The procedural languages of the commission are English, French and German. The Members of the Commission and their "cabinets" (immediate teams) are based in the Berlaymont building in Brussels. ==History== The European Commission derives from one of the five key institutions created in the supranational European Community system, following the proposal of Robert Schuman, French Foreign Minister, on 9 May 1950.
Originating in 1951 as the High Authority in the European Coal and Steel Community, the commission has undergone numerous changes in power and composition under various presidents, involving three Communities. ===Establishment=== The first Commission originated in 1951 as the nine-member "High Authority" under President Jean Monnet (see Monnet Authority).
It took office first on 10 August 1952 in Luxembourg City.
In 1958, the Treaties of Rome had established two new communities alongside the ECSC: the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).
Walter Hallstein led the first Commission of the EEC, holding the first formal meeting on 16 January 1958 at the Château of Val-Duchesse.
In 1965, however, accumulating differences between the French government of Charles de Gaulle and the other member states on various subjects (British entry, direct elections to Parliament, the Fouchet Plan and the budget) triggered the "empty chair" crisis, ostensibly over proposals for the Common Agricultural Policy.
Although the institutional crisis was solved the following year, it cost Étienne Hirsch his presidency of Euratom and later Walter Hallstein the EEC presidency, despite his otherwise being viewed as the most 'dynamic' leader until Jacques Delors. ===Early development=== The three bodies, collectively named the European Executives, co-existed until 1 July 1967 when, under the Merger Treaty, they were combined into a single administration under President Jean Rey.
Retrieved 10 October 2012. Anti-dumping authorities Organizations established in 1967 Organisations based in Brussels
The Rey Commission completed the Community's customs union in 1968, and campaigned for a more powerful, elected, European Parliament.
Despite Rey being the first President of the combined communities, Hallstein is seen as the first President of the modern Commission. The Malfatti and Mansholt Commissions followed with work on monetary co-operation and the first enlargement to the north in 1973.
The external representation of the Community took a step forward when President Roy Jenkins, recruited to the presidency in January 1977 from his role as Home Secretary of the United Kingdom's Labour government, became the first President to attend a G8 summit on behalf of the Community.
In his first term, from 1985 to 1988, he rallied Europe to the call of the single market, and when appointed to a second term he began urging Europeans toward the far more ambitious goals of economic, monetary and political union". ===Jacques Santer=== The successor to Delors was Jacques Santer.
In his first term, from 1985 to 1988, he rallied Europe to the call of the single market, and when appointed to a second term he began urging Europeans toward the far more ambitious goals of economic, monetary and political union". ===Jacques Santer=== The successor to Delors was Jacques Santer.
The International Herald Tribune noted the work of Delors at the end of his second term in 1992: "Mr.
As a result of a fraud and corruption scandal, the entire Santer Commission was forced by the Parliament to resign in 1999; a central role was played by Édith Cresson.
Eurosceptics have therefore raised the concern of the relatively low turnout (often less than 50%) in elections for the European Parliament since 1999.
Powers were strengthened again; the Treaty of Nice, signed in 2001, gave the Presidents more power over the composition of the College of Commissioners. ===José Manuel Barroso=== José Manuel Barroso became president in 2004: the Parliament once again asserted itself in objecting to the proposed membership of the Barroso Commission.
A Commission officer, Guido Strack, reported alleged fraud and abuses in his department in the years 2002–2004 to OLAF, and was fired as a result.
As of 2007, the only other criminal law proposals which have been brought forward are on the intellectual property rights directive, and on an amendment to the 2002 counter-terrorism framework decision, outlawing terrorism‑related incitement, recruitment (especially via the internet) and training. ===Enforcement=== Once legislation is passed by the Council and Parliament, it is the commission's responsibility to ensure it is implemented.
Powers were strengthened again; the Treaty of Nice, signed in 2001, gave the Presidents more power over the composition of the College of Commissioners. ===José Manuel Barroso=== José Manuel Barroso became president in 2004: the Parliament once again asserted itself in objecting to the proposed membership of the Barroso Commission.
The Barroso Commission was also the first full Commission since the enlargement in 2004 to 25 members; hence, the number of Commissioners at the end of the Prodi Commission had reached 30.
As a result of the increase in the number of states, the Amsterdam Treaty triggered a reduction in the number of Commissioners to one per state, rather than two for the larger states. Allegations of fraud and corruption were again raised in 2004 by former chief auditor Jules Muis.
245 and 247, Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union). ===Political styles=== The Barroso Commission took office in late 2004 after being delayed by objections from the Parliament, which forced a reshuffle.
In 2006, a toxic waste spill off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire, from a European ship, prompted the commission to look into legislation against toxic waste.
Following the accession of Romania and Bulgaria in January 2007, this clause took effect for the next Commission.
As of 2007, the only other criminal law proposals which have been brought forward are on the intellectual property rights directive, and on an amendment to the 2002 counter-terrorism framework decision, outlawing terrorism‑related incitement, recruitment (especially via the internet) and training. ===Enforcement=== Once legislation is passed by the Council and Parliament, it is the commission's responsibility to ensure it is implemented.
In 2007 the Commission increased from 25 to 27 members with the accession of Romania and Bulgaria who each appointed their own Commissioners.
In 2008, Paul van Buitenen (the former auditor known from the Santer Commission scandal) accused the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) of a lack of independence and effectiveness. Barroso's first Commission term expired on 31 October 2009.
However, the treaty was rejected by voters in Ireland in 2008 with one main concern being the loss of their Commissioner.
However, the Council and Parliament may request the commission to draft legislation, though the Commission does have the power to refuse to do so as it did in 2008 over transnational collective conventions.
In 2008, Paul van Buitenen (the former auditor known from the Santer Commission scandal) accused the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) of a lack of independence and effectiveness. Barroso's first Commission term expired on 31 October 2009.
The Treaty of Lisbon, which came into force on 1 December 2009, mandated a reduction of the number of commissioners to two-thirds of member-states from 2014 unless the Council decided otherwise.
This guarantee (which may find its way into the next treaty amendment, probably in an accession treaty) contributed to the Irish approving the treaty in a second referendum in 2009. Lisbon also combined the posts of European Commissioner for External Relations with the council's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy.
In 2010 the commission was sued for blocking access to documents on EU biofuel policy.
Furthermore, the DGs can exercise considerable control over a Commissioner with the Commissioner having little time to learn to assert control over their staff. According to figures published by the commission, 23,803 persons were employed by the commission as officials and temporary agents in September 2012.
Retrieved 10 October 2012. Anti-dumping authorities Organizations established in 1967 Organisations based in Brussels
In the face of high-level criticism, the Commission shut down Presseurop on 20 December 2013. ==Legitimacy and criticism== As the commission is the executive branch, candidates are chosen individually by the national governments.
Last Access 18 April 2013. Statue of Europe.
The Treaty of Lisbon, which came into force on 1 December 2009, mandated a reduction of the number of commissioners to two-thirds of member-states from 2014 unless the Council decided otherwise.
"The European Commission’s (EC) Action Plan to enhance preparedness against CBRN security risks is part of its anti-terrorism package released in October 2017, a strategy aimed at better protecting the more than 511 million citizens across the 27 member states of the European Union (EU).” ===COVID-19 response=== The European Commission organized a video conference of world leaders on 4 May 2020 to raise funds for coronavirus vaccine development.
The current Commission is the Von der Leyen Commission, which took office in December 2019, following the European Parliament elections in May of the same year. The term Commission is variously used, either in the narrow sense of the 27-member College of Commissioners (or College) or to also include the administrative body of about 32,000 European civil servants who are split into departments called directorates-general and services.
During the Juncker presidency Selmayr has been described as "the most powerful EU chief of staff ever." ===Ursula von der Leyen=== In 2019, Ursula von der Leyen was appointed as the next President of the European Commission.
She submitted the guidelines of her policy for 2019–2024 to the European Parliament on 16 July 2019, following her confirmation.
This also leads to an unusually high number of press releases, and is seen as a unique product of the EU's political set-up. There is a larger press corps in Brussels than Washington, D.C.; in 2020, media outlets in every Union member-state had a Brussels correspondent.
"The European Commission’s (EC) Action Plan to enhance preparedness against CBRN security risks is part of its anti-terrorism package released in October 2017, a strategy aimed at better protecting the more than 511 million citizens across the 27 member states of the European Union (EU).” ===COVID-19 response=== The European Commission organized a video conference of world leaders on 4 May 2020 to raise funds for coronavirus vaccine development.
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