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]
The European Commission is a member of the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) of ICANN. EC has always wanted ICANN to be more accountable to the international community and transparent in it's policies. It also wants ICANN to involve governments in key public aspects of ICANN policy.[2] The EC and ICANN are constantly in conflict over various issues and recently they had a tiff over an issue relating to trademarks.[3] The EC also strongly supports IGF.
History
The European Commission was created in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome. The first President of the Commission is Walter Hallstein. He had had two terms in the office from January, 1958 to June, 1967.
After Walter Hallstein, the Commission has seen 10 other Presidents. They are Jean Rey, Framco Malfatti, Sicco Mansholt, Francois-Xavier Ortoli, Roy Jenkins, Gaston Thorn, Jacques Delors, Jacques Santer, Romano Prodi and Jose Manuel Barroso( still in office).
Structure and Functioning
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.[4]
The Commission via its Commissioners has to put any legislative proposals to the Council of Ministers( Foreign Ministers of the member states). If the proposals are approved, they become law and it is the task of the Commission to administer what now become EU policies.
Interest in ICT and Internet
The European Commission has major interest in ICT and internet. The EC has invested around €90 million in IPv6 research. The EC has also proposed a Critical Information Infrastructure Protection (CIIP) strategy to protect Europe from cyber attacks. The EC also has a digital agenda which focuses on seven key areas which are as follows:
- Creating a digital single market
- Improving ICT standards and interoperability
- Boosting internet trust and security
- Speeding up internet
- Investing more in research and development
- Enhancing digital literacy
- Applying information and communications technologies to address societal challenges
High Profile Cases
- European Commission undertakes anti-trust probe against Microsoft for tying of Internet Explorer to Windows[5]
- European Commission probes allegations of antitrust violations by Google on doubts that it has abused it's dominant position in online search[6]