament and the council. They then send amendments to the Council which can either adopt
3078-567: Is not an EU member state). The Swiss consensus-driven system is seen as successfully uniting a state divided by language and religion, although the EU was not directly modelled on the Swiss system despite bearing a number of similarities. The European Commission has similarities to the Swiss Federal Council in that both have all-party representation and are appointed on the basis of nationality rather than popularity. The President of
3192-582: Is on the basis of competitions organised centrally by EPSO ( European Personnel Selection Office ) on the basis of qualifications and of the need for staff. During the 1980s, the commission was primarily dominated by French, German and Italian cultural influences, including a strictly hierarchical organisation. Commissioners and Directors-General were referred to by their title (in French) with greater prestige for those of higher ranks. As one former servant, Derk Jan Eppink has put it, even after new staff had passed
3306-715: Is the judicial branch of the European Union (EU) and is responsible for interpreting EU law and treaties. The CJUE consists of two separate courts: the Court of Justice and the General Court . From 2005 to 2016 it also consisted of the Civil Service Tribunal . The CJEU is located in Luxembourg . The European Central Bank (ECB) is the only one among the 7 institutions that is also an international entity with treaty capability in its own right. It
3420-443: Is to implement the priorities that all EU members have agreed upon. It provides European added-value by supporting actions which, in line with the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality, can be more effective than actions taken at national, regional or local level. The EU had a long-term budget of €1,082.5 billion for the period 2014–2020, representing 1.02% of the EU-28's Gross National Income (GNI) and of €1,074.3 billion for
3534-444: Is under the responsibility of a European Commissioner . DGs prepare proposals for their Commissioners which can then be put forward for voting in the college of Commissioners. Whilst the commission's DGs cover similar policy areas to the ministries in national governments, European Civil Servants have not necessarily been trained, or worked, in a national civil service before employment in the EU. On entry, they do not therefore share
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3648-738: The Directorate-General for Budget and Eurostat , who report back to the country concerned. The country has a legal obligation to respond to any issues raised in the report, and discussions continue until both sides are satisfied, or the matter may be referred to the European Court of Justice for a final ruling. The Advisory Committee on Own Resources ( ACOR ), which has representatives from each Member State, gives its opinion where Member States have asked for authorisations to leave certain calculations out of account or to use approximate estimates. The ACOR also receives and discusses
3762-639: The European Ombudsman summarised the following five principles of public service which should apply to all staff of the EU institutions: The European Commission's civil service is headed by a Secretary General , currently Ilze Juhansone holding the position. According to figures published by the commission, 24,428 persons were employed by the commission as officials and temporary agents in their 2016 budget. In addition to these, 9,066 additional staff were employed; these are largely people employed on time-limited contracts (called "contractual agents" in
3876-538: The European Union . The current president is Charles Michel (since 1 December 2019). The Council of the European Union (informally known as the Council of Ministers or just the Council ) is a body holding legislative and some limited executive powers and is thus the main decision-making body of the Union. Its Presidency rotates between the states every six months, but every three Presidencies now cooperate on
3990-528: The Secretariat-General , thus considered a prestigious office, just below the President's cabinet . There has been some criticism that the highly fragmented DG structure wastes a considerable amount of time in turf wars as the different departments and Commissioners compete with each other, as is the case in national administrations. Furthermore, the DGs can exercise considerable control over
4104-508: The 2000s (decade), civil servants were traditionally divided into four categories. "A" was policy making (what is now AD), "B' was implementing, "C" was secretarial and "D" was drivers and messengers (B, C and D are now all part of the AST category). There were various grades in each category. The major ranks used to be in the form of A8 (new appointment without prior work experience) to A1 (director-general). EU civil and other servants work 40 hours
4218-769: The 2021–2027 period has expenditures of €1,074.3 billion. It goes together with the Next Generation EU recovery package of €750 billion in grants and loans over the period 2021–2024 to meet the unparalleled economic challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic . An important part (95.5 billion euros) of the budget goes to the framework programme for research and development Horizon Europe. Around 25 billion euros are dedicated to Excellent Science (Pillar I), 53,5 billion euros to Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness (Pillar II), and 13,5 billion euros to Innovative Europe (Pillar III). The transversal part about Widening
4332-623: The 2021–2027 period. The long-term budget, also called the Multiannual Financial Framework , is a seven-year spending plan, allowing the EU to plan and invest in long-term projects. Initially, the EU budget used to fund mainly agriculture. In the 1980s and 1990s, Member States and the European Parliament broadened the scope of EU competences through changes in the Union's founding Treaties . Recognising
4446-531: The Commission along with the European Court of Auditors ' Annual Report on how the budget has been spent and any relevant Special Reports from the Court. More particularly, every year the European Court of Auditors, which is the EU's independent external auditor, examines the reliability of accounts, whether all revenue has been received and all expenditure incurred in a lawful and regular manner, and whether
4560-455: The Commissioner has no time to do anything but accept the version of facts presented by the DG. In doing this the DG is competing with the cabinet, which acts as a " bodyguard " for the Commissioner. The commission is divided into departments known as Directorates-General (DGs or the services ), each headed by a director-general, and various other services. Each covers a specific policy area or service such as External Relations or Translation and
4674-405: The Council in some sensitive areas, and does not have legislative initiative . It does, however, have powers over the Commission which the Council does not. It has been said that its democratic nature and growing powers have made it one of the most powerful legislatures in the world. The Parliament's President (its speaker) is Roberta Metsola ( European People's Party ), who was elected from
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4788-510: The Council of the European Union. The EU budget must remain within the limits set out in the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the Own Resource Celling. The MFF is the EU's long-term budget. It is established at least for five years (usually seven years). The European Commission submits the draft budget no later than 1 September each year. The Council of the European Union adopts its position no later than 1 October. If
4902-467: The Court of Justice and the Parliament, however, they had a separate Council and High Authority, which was called the Commission in these Communities. The reason for this is the different relationship between the Commission and Council. At the time the French government was suspicious of the supranational and wanted to limit the powers of the High Authority in the new Communities, giving the council
5016-665: The Directorate-General for Budget of the Commission may notify to the Permanent Representative of the Member State concerned required corrections and improvements in the form of reservations on the Member State's GNI data. Payments are made monthly by Member States to the commission. Own resources payments are made monthly. Custom duties are made available by Member States after their collection. Payments of VAT- and GNI-based resources are based upon
5130-440: The EU Budget from Member States in any given year is limited with reference to Member States' GNI. Currently, the total amount of own resources allocated to the Union to cover annual appropriations for payments cannot exceed 1.20% of the sum of all the Member States' GNI. The GNI for own resource purposes is calculated by National Statistical Institutes according to European law governing the sources and methods to compile GNI and
5244-565: The EU Council. However, unlike the EU's Council, the Bundesrat does not vary its composition depending on the topic being discussed. They both bear similar criticisms , because of the interference of executives in the legislative process. The institutions are not concentrated in a single capital city ; instead, their headquarters are spread across four cities: Brussels , Luxembourg , Strasbourg and Frankfurt . The current arrangement
5358-416: The EU budget (around 70% for the period 2014–2020) goes to agriculture and regional development. During the period 2014–2020, the share of EU spending on farming is set at 39%. In 1985, 70% was spent on farming. Farming's relatively large share of the EU budget is due to the fact that it is the only policy funded almost entirely from the common budget. This means that EU spending replaces national expenditure to
5472-582: The EU. These are collected by the Member States and passed on to the EU. Member States are allowed to keep a proportion of the duty to cover administration (20%), 25% as per 2021. The European Commission operates a system of inspections to control the collection of these duties in Member States and thus ensure compliance with the EU rules. In 2017, the EU's revenue from customs duties was €20,325 million (14.6% of its total revenue). A production charge paid by sugar producers brought in revenue of €134 million. The total revenue from TORs (customs duties and sugar levies)
5586-475: The European Parliament may accept the Council's position or fails to take a decision within 42 days, then the budget is adopted. If the Parliament adopts its position then the Conciliation Committee is convened. The Conciliation Committee has 21 days to adopt a joint text if the committee fails to adopt a joint text or the joint text is not adopted within 14 days by the Council and the Parliament
5700-484: The European Parliament) was supposed to become elected. However, this was delayed by the council until 1979. Since then it gained more powers via successive treaties. The Maastricht Treaty also gave further powers to the council by giving it a key role in the two new pillars of the EU which were based on intergovernmental principles. The 2009 Lisbon Treaty brought nearly all policy areas (including
5814-556: The European Union ( a.k.a. The Union’s annual budget) is used to finance EU funding programmes (such as the European Regional Development Fund , the Cohesion Fund , Horizon Europe , or Erasmus+ ) and other expenditure at the European level. The EU budget is primarily an investment budget. Representing around 2% of all EU public spending, it aims to complement national budgets. Its purpose
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#17327757563515928-497: The European Union and agencies of the European Union . Most EU institutions were created with the establishment of the European Community in 1958. Much change since then has been in the context of shifting the balance of power away from the council and towards the Parliament. The role of the commission has often been to mediate between the two or tip the balance. However, the commission is becoming more accountable to
6042-464: The European Union and has the ability to propose new laws (bills) . It also deals with the day-to-day running of the Union and has the duty of upholding the law and treaties (in this role it is known as the "Guardian of the Treaties"). The commission is led by a President who is nominated by the council (in practice the European Council ) and approved by Parliament. The remaining 26 Commissioners are nominated by member states, in consultation with
6156-429: The European Union (of relevant national government ministers). Its 705 members are elected every five years by universal suffrage and sit according to political allegiance . They represent nearly 500 million citizens (the world's second largest democratic electorate) and form the only directly elected body in the Union. Despite forming one of the two legislative chambers of the Union, it has weaker powers than
6270-421: The European Union represents governments, the parliament represents citizens and the commission represents the European interest. Essentially, the Council of the European Union, parliament or another party place a request for legislation to the commission. The commission then drafts this and presents it to the parliament and the Council of the European Union, where in most cases both must give their assent. Although
6384-491: The Federal Council rotates between its members each year, in a fashion similar to that of the EU's Council Presidency. Due to this system of presidency Swiss leaders, like those of the EU, are relatively unknown with national politics viewed as somewhat technocratic resulting in low voter turnout , in a similar fashion to that of the European Parliament. Other parallels include the jealously guarded powers of states ,
6498-416: The Member States according to their GNI. 2014 EU expenditure in millions of euros (total: 142,496 million) Approximately 94% of the EU budget funds programmes and projects both within member states and outside the EU. Less than 7% of the budget is used for administrative costs, and less than 3% is spent on EU civil servants' salaries. For the period 2014–2020, the EU budget had expenditures amounting to
6612-418: The Member States are the largest source of the EU budget and are calculated based on gross national income. The GNI-based resource ensures that the general budget of the Union is always initially balanced. The GNI call rate is determined by the additional revenue needed to finance the budgeted expenditure not covered by the other resources (VAT-based payments, traditional own resources and other revenue). Thus
6726-508: The Netherlands and Sweden is 0.15% for the 2014-2020 period, while Austria also had a reduced rate in the 2007-2013 period. The EU's total revenue from the VAT own resource was 16,947 million euros (12.2% of total revenue) in 2017. Member States are required to send a statement of VAT revenues to the EU before July after the end of the budget year. The EU examines the submission for accuracy, including inspection visits by officials from
6840-483: The Parliament's members in 2022. The European Council is the group of heads of state or government of the EU member states . It meets four times a year to define the Union's policy agenda and give impetus to integration. The President of the European Council is the person responsible for chairing and driving forward the work of the institution, which has been described as the highest political body of
6954-513: The Parliament, due to the large number of people that move between the cities. The European Green Party estimated that the arrangement costs 200 million euro and 20,268 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Brussels is preferred by some due to the presence of other institutions and other groups whereas Strasbourg is supported due to its historical importance to European unity. Budget of the European Union The budget of
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#17327757563517068-581: The Parliament: in 1999 it forced the resignation of the Santer Commission and forced a reshuffle of the proposed Barroso Commission in 2004. The development of the institutions, with incremental changes from treaties and agreements, is testament to the evolution of the Union's structures without one clear "master plan." Some observers like Tom Reid of The Washington Post said of the institutions that "nobody would have deliberately designed
7182-650: The Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area receives around 3,3 billion euros. Net receipts or contributions vary over time, and there are various ways of calculating net contributions to the EU budget, depending, for instance, on whether countries' administrative expenditure is included. Also, one can use either absolute figures, the proportion of gross national income (GNI), or per capita amounts. Different countries may tend to favour different methods, to present their country in
7296-649: The President, and have their portfolios assigned by the President. The Council then adopts this list of nominee-Commissioners. The council's adoption of the commission is not an area which requires the decision to be unanimous; their acceptance is arrived at according to the rules for qualified majority voting . The European Parliament then interviews and casts its vote upon the Commissioners. The interviews of individual nominees are conducted separately, in contrast to Parliament's vote of approval which must be cast on
7410-485: The UK and in some countries (like Luxembourg) the lowest wages (FG I – FG II) are even under the legal minimum salary in the respective country, which raise the question about legality of such terms of employment. In January 2010, The European Commission took the EU member states to court over the Member States' refusal to honour a long-standing formula under which wages for the staff of the European institutions are indexed to
7524-409: The actual amount at risk is below the 2% threshold, once corrections and recoveries have been taken into account.2% of any public budget is very high however hence the qualification. Pie chart showing EU revenue sources (2017) The EU obtains its revenue from four main sources: Traditional own resources are taxes raised on behalf of the EU as a whole, principally import duties on goods brought into
7638-410: The age of 60. Before 1 January 2014, other conditions had applied: For those who entered service on 1 May 2004 or later, the pensionable age had been 63 years, and for those who entered service before 1 May 2004 it had been between 60 and 63 years. Early retirement had been possible as of 55 years for all staff, with a pension reduction coefficient of 3.5% per year before the pensionable age, except that
7752-483: The anglophone press, usually as a derogatory slur, to describe Members of the European Parliament , or European Commissioners . MEPs are directly elected representatives, whilst the European Commissioners, despite often being confused as civil servants, are politicians holding public office and accountable to the European Parliament. Much like government ministers at the national level, they instruct
7866-551: The arrival of 13 new Member States with diverse socioeconomic situations and by successive EU strategies to support jobs and growth and enhanced actions for the younger generation through the Youth Employment Initiative and Erasmus+. In 2015, it has set up the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), "so called Juncker plan " allowing to reinforce investments in the EU. The largest share of
7980-432: The budget estimates made for that year, subject to later correction. Other revenue accounted for 12.4% of EU revenue in 2017. This includes tax and other deductions from EU staff remunerations, contributions from non-EU countries to certain programmes (e.g. relating to research), interest on late payments and fines, and other diverse items. As the balance from the previous year's budget is usually positive in comparison to
8094-425: The budget estimates, there is usually a surplus at the end of the year. This positive difference is returned to the Member States in the form of reduced contributions the following year. The EU budget has had a number of correction mechanisms designed to re-balance contributions by certain member states: The United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union has led the EU to reconsider its funding mechanisms, with
8208-497: The budget in various ways, most importantly by publishing the Integrated Financial Reporting Package, which consists of the annual accounts, the Annual Management and Performance Report, and other accountability reports. The annual discharge procedure allows the European Parliament and the Council to hold the Commission politically accountable for the implementation of the EU budget. The European Parliament decides, after
8322-621: The budget) under the co-decision procedure (renamed " ordinary legislative procedure "), hence increasing the power of the Parliament . The rules for the distribution of seats in the parliament were also changed to a formula system. The High Representative merged with the European Commissioner for External Relations and joined the commission. The appointment of the Commission President became dependent upon
8436-609: The budgetary procedure needs to start again. The European Commission, in cooperation with Member States, is responsible for the implementation of the EU budget in accordance with the Financial Regulation . The EU budget is implemented in accordance with the principles of unity and of budgetary accuracy, annuality, equilibrium, unit of account, universality, specification, sound financial management and performance and transparency. The EU programmes are managed in three ways: The Commission reports on how it has implemented
8550-417: The commission as a whole without the ability to accept or reject individual Commissioners. Once approval has been obtained from the Parliament, the Commissioners can take office. The current President is Ursula von der Leyen ( EPP ); her commission was elected in 2019. The Court of Justice of the European Union ( CJEU ) ( French : Cour de justice de l'Union européenne or " CJUE "; Latin : Curia )
8664-403: The commission is on the right path. While a clean opinion means that the figures are true and fair, a qualified opinion means that there are minor issues still to be fixed. If Member States or final beneficiaries are found to spend EU money incorrectly, the Commission takes corrective measures. In 2017, the Commission recovered €2.8 billion, equal to 2.1% of the payments to the EU budget. Therefore,
8778-471: The commission's focus has shifted more to "participation" and "consultation". A more egalitarian culture took over, with Commissioners no longer having a "status equivalent to a sun God" and, with this new populism, the first women were appointed to the Commission in the 1990s and the service gained its first female secretary general in 2006 ( Catherine Day ). In stark contrast to the 1980s, it is not uncommon to see men without ties and children playing football in
8892-404: The competition for entry in one of the other two official languages. Prior to their first promotion, officials must demonstrate competence in a third EU official language. A candidate also needs to have a first degree in any discipline. The services have traditionally hired candidates with degrees in law, Economics, or Audit; competition is tougher for graduates of all other disciplines, although
9006-533: The considerable level of translation and the choice of a lesser city as the capital. Furthermore, executive power in the EU is not concentrated in a single institution. It becomes clearer under the Lisbon Treaty with the division of the European Council as a distinct institution with a fixed President. This arrangement has been compared to the dual executive system found in the French republic where there
9120-424: The corridors. It has been alleged that, for want of a common administrative culture, European Civil Servants are held together by a "common mission" which gives DGs a particularly enthusiastic attitude to the production of draft legislation regardless of the intentions of the Commissioner. They are also notably bound by their common procedures, in the absence of a common administrative culture, which are best known by
9234-672: The council can only be compared with the quite unique and unusual composition of the German upper house, the Bundesrat . Membership of the Bundesrat is limited to members of the governments of the states of Germany and can be recalled by those governments in the same manner as the EU's Council. They retain their state role while sitting in the Bundesrat and their term ends when they are recalled by their state governments (who are solely responsible for their appointment) or they cease to sit in their state government. Hence they also are not elected at
9348-558: The economy of the EU as a whole. 6% of the EU budget goes for the administration of all the European Institutions, including staff salaries, pensions, buildings, information technology, training programmes, translation, and the running of the European School system for the provision of education for the children of EU staff. The EU budget is adopted through the budgetary procedure by the European Parliament and
9462-567: The end of their career) receives between €14,822.86 and €16,094.79 a month. This salary is taxed by the EU, rather than at the national level. Taxation varies between 8% and 45% depending on individual circumstances. This is paid into the Community budget . Earnings are augmented by allowances, such as allowances for those living outside their own country, those who are the principal earner in their household, those with children in full-time education, and those who are moving home in order to take up
9576-408: The exact nature of this depends upon the legislative procedure in use, once it is approved and signed by both bodies it becomes law. The commission's duty is to ensure it is implemented by dealing with the day-to-day running of the Union and taking others to Court if they fail to comply. The European Parliament (EP) shares the legislative and budgetary authority of the Union with the Council of
9690-482: The financial management has been sound. The European Court of Auditors has signed off the EU accounts every year since 2007. In October 2018, the European Court of Auditors gave the EU annual accounts a clean bill of health for the 11th year in a row, finding them true and fair. The Court has given, for a second year in a row, a qualified opinion on the 2017 payments. The report thus shows further improvements in terms of compliance and performance, and confirms that
9804-562: The first institutions. At its core was an independent executive called the " High Authority " with supranational powers over the Community. The laws made by the Authority would be observed by a Court of Justice in order to ensure they were upheld and to arbitrate. During the negotiations, two supervisory institutions were put forward to counterbalance the power of the High Authority. The "Common Assembly" proposed by Jean Monnet to act as
9918-621: The grades remain entrenched. While promotion is in theory according to merit, many management posts are now taken by officials 'parachuted in' from member states. Moreover, staff reforms introduced in 2004 have severely reduced the possibilities for career progression and have created divisions within the service, with pre-2004 entrants enjoying greater pay and privileges. According to the commission's own internal statistics, even though new officials possess an average of eight years work experience, it would take an average of over 40 years to climb from AD 5 to AD 16. Prior to this new system, introduced in
10032-400: The higher ranks. The qualifications needed to enter the European civil service depend on whether the job is a specialist one and the grade. One of the entry qualifications for the European civil service is that the candidate speak at least two of the official European languages, one of which must be English, French or German. Candidates whose mother tongue is English, French or German must pass
10146-444: The index is published and applied one year and half later, and this delay cause the quarrels like in the 2010 (full crisis) where should be applied the adaptation related to the increases of wages of the national civil servants from 2007 to 2008; while in 2011 the index was already negative (as the national wages has been lowered). Employees contribute about 11.3% of their basic salary to a pension scheme. This scheme does not constitute
10260-486: The inspection results. In 2018, 15 inspections were reported by inspectors to the ACOR. It is anticipated that 12 countries will be visited in 2019. The Gross National Income (GNI)-based resource is an 'additional' resource that provides the revenue required to cover expenditure in excess of the amount financed by traditional own resources, VAT-based contributions and other revenue in any year. These national contributions from
10374-523: The institution, for example: Institutions of the European Union The institutions of the European Union are the seven principal decision-making bodies of the European Union and Euratom governed under the Treaties of the European Union and European Union law . They are, as listed in Article 13 of the Treaty on European Union : Institutions are distinct from both advisory bodies to
10488-561: The jargon), staff seconded from national administrations (called "Detached National Experts"), or trainees (called "stagiaires"). The single largest DG is the Directorate-General for Translation , with 2261 staff. European civil servants are sometimes referred to in the anglophone press as " Eurocrats " (a term coined by Richard Mayne , a journalist and personal assistant to the first Commission president, Walter Hallstein ). High-ranking officials are sometimes referred to as "European Mandarins ". These terms are sometimes erroneously used by
10602-417: The last EU elections . The Council of Ministers adopted more qualified majority voting and the European Council was made a distinct institution with a permanent president. The Court of Justice had some minor renaming and adjustments. In addition, the central bank became a full institution. There are three political institutions which hold the executive and legislative power of the union. The Council of
10716-490: The legislative and budgetary power of the Parliament, and also lead the Common Foreign and Security Policy . The presidency has been held by Hungary since July 2024. The European Commission (EC) is the executive arm of the Union. It is a body composed of one appointee from each state, currently twenty-seven, but is designed to be independent of national interests. The body is responsible for drafting all law of
10830-471: The need to support the new single market , they increased the resources available under the Structural Funds to support economic, social and territorial cohesion. In parallel, the EU enhanced its role in areas such as transport, space, health, education and culture, consumer protection , environment, research, justice cooperation and foreign policy. Since 2000, the EU budget has been adjusted to
10944-581: The new institutions, the Central Bank is based in Frankfurt , while the European Council is based in Brussels (but has some extraordinary meetings elsewhere). Brussels' hosting of institutions has made it a major centre for the EU. Together with NATO it has attracted more journalists and ambassadors than Washington, D.C. However the three-city agreement has been criticised, notably concerning
11058-540: The pension reduction coefficient, in 2014 or 2015 at the age of 56 years or in 2016 at the age of 57 years. Before 1 May 2004, the pensionable age had been 60 years. When this age was raised in 2004, this was accompanied by transition measures so that it remained unchangedly at 60 for officials aged 50 or more as well as for officials who had already completed 20 years of service or more on 1 May 2004, and it varied from 60 years and 2 months to 62 years and 8 months for officials who were aged 30 to 49 on 1 May 2004. Recruitment
11172-500: The policy direction of the civil service. As of 1 January 2018 there are staff from all member states, with the largest group being Belgian (15.7% – 5,060 out of 32,196). From the larger member states, 12.1% were Italian, 9.9% French, 7.5% Spanish, 6.7% German, 4.4% Polish and 2.8% British. Most administration is based in the Belgian capital , Often, those states under-represented in the service tend to have more of their nationals in
11286-417: The power of Parliament. While the EU's system of governance is largely unique, elements can be compared to other models. One general observation on the nature of the distribution of powers would be that the EU resembles the federalism of Germany . There, powers are predominantly shared (states can exercise federal powers where the federation has not already exercised them) between the levels of government, and
11400-476: The prestige of the former. The nature of the European Parliament is better compared with the United States House of Representatives than with the national parliaments of the European Union . This is notable in terms of the committees being of greater size and power, political parties being very decentralised and it being separated from the executive branch (most national governments operate under
11514-451: The previous year the rate of call of GNI was 0.5162548% and the total amount of the GNI resource levied was €78,620 million (representing 56.6% of total revenue). In 2017, Denmark , the Netherlands and Sweden benefited from an annual gross reduction in their GNI-based contribution (of respectively €130 million, €695 million and €185 million – all amounts are expressed in 2011 prices). The total amount of own resources that may be collected for
11628-458: The procedure for the open competitions, known as "Concours", is now under review. Staff are divided into a set of grades: from AD 5, the most junior administrator grade, to AD 16, which is a director-general (AD = administrator). Alongside the AD category is AST (assistant). It is now possible for civil servants to be promoted from AST to AD grade, not previously possible (see below); however in practice
11742-422: The rebates likely to change. European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Günther Oettinger has stated that "I want to propose a budget framework that does not only do without the mother of all rebates [the U.K.'s] but without all of its children as well". The Multiannual Financial Framework for the 2021-2027 period will shift €53.2 billion as national rebates to Germany and the frugal Four funded by
11856-556: The right to a parental leave of six months per person and child during which they obtain an allowance and have (as of January 2014) the possibility of an extension by further 6 months with a smaller allowance. Salaries were considerably reduced for new entrants from 1 May 2004 onwards as a result of a significant number of reforms effected by Commissioner Neil Kinnock. Staff undertaking the same work may receive very different salaries, depending on their date of recruitment. Careers are also sharply affected, with new staff tending to constitute
11970-511: The salaries of national civil servants. The formula led to a salary adjustment of 3.7% but the council, representing the member states, was only willing to grant a pay rise of 1.85%. In November 2010, the European Court of Justice ruled that there was no legal basis for the council to set the pay rise to 1.85%. It has been noted that the ECJ judges who would decide in this case would be themselves to benefit from any salary increase agreed. To be noted that
12084-469: The same time and the body as a whole cannot be dissolved like most parliaments. As government representatives, members do not vote as individual members but in state blocks, rather than political alignment, to their state governments' agreed line. Each state has unequal voting powers based on population, with an absolute majority required for decisions. Likewise, the presidency rotates equally between members, though each year rather than every six months like in
12198-517: The states participate strongly with decision-making at the federal level. This is in contrast with other federations, for example the United States, where powers are more clearly divided between the levels of government, and the states have little say in federal decision-making. The EU's institutional set up is also somewhat similar to the government of Switzerland (which, although in Europe,
12312-525: The text with those amendments or send back a "common position". That proposal may either be approved or further amendments may be tabled by the Parliament. If the Council does not approve those, then a " Conciliation Committee " is formed. The committee is composed of the Council members plus an equal number of MEPs who seek to agree a common position. Once a position is agreed, it has to be approved by Parliament again by an absolute majority . There are other special procedures used in sensitive areas which reduce
12426-716: The tough entrance exams: "Those at the top counted for everything. Those at the bottom counted for nothing." One example of this was the chef de cabinet of President Jacques Delors , Pascal Lamy , who was particularly notable for his immense influence over other civil servants. He became known as the Beast of the Berlaymont , the Gendarme and the Exocet due to his habit of ordering civil servants, even Directors-General (head of departments) "precisely what to do – or else." He
12540-580: The transmission of GNI data and related methodological information to the commission (Eurostat). Basic information must be provided by the countries concerned to Eurostat before 22 September in the year following the budget year concerned. Eurostat carries out information visits to the National Statistical Institutes forming part of the European Statistical System . Based on assessment reports by Eurostat,
12654-601: Was approved in 1992 and attached to the Treaty of Amsterdam . The treaty states that the Commission and Council would be based in Brussels, the Courts in Luxembourg City, and the Parliament in Strasbourg. However some departments of the commission and meetings of the Council take place in Luxembourg City, while the Parliament has its committees and some sessions in Brussels and its secretariat in Luxembourg City. Of
12768-444: Was seen as ruling Delors's office with a "rod of iron", with no-one able to bypass or manipulate him and those who tried being "banished to one of the less pleasant European postings". However, since the enlargement of the EU, and therefore the arrival of staff from the many newer Member States, there has been a change in the culture of the civil service. New civil servants from northern and eastern states brought in new influences while
12882-402: Was set up in 1975. It was created as an independent institution due to the sensitivity of the issue of fraud in the Union (the anti-fraud agency, OLAF , is also built on its independence). It is composed of one member from each state appointed by the Council every six years. Every three years one of them is elected as the president of the court, who is currently Klaus-Heiner Lehne . There are
12996-456: Was €20,459 million (14.7% of the EU's total revenue). Countries are liable to make good any loss of revenue due to their own administrative failure. As per the 2021-2027 period an additional system of own resources will be introduced relying on levies collected by the EU. The VAT-based own resource is a source of EU revenue based on the proportion of VAT levied in each member country. VAT rates and exemptions vary in different countries, so
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