European Commission
 | |
| Type: | EU institution |
| Founded: | 1958 |
| Headquarters: | Brussels |
| Country: | Belgium |
| Employees: | 25,019 |
| Website: | ec.europa.eu |
| Facebook: | EuropeanCommission |
| Key People | |
| Jose Manuel Barroso, President | |
The European Commission represents the general interest of the EU and is the driving force in proposing legislation (to Parliament and the Council), administering and implementing EU policies, enforcing EU law (jointly with the Court of Justice) and negotiating in the international arena.[1]
Structure
The European Commission operates under a College of 27 Commissioners, one from each member country of the EU. The President of the European Commission is appointed by the European Council. The President and the Council together appoint the remaining 26 Commissioners. These 27 Commissioners as a single body are subject to a vote of approval by the European Parliament.
The Commission operates as a cabinet government and each of the Commissioner is assigned a portfolio. These Commissioners are supported by a staff of around 25,000 civil servants who work in various departments called Directorates-General.[2]
Commissioners
- Jose Manuel Barroso
- Catherine Ashton
- Viviane Reding
- Joaquin Almunia
- Siim Kallas
- Neelie Kroes
- Antonio Tajani
- Maros sefcovic
- Janez Potocnik
- Olli Rehn
- Andris Piebalgs
- Michel Barnier
- Androulla Vassiliou
- Algirdas Semeta
- Karel De Gucht
- John Dalli
- Maire Geoghegan-Quinn
- Janusz Lewandowski
- Maria Damanaki
- Kristalina Georgieva
- Gunther Oettinger
- Johannes Hahn
- Connie Hedegaard
- Stefan Fule
- Laszlo Andor
- Cecilia Malmstrom
- Dacian Ciolos