View source for European Commission

{{short description|Executive branch of the European Union}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{ Infobox executive government
 | nativename = {{Name in official languages
  | name = Name in official languages
  | bg = Европейска комисия
  | hr = Europska komisija
  | cs = Evropská komise
  | da = Europa-Kommissionen
  | nl = Europese Commissie
  | en = European Commission
  | et = Euroopa Komisjon
  | fi = Euroopan komissio
  | fr = Commission européenne
  | de = Europäische Kommission
  | el = Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή
  | hu = Európai Bizottság
  | ga = Coimisiún Eorpach
  | it = Commissione europea
  | lv = Eiropas Komisija
  | lt = Europos Komisija
  | mt = Kummissjoni Ewropea
  | pl = Komisja Europejska
  | pt = Comissão Europeia
  | ro = Comisia Europeană
  | sk = Európska komisia
  | sl = Evropska komisija
  | es = Comisión Europea
  | sv = Europeiska kommissionen
}}
 | border = <!-- for clarification, options are "devolved" (for UK use), "federal", "central" -->
 | image = Logo of the European Commission (2025, English, horizontal).svg
 | image_size = 250px
 | alt = 
 | image2 = <!-- up to | image4 = -->
 | image_size2 = <!-- up to | image_size4 = -->
 | alt2 = <!-- up to | alt4 = -->
 | caption = 
 | date_established = {{Start date and age|1958|01|16|df=y}}
 | date_dissolved = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
 | state = <!-- polity governed -->
 | country = {{Collapsible list
  | framestyle = text-align: left; border: 0; padding: 0; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;
  | titlestyle = background: transparent; text-align: left; font-weight: normal;
  | title = [[Member state of the European Union|27 member states]]
  | {{Flaglist|Austria}}
  | {{Flaglist|Belgium}}
  | {{Flaglist|Bulgaria}}
  | {{Flaglist|Croatia}}
  | {{Flaglist|Cyprus}}
  | {{Flaglist|Czech Republic}}
  | {{Flaglist|Denmark}}
  | {{Flaglist|Estonia}}
  | {{Flaglist|Finland}}
  | {{Flaglist|France}}
  | {{Flaglist|Germany}}
  | {{Flaglist|Greece}}
  | {{Flaglist|Hungary}}
  | {{Flaglist|Ireland}}
  | {{Flaglist|Italy}}
  | {{Flaglist|Latvia}}
  | {{Flaglist|Lithuania}}
  | {{Flaglist|Luxembourg}}
  | {{Flaglist|Malta}}
  | {{Flaglist|Netherlands}}
  | {{Flaglist|Poland}}
  | {{Flaglist|Portugal}}
  | {{Flaglist|Romania}}
  | {{Flaglist|Slovakia}}
  | {{Flaglist|Slovenia}}
  | {{Flaglist|Spain}}
  | {{Flaglist|Sweden}}
}}
 | polity = [[European Union]]
 | leader_title = [[President of the European Commission|President of the Commission]] ([[Ursula von der Leyen]] since 1 December 2019)
 | appointed = Nominated by the [[European Council]] and elected by the [[European Parliament]]
 | main_organ = [[European Commissioner|College of Commissioners]]
 | ministries = {{Collapsible list
  | framestyle = text-align: left; border: 0; padding: 0; line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;
  | titlestyle = background: transparent; text-align: left; font-weight: normal;
  | title = 33 
  | bullets = true
  | [[Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development|Agriculture and Rural Development]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Budget|Budget]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Climate Action|Climate Action]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Communication|Communication]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology|Communications Networks, Content and Technology]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Competition|Competition]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs|Economic and Financial Affairs]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture|Education and Culture]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion|Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Energy|Energy]]
  | [[Directorate-General for the Environment|Environment]]
  | [[Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations|European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations]]
  | [[Eurostat]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union|Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety|Health and Food Safety]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security|Human Resources and Security]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Informatics|Informatics]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs|Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs]]
  | [[Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development|International Cooperation and Development]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Interpretation|Interpretation]]
  | [[Joint Research Centre]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers|Justice and Consumers]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries|Maritime Affairs and Fisheries]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs|Migration and Home Affairs]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport|Mobility and Transport]]
  | [[Directorate-General for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations|Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy|Regional and Urban Policy]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Research and Innovation|Research and Innovation]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (European Commission)|Taxation and Customs Union]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Trade|Trade]]
  | [[Directorate-General for Translation|Translation]]
}}
 | responsible = {{Unbulleted list
  | European Parliament
  }}
 | address = {{Unbulleted list
  | [[City of Brussels|Brussels]], Belgium 
  | [[Luxembourg City]], Luxembourg
}}
 | url = {{URL|commission.europa.eu}}
 }}
[[File:Belgique - Bruxelles - Schuman - Berlaymont - 01.jpg|thumb|244x244px|The [[Berlaymont building]], seat of the European Commission]]

The '''European Commission''' ('''EC''') is the primary [[Executive (government)|executive]] branch of the [[European Union]] (EU).

It operates as a [[cabinet government]], with a number of [[European Commissioner|members of the Commission]] ([[directorial system]], informally known as "commissioners") corresponding to two thirds of the number of [[Member state of the European Union|member states]], unless the [[European Council]], acting unanimously, decides to alter this number.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A12016M%2FTXT |title=Consolidated Version of the Treaty on European Union |author=European Union |date=2016 |website=EUR-Lex |access-date=2024-10-22}}</ref> 

The current number of commissioners is 27, including the president.<ref>{{cite book |author = European Commission |url = http://ec.europa.eu/publications/booklets/eu_glance/53/2006-en.pdf |title = How the European Union works: Your guide to the EU institutions |year=2006 |isbn=92-79-02225-3 |page=20 |quote = Informally, the appointed members of the Commission are known as 'Commissioners'.|access-date=4 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112030418/http://ec.europa.eu/publications/booklets/eu_glance/53/2006-en.pdf |archive-date=12 January 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = How the Commission is organised |url = https://ec.europa.eu/info/about-european-commission/organisational-structure/how-commission-organised_en |access-date = 13 September 2019 |publisher = European Commission |quote = The Commission is steered by a group of 28 Commissioners, known as 'the college'. |archive-date = 11 November 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201111210610/https://ec.europa.eu/info/about-european-commission/organisational-structure/how-commission-organised_en |url-status = live }}</ref> It includes an administrative body of about 32,000 European civil servants. The commission is divided into departments known as [[Directorate-General|Directorates-General]] (DGs) that can be likened to departments or [[Ministry (government department)|ministries]] each headed by a director-general who is responsible to a commissioner.

Currently, there is one member per [[European Union member state|member state]], but members are bound by their [[oath of office]] to represent the general interest of the EU as a whole rather than their home state.<ref name="oath">{{cite press release|title=European Commission swears oath to respect the EU Treaties|url=http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-10-487_en.htm |date=3 May 2010 |publisher=European Commission|location=Brussels|access-date=1 June 2014|archive-date=21 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721190759/http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-10-487_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[President of the European Commission|Commission president]] (currently [[Ursula von der Leyen]]) is proposed by the European Council<ref>{{cite web |title=European Council Decision of 27 June 2014 proposing to the European Parliament a candidate for President of the European Commission |website=EUR-Lex |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:JOL_2014_192_R_0010 |access-date=13 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225094856/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:JOL_2014_192_R_0010 |archive-date=25 February 2021 |language=English |date=1 July 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> (the 27 heads of state/governments) and elected by the [[European Parliament]].<ref name="Schütze 2012" /> The [[Council of the European Union]] then nominates the other members of the Commission in agreement with the nominated president, and the 27 members as a team are then subject to a vote of approval by the European Parliament.<ref name="Article 17:7 TEU">[[s:Consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union/Title III: Provisions on the Institutions#Article 17|Treaty on European Union: Article 17:7]]</ref> 

The current Commission is the [[von der Leyen Commission II]], which took office in December 2024, following the [[2024 European Parliament election|European Parliament elections in June of the same year]].

==History==
{{Further|History of the European Union}}
The European Commission derives from one of the five key institutions created in the [[Supranational union|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.<ref name="ENA commission history">{{cite web|title=European Commission|publisher=CVCE|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/european_commission-en-281a3c0c-839a-48fd-b69c-bc2588c780ec.html|year=2016|access-date=18 April 2013|archive-date=28 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928005340/http://www.cvce.eu/obj/european_commission-en-281a3c0c-839a-48fd-b69c-bc2588c780ec.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Establishment===
{{Structural evolution of the European Commission}}

The first Commission originated in 1951 as the nine-member "[[High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community|High Authority]]" under President [[Jean Monnet]] (see [[Monnet Authority]]). The High Authority was the supranational administrative executive of the new European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). It took office first on 10 August 1952 in Luxembourg City. In 1958, the [[Treaty of Rome|Treaties of Rome]] had established two new communities alongside the ECSC: the [[European Economic Community]] (EEC) and the [[European Atomic Energy Community]] (Euratom). However, their executives were called "Commissions" rather than "High Authorities".<ref name="ENA commission history"/> The reason for the change in name was the new relationship between the executives and the [[Council of the European Union|Council]]. Some states, such as France, expressed reservations over the power of the High Authority and wished to limit it by giving more power to the Council rather than the new executives.<ref name="ENA Council history">{{cite web|publisher=CVCE|title=Council of the European Union|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_council_of_the_european_union-en-de23700c-e50a-4e0e-a7de-80665e4caf9f.html|year=2016|access-date=18 April 2013|archive-date=1 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801045415/https://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_council_of_the_european_union-en-de23700c-e50a-4e0e-a7de-80665e4caf9f.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F028459-0019, Robert-Schuman-Preis, Verleihung an Walter Hallstein.jpg|thumb|left|[[Walter Hallstein]], the first President of the Commission]]
[[Louis Armand]] led the [[Armand Commission|first Commission of Euratom]]. [[Walter Hallstein]] led the [[Hallstein Commission|first Commission of the EEC]], holding the first formal meeting on 16 January 1958 at the [[Château of Val-Duchesse]]. It achieved agreement on a contentious cereal price accord, as well as making a positive impression upon third countries when it made its international debut at the [[Kennedy Round]] of [[General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade]] (GATT) negotiations.<ref name="LSE Chair">{{cite web |last=Ludlow |first=N |year=2006 |publisher=[[London School of Economics]] |title=De-commissioning the Empty Chair Crisis: the Community institutions and the crisis of 1965–6 |url=http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/2422/01/Decommisioningempty.pdf |access-date=24 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025203706/http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/2422/01/Decommisioningempty.pdf |archive-date=25 October 2007}}</ref> Hallstein notably began the consolidation of [[Law of the European Union|European law]] and started to have a notable impact on national legislation. Little heed was taken of his administration at first but, with help from the [[European Court of Justice]], his Commission stamped its authority solidly enough to allow future Commissions to be taken more seriously.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Eppink |first1=Derk-Jan |author-link=Derk Jan Eppink |translator=Ian Connerty |title=Life of a European Mandarin: Inside the Commission |publisher=Lannoo |edition=1st |location=Tielt, Belgium |year=2007 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/lifeofeuropeanma00eppi/page/221 221–2] |isbn=978-90-209-7022-7 |url=https://archive.org/details/lifeofeuropeanma00eppi/page/221 }}</ref> 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|"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]].<ref name="LSE Chair"/>

===Early development===
{{Politics of the European Union}}

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 (politician)|Jean Rey]].<ref name="ENA commission history"/> Owing to the merger, the [[Rey Commission]] saw a temporary increase to 14 members—although subsequent Commissions were reduced back to nine, following the formula of one member for small states and two for larger states.<ref name="ENA composition">{{cite web |title=Composition |publisher=CVCE |url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/composition_of_the_european_commission-en-4b39ad5f-6376-44e4-8144-07e1f84647aa.html |date=31 August 2016 |access-date=18 April 2013 |archive-date=8 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708024003/https://www.cvce.eu/obj/composition_of_the_european_commission-en-4b39ad5f-6376-44e4-8144-07e1f84647aa.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Rey Commission completed the Community's [[customs union]] in 1968 and campaigned for a more powerful, elected, [[European Parliament]].<ref name="Meet Rey">{{cite web |title=Discover the former Presidents: The Rey Commission |publisher=Europa (web portal) |url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/rey/index_en.htm |access-date=23 August 2007 |archive-date=22 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022225023/http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/rey/index_en.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite Rey being the first President of the combined communities, Hallstein is seen as the first President of the modern Commission.<ref name="ENA commission history"/>

The [[Malfatti Commission|Malfatti]] and [[Mansholt Commission]]s followed with work on monetary co-operation and the first [[Enlargement of the European Union|enlargement]] to the north in 1973.<ref name="Meet Mansholt">{{cite web |title=Discover the former Presidents: The Mansholt Commission |publisher=Europa (web portal) |url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/mansholt/index_en.htm |access-date=23 August 2007 |archive-date=23 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023032752/http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/mansholt/index_en.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Meet Malfatti">{{cite web|title=Discover the former Presidents: The Malfatti Commission|publisher=Europa (web portal)|url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/malfatti/index_en.htm|access-date=23 August 2007|archive-date=23 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023080109/http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/malfatti/index_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> With that enlargement, the College of Commissioners membership increased to thirteen under the [[Ortoli Commission]] (the [[United Kingdom]] as a large member was granted two Commissioners), which dealt with the enlarged community during economic and international instability at that time.<ref name="ENA composition"/><ref name="Meet Ortoli">{{cite web|title=Discover the former Presidents: The Ortoli Commission|publisher=Europa (web portal)|url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/ortoli/index_en.htm|access-date=23 August 2007|archive-date=22 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022225018/http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/ortoli/index_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 Party (UK)|Labour]] government,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/3/newsid_3287000/3287511.stm|work=BBC News|title=1977: Jenkins quits Commons for Brussels|date=3 January 1977|access-date=14 January 2012|archive-date=10 January 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110092836/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/3/newsid_3287000/3287511.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> became the first President to attend a [[G8]] summit on behalf of the Community.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deljpn.ec.europa.eu/union/showpage_en_union.external.g8.php |title=EU and the G8 |access-date=25 September 2007 |publisher=European Commission |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070226165606/http://www.deljpn.ec.europa.eu/union/showpage_en_union.external.g8.php |archive-date=26 February 2007}}</ref> Following the [[Jenkins Commission (EU)|Jenkins Commission]], [[Gaston Thorn]]'s [[Thorn Commission|Commission]] oversaw the Community's enlargement to the south, in addition to beginning work on the [[Single European Act]].<ref name="Meet Thorn">{{cite web|title=Discover the former Presidents: The Thorn Commission|publisher=Europa (web portal)|url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/thorn/index_en.htm|access-date=23 August 2007|archive-date=23 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023013150/http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/thorn/index_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Jacques Delors===
[[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F078267-0023, Bonn, Ministerpräsidenten mit EU-Kommissar Delors-CROPPED.jpg|thumb|upright|left|[[Jacques Delors]], the European Commission president from 1985–1994]]
{{main|Delors Commission}}
The Commission headed by Jacques Delors was seen as giving the Community a sense of direction and dynamism.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Burson-Marsteller |title=The new Commission&nbsp;– some initial thoughts |year=2004 |url=http://www.bmbrussels.be/box_bmnewcomm.php |access-date=17 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923001700/http://www.bmbrussels.be/box_bmnewcomm.php |archive-date=23 September 2006}}</ref> Delors and his College are also considered as the "[[founding father]]s of the [[euro]]".<ref name="Meet Delors">{{cite web |title=Discover the former Presidents: The Delors Commission |publisher=Europa (web portal) |url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/delors/index_en.htm |access-date=23 August 2007 |archive-date=23 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023032747/http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/delors/index_en.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''[[International Herald Tribune]]'' noted the work of Delors at the end of his second term in 1992: "Mr. Delors rescued the European Community from the doldrums. He arrived when Europessimism was at its worst. Although he was a little-known former French finance minister, he breathed life and hope into the EC and into the dispirited Brussels Commission. 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".<ref name="IHT Delors quote">{{cite web|last=Merritt|first=Giles|title =A Bit More Delors Could Revamp the Commission|work=International Herald Tribune|date=21 January 1992|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/1992/01/21/edgi_0.php|access-date=17 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080121053056/http://www.iht.com/articles/1992/01/21/edgi_0.php|archive-date=21 January 2008}}</ref>

===Jacques Santer===
{{main|Santer Commission}}
The successor to Delors was [[Jacques Santer]]. As a result of a fraud and corruption scandal, the entire Santer Commission was forced by the [[Parliament]] to resign in 1999. These frauds were revealed by internal auditor [[Paul van Buitenen]], with French commissioner [[Édith Cresson]] being the main target of the allegations.<ref>{{cite book|author=Paul van Buitenen|title=Blowing the Whistle: Fraud in the European Commission|publisher=Politicos Pub|year=2000|isbn=978-1-902301-46-4}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/experts/default_en.htm |title=Second report on Reform of the Commission. Analysis of current practice and proposals for tackling mismanagement, irregularities, and fraud. Committee of Independent Experts, 1999 |publisher=European Parliament |access-date=25 October 2011 |archive-date=9 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609175247/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/experts/default_en.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

That was the first time a College of Commissioners had been forced to resign ''en masse'', and represented a shift of power towards the Parliament.<ref>{{cite web|last=Topan|first=Angelina|title=The resignation of the Santer-Commission: the impact of 'trust' and 'reputation'|date=30 September 2002|publisher=European Integration Online Papers|url=http://eiop.or.at/eiop/pdf/2002-014.pdf|access-date=12 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040312015435/http://eiop.or.at/eiop/pdf/2002-014.pdf|archive-date=12 March 2004|url-status=live }}</ref> However, the Santer Commission did carry out work on the [[Treaty of Amsterdam]] and the euro.<ref name="Meet Santer">{{cite web|title=Discover the former Presidents: The Santer Commission|publisher=Europa (web portal)|url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/santer/index_en.htm|access-date=23 August 2007|archive-date=23 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023032757/http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/santer/index_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In response to the scandal, the [[European Anti-Fraud Office]] (OLAF) was created.

===Romano Prodi===
{{main|Prodi Commission}}
Following Santer, [[Romano Prodi]] took office. The Amsterdam Treaty had increased the commission's powers and Prodi was dubbed by the press as something akin to a Prime Minister.<ref>{{cite web|last=James|first=Barry|title=Prodi to Have Wide, New Powers as Head of the European Commission|work=International Herald Tribune|date=16 April 1999|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/1999/04/16/eu.2.t_0.php|access-date=17 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017203411/http://iht.com/articles/1999/04/16/eu.2.t_0.php|archive-date=17 October 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Rossant |first=John |title=Commentary: Romano Prodi: Europe's First Prime Minister? (int'l edition) |magazine=[[Business Week]] |date=27 September 1999 |url=http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_39/b3648256.htm |access-date=17 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023012122/http://businessweek.com/1999/99_39/b3648256.htm |archive-date=23 October 2007}}</ref> Powers were strengthened again; the [[Treaty of Nice]], signed in 2001, gave the Presidents more power over the composition of the College of Commissioners.<ref name="ENA commission history"/>

===José Manuel Barroso===
{{main|Barroso Commission}}
[[José Manuel Barroso]] became president in 2004: the Parliament once again asserted itself in objecting to the proposed membership of the Barroso Commission. Owing to this opposition, Barroso was forced to reshuffle his College before taking office.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tobais|first=Troll|title=We have to democratise procedures|date=2 November 2004|publisher=Café Babel|url=http://www.cafebabel.com/en/article.asp?T=T&Id=2620|access-date=12 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051129143940/http://www.cafebabel.com/en/article.asp?T=T&Id=2620|archive-date=29 November 2005}}</ref> 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.<ref name="ENA composition"/>

Allegations of fraud and corruption were again raised in 2004 by former chief auditor Jules Muis.<ref>{{cite news |title = Auditor blames politicians for EC waste and corruption |date=8 August 2004 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10004001.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924182952/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-10004001.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 September 2015 |newspaper= The Sunday Herald |first=Ian |last=Fraser}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/1028391-guido-strack-downfall-whistleblower |title = Guido Strack – the downfall of a whistleblower |date = 6 October 2011 |publisher = VoxEurop |first = Sebastien |last = Beck |access-date = 25 October 2011 |archive-date = 27 December 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131227115236/http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/1028391-guido-strack-downfall-whistleblower |url-status = dead }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eur-law.eu/EN/Written-question-E-0860-08-Paul-van-Buitenen,488061,d |title=Paul van Buitenen: Alleged irregularities in OLAF |publisher=Eur-law.eu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330084358/http://eur-law.eu/EN/Written-question-E-0860-08-Paul-van-Buitenen,488061,d |archive-date=30 March 2012}}</ref>

Barroso's first Commission term expired on 31 October 2009. Under the Treaty of Nice, the first Commission to be appointed after the number of member states reached 27 would have to be reduced to "less than the number of Member States". The exact number of Commissioners was to be decided by a unanimous vote of the [[European Council]], and membership would rotate equally between member states. Following the [[2007 enlargement of the European Union|accession of Romania and Bulgaria]] in January 2007, this clause took effect for the next Commission.<ref>See the attached Protocol, Article 4</ref> 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. Membership would rotate equally and no member state would have more than one Commissioner. However, the treaty was rejected by voters in Ireland in 2008 with one main concern being the loss of their Commissioner. Hence a guarantee given for a rerun of the vote was that the council would use its power to amend the number of Commissioners upwards. However, according to the treaties it still has to be fewer than the total number of members, thus it was proposed that the member state that does not get a Commissioner would get the post of High Representative&nbsp;– the so-called 26+1 formula.<ref>{{cite news|last=Smyth|first=Jamie|title=Rejection may undermine EU's effectiveness, warns Swedish premier|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=5 September 2009|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0905/1224253907844.html|access-date=15 September 2009|archive-date=24 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121224173619/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0905/1224253907844.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[http://euobserver.com/843/27360 Czechs prepare for possible second Irish No] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518153334/http://euobserver.com/843/27360 |date=18 May 2012 }}, ''EUobserver'', 8 January 2009</ref> 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 of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy|High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy]]. This post, also a [[Vice-President of the European Commission|Vice-president of the Commission]], would chair the Council of the European Union's foreign affairs meetings as well as the commission's external relations duties.<ref name="Europa web portal">{{cite web |title=The Union's institutions: Commission |publisher=Europa (web portal) |url=http://europa.eu/scadplus/constitution/commission_en.htm |access-date=6 July 2007 |archive-date=19 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819052953/http://europa.eu/scadplus/constitution/commission_en.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Council of the European Union |title=Brussels European Council 21/22 June 2007: Presidency Conclusions |date=20 June 2007 |url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/94932.pdf |access-date=22 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070627032310/http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/94932.pdf |archive-date=27 June 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> The treaty further provides that the most recent European elections should be "''taken into account''" when appointing the President of the European Commission, and although they are still proposed by the European Council; the European Parliament "''elects''" candidates to the office, rather than "''approves''" them as under the Treaty of Nice.<ref name="Article 17:7 TEU" /><ref name="Europa web portal"/>

The Barroso Commission is, in reaction to [[Euroscepticism]], said to have toned down enforcement to increase integration.<ref>[https://www.politico.eu/article/curious-case-eu-disappearing-infringements/ The curious case of the EU's disappearing infringements] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427132626/https://www.politico.eu/article/curious-case-eu-disappearing-infringements/ |date=27 April 2022 }} Politico. 2022.</ref><ref>[https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3994918 Where Have the Guardians Gone? Law Enforcement and the Politics of Supranational Forbearance in the European Union] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428115924/https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3994918 |date=28 April 2022 }} SSRN. 2021.</ref>

===Jean-Claude Juncker===
{{main|Juncker Commission}}
In 2014, [[Jean-Claude Juncker]] became President of the European Commission.

Juncker appointed his previous campaign director and head of the transition team, [[Martin Selmayr]], as his chief of cabinet. During the Juncker presidency Selmayr has been described as "the most powerful EU chief of staff ever."<ref name="politico">{{cite news|last1=Herszenhorn |first1=David M.|title='Monster' at the Berlaymont|url=http://www.politico.eu/article/monster-at-the-berlaymont-martin-selmayr-european-commission-jean-claude-juncker/|access-date=3 May 2017|agency=Politico|date=17 November 2016|archive-date=27 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327174844/http://www.politico.eu/article/monster-at-the-berlaymont-martin-selmayr-european-commission-jean-claude-juncker/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Ursula von der Leyen===
[[File:(Ursula_von_der_Leyen)_2019.07.16._Ursula_von_der_Leyen_presents_her_vision_to_MEPs_2_(cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Incumbent [[Ursula von der Leyen|President von der Leyen]]]]
{{main|Von der Leyen Commission I|Von der Leyen Commission II}}

In 2019, [[Ursula von der Leyen]] was appointed as President of the European Commission. She submitted the guidelines of her policy to the [[European Parliament]] on 16 July 2019, following her confirmation. She had not been considered a likely candidate (in general, the elected candidate is determined, according to the results of the [[Elections to the European Parliament|European election]], as winner of the internal election into the dominant European party known as "{{lang|de|[[spitzenkandidat]]}}"). While the [[European People's Party]] had won the European Parliament election, they had performed worse than expected and therefore nominated von der Leyen instead of [[Manfred Weber]], their original candidate. On 9 September, the [[Council of the European Union]] declared a list of candidate-commissioners, which are sent to Brussels by the governments of each member state and which had to be officially approved by the parliament.<ref>{{cite web|title=Formation of von der Leyen Commission advances |publisher=European Commission|date=9 September 2019|url=https://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-5537_en.htm|access-date=9 September 2019|archive-date=10 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910213153/https://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-5537_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2024, Von der Leyen revealed her new team of European Commissioners, marking a shift to a "leaner" and more interconnected structure. The lineup featured six executive vice-presidents (EVPs) from France, Finland, Estonia, Italy, Romania, and Spain. These EVPs, including [[Teresa Ribera]] and [[Stéphane Séjourné]], were tasked with overseeing various clusters of Commissioners and steering key policy areas such as prosperity, security, and democracy. [[Raffaele Fitto]] was appointed despite criticism from European socialists over his hard-right affiliations. Other notable appointments included [[Kaja Kallas]] as EVP for Foreign and Security Policy, and [[Henna Virkkunen]] as EVP for Tech Sovereignty and Digital Technologies. The Commission also introduced new roles like the Commissioner for Defence and Security and the Commissioner for the Mediterranean.<ref>{{cite news|last=Jones |first=Mared Gwyn |title=Ursula von der Leyen unveils proposed team of European Commissioners |website=Euronews  |date=17 September 2024 |url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/09/17/ursula-von-der-leyen-set-to-unveil-proposal-for-next-team-of-european-commissioners |access-date=17 September 2024}}</ref>

==Powers and functions==
The commission was set up from the start to act as an independent supranational authority separate from governments; it has been described as "the only body paid to think European".<ref name="Day">{{cite web|title=Interview with European Commission Secretary-General Catherine Day|publisher=EurActiv|date=25 September 2006|url=http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/interview-european-commission-secretary-general-catherine-day/article-158149|access-date=17 June 2007|archive-date=24 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224073529/http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/interview-european-commission-secretary-general-catherine-day/article-158149|url-status=dead}}</ref> The members are proposed by their member state governments, one from each. However, they are bound to act independently&nbsp;– free from other influences such as those governments which appointed them. This is in contrast to the Council of the European Union, which represents governments, the European Parliament, which represents [[EU citizen|citizens]], the [[Economic and Social Committee]], which represents organised civil society, and the [[European Committee of the Regions|Committee of the Regions]], which represents local and regional authorities.<ref name="Europa Institutions">{{cite web|title=Institutions of the EU: The European Commission|url=http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/comm/index_en.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070623104055/http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/comm/index_en.htm|archive-date=23 June 2007|access-date=18 June 2007|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)|Europa]]}}</ref>

Through [[s:Consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union/Title III: Provisions on the Institutions#Article 17|Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union]] the commission has several responsibilities: to develop medium-term strategies; to draft legislation and arbitrate in the legislative process; to represent the EU in trade negotiations; to make rules and regulations, for example in competition policy; to draw up the [[budget of the European Union]]; and to scrutinise the implementation of the treaties and legislation.<ref>Hix, Simon (1999) "The political system of the European Union" MacMillan, Basingstoke. p32</ref> The rules of procedure of the European Commission set out the commission's operation and organisation.<ref name="rules">{{cite web|title=Rules of procedure of the European Commission |date=2020 |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM:o10004|website=EUR-Lex |access-date=25 March 2019|archive-date=30 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130155317/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM:o10004|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Executive power===
Before the [[Treaty of Lisbon]] came into force, the executive power of the EU was held by the council: it conferred on the Commission such powers for it to exercise. However, the council was allowed to withdraw these powers, exercise them directly, or impose conditions on their use.<ref>{{cite web|title=Executive body|publisher=CVCE|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/executive_body-en-1ea2c754-b3fe-42ea-b6ab-44f07291d9ee.html|date=15 September 2016|access-date=18 April 2013|archive-date=5 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805194749/https://www.cvce.eu/obj/executive_body-en-1ea2c754-b3fe-42ea-b6ab-44f07291d9ee.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Implementing powers of the Council of the European Union|publisher=CVCE|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/implementing_powers_of_the_council_of_the_european_union-en-5d4d07d9-bba1-467e-93c2-8241444be9a2.html|year=2016|access-date=18 April 2013|archive-date=5 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805190623/https://www.cvce.eu/obj/implementing_powers_of_the_council_of_the_european_union-en-5d4d07d9-bba1-467e-93c2-8241444be9a2.html|url-status=live}}</ref> This aspect has been changed by the Treaty of Lisbon, after which the Commission exercises its powers just by virtue of the treaties. Powers are more restricted than most national executives, in part due to the commission's lack of power over areas like [[Common Foreign and Security Policy|foreign policy]]&nbsp;– that power is held by the Council of the European Union and the European Council, which some analysts have described as another executive.<ref name="dragoman"/>

Considering that under the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Council has become a formal institution with the power of appointing the commission, it could be said that the two bodies hold the executive power of the EU (the European Council also holds individual national executive powers). However, it is the Commission that currently holds most of the executive power over the [[European Union]].<ref name="dragoman">{{cite web |last=Stark |first=Christine |publisher=Dragoman |title=Evolution of the European Council: The implications of a permanent seat |date=4 September 2002 |url=http://www.dragoman.org/ec/belfast-2002.pdf |access-date=10 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325005346/http://www.dragoman.org/ec/belfast-2002.pdf |archive-date=25 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Bermann|first=George|title=Executive Power in the New European Constitution|year=2004|url=http://www.jeanmonnetprogram.org/archive/papers/04/040501-13.rtf|format=RTF|publisher=New York University|access-date=18 June 2006|archive-date=31 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731021346/http://www.jeanmonnetprogram.org/archive/papers/04/040501-13.rtf|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Legislative initiative===
The Commission differs from the other institutions in that it alone has [[legislative initiative]] in the EU. Only the commission can make formal proposals for legislation: they cannot originate in the legislative branches. Under the Treaty of Lisbon, no legislative act is allowed in the field of the [[Common Foreign and Security Policy]]. In the other fields, the Council and Parliament can request legislation; in most cases the Commission initiates on the basis of these proposals. This monopoly is designed to ensure coordinated and coherent drafting of [[Law of the European Union|EU law]].<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Europa (web portal)|title=Glossary: Right of initiative|url=http://europa.eu/scadplus/glossary/initiative_right_en.htm|access-date=18 June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708112656/http://europa.eu/scadplus/glossary/initiative_right_en.htm|archive-date=8 July 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=Europa (web portal)|title=The Commission's right of initiative|url=http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/02/cv00/00230en2.pdf|access-date=18 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025203706/http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/02/cv00/00230en2.pdf|archive-date=25 October 2007}}</ref> This monopoly has been challenged by some who claim the Parliament should also have the right, with most national parliaments holding the right in some respects.<ref>{{cite web|last=Murray |first=Alasdair |title=Reform now or languish later |publisher=Centre for European Reform |date=30 September 2002 |url=http://www.cer.org.uk/articles/murray_parl_0902.html |access-date=18 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928151215/http://www.cer.org.uk/articles/murray_parl_0902.html |archive-date=28 September 2007 }}</ref> However, the Council and Parliament may request the commission to draft legislation, though the Commission does have the power to refuse to do so<ref>{{cite book|editor-last1=Peterson|editor-first1=John|editor-first2=Michael|editor-last2=Shackleton|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2006|title=The Institutions of the European Union|page=152}}{{ISBN missing|date=June 2025|reason=There are multiple editions of this book. The page number may change depending on the edition referenced.}}</ref> as it did in 2008 over transnational collective conventions.<ref>Anne-Cécile Robert (March 2009) "Et la crise sociale a rattrapé le Parlement européen", ''[[Le Monde diplomatique]]''. p. 6–7</ref> Under the Lisbon Treaty, EU citizens are also able to request the commission to legislate in an area via [[European Citizens' Initiative|a petition carrying one million signatures]], but this is not binding.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wallis|first1=Diana|author-link=Diana Wallis|last2=Picard|first2=Severine|title=The Citizens' Right of Initiative in the European Constitution: A Second Chance for Democracy|url=http://www.eumap.org/journal/features/2005/demodef/wallis |website=eumap |access-date=18 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060306034741/http://www.eumap.org/journal/features/2005/demodef/wallis|archive-date=6 March 2006}}</ref>

The commission's powers in proposing law have usually centred on economic regulation. It has put forward a large number of regulations based on a "[[precautionary principle]]". This means that pre-emptive regulation takes place if there is a credible hazard to the environment or human health: for example on tackling [[climate change]] and restricting [[genetically modified organism]]s. The European Commission has committed EU member states to [[carbon neutrality]] by 2050.<ref>{{Cite web|title=EU/China/US climate survey shows public optimism about reversing climate change|url=https://www.eib.org/en/stories/citizen-global-warming-concerns |first1=Matt |last1=Rees |date=26 June 2020 |access-date=24 August 2020|website=European Investment Bank|language=en|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020023146/https://www.eib.org/en/stories/citizen-global-warming-concerns|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=23 November 2016|title=2050 long-term strategy|url=https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/strategies/2050_en|access-date=24 August 2020|website=Climate Action – European Commission|language=en|archive-date=22 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422132502/https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/strategies/2050_en|url-status=dead }}</ref> This is opposed to weighting regulations for their effect on the economy. Thus, the Commission often proposes stricter legislation than other countries. Owing to the size of the European market, this has made EU legislation an important influence in the global market.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Economist|date=20 September 2007|title=Brussels rules OK|url=http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9832900 |url-access=subscription |access-date=22 October 2007|archive-date=12 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012003802/http://economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9832900|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 23, 2022, the European Commission published the [[Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive]] which establishes a framework of [[due diligence]] for companies to identify actual or potential risks and harm to [[human rights]] and the [[Natural environment|environment]] as well as establishing processes and standards to diminish these risks. The [[Directive (European Union)|Directive]] is expected to be officially adopted in 2024 and then be incorporated into domestic laws within two years by all of the [[European Union]] member states.

Recently the commission has moved into creating [[Law of the European Union#Criminal law|European criminal law]]. In 2006, a [[2006 Côte d'Ivoire toxic waste spill|toxic waste spill off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire]], from a European ship, prompted the commission to look into legislation against toxic waste. at that time did not even have a crime against shipping toxic waste; this led the Commissioners [[Franco Frattini]] and [[Stavros Dimas]] to put forward the idea of "ecological crimes". Their right to propose criminal law was challenged in the [[European Court of Justice]] but upheld. {{asof|2007|post=,}} the only other criminal law proposals which have been brought forward are on the [[Proposed directive on criminal measures aimed at ensuring the enforcement of intellectual property rights|intellectual property rights directive]],<ref name="E!Sharp0507 Legal">{{cite news|last=Charter|first=David|title=A new legal environment|work=E!Sharp|pages=23–5|publisher=People Power Process|year=2007}}</ref> and on an amendment to the 2002 counter-terrorism framework decision, outlawing terrorism‑related incitement, recruitment (especially via the internet) and training.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=European Commission|date=6 November 2007|title=Counter‑terrorism&nbsp;– EU steps up a gear|url=http://ec.europa.eu/news/justice/071106_1_en.htm|access-date=21 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213232626/http://ec.europa.eu/news/justice/071106_1_en.htm|archive-date =13 December 2007}}</ref>

===Enforcement===
Once legislation is passed by the Council and Parliament, it is the commission's responsibility to ensure it is implemented. It does this through the member states or through its [[Agencies of the European Union|agencies]]. In adopting the necessary technical measures, the commission is assisted by committees made up of representatives of member states and of the public and private [[Lobbying|lobbies]]<ref>[http://www.legaltoday.com/index.php/actualidad/noticias/la-lobbycracia-europea La Lobbycracia Europea] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722053744/http://www.legaltoday.com/index.php/actualidad/noticias/la-lobbycracia-europea |date=22 July 2011 }}&nbsp;– Aparicio Caicedo, analyst, Gertrude Ryan Law Observeratory, opinion piece in Legal Today magazine.</ref> (a process known in jargon as "[[comitology]]").<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Europa (web portal)|title=Glossary: Comitology|url=http://europa.eu/scadplus/glossary/comitology_en.htm|access-date=18 June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629121630/http://europa.eu/scadplus/glossary/comitology_en.htm|archive-date=29 June 2007}}</ref> Furthermore, the commission is responsible for the implementation of the [[EU budget]], ensuring, along with the [[Court of Auditors]], that EU funds are correctly spent.

In particular the commission has a duty to ensure the treaties and law are upheld, potentially by taking member states or other institutions to the [[European Court of Justice|Court of Justice]] in a dispute. In this role it is known informally as the "Guardian of the Treaties".<ref name="Europa Institutions"/> Finally, the Commission provides some [[foreign relations of the European Union|external representation]] for the Union, alongside the member states and the [[Common Foreign and Security Policy]], representing the Union in bodies such as the [[World Trade Organization]]. It is also usual for the President to attend meetings of the [[G7]].<ref name="Europa Institutions"/>

==College of Commissioners ==
{{For|members of the current Commission|Von der Leyen Commission II}}
The commission is composed of a "College of [[European Commissioner|Commissioners]]" of {{EUnum}} members, including the President and vice-presidents. Even though each member is nominated on the basis of the suggestions made by the national governments, one per state, they do not represent their state in the commission.<ref name="bbc examine">{{cite news|last=Lungescu|first=Oana|work=BBC News|title =Examining the EU executive|date=23 July 2004|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/letter_from_america/3921303.stm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201095441/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/letter_from_america/3921303.stm|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 February 2012|access-date=21 May 2020}}</ref> In practice, however, they do occasionally press for their national interest.<ref>{{cite book|last=Eppink|first=Derk-Jan|author-link=Derk Jan Eppink|translator=Ian Connerty|title=Life of a European Mandarin: Inside the Commission|publisher=Lannoo|edition=1st|location=Tielt, Belgium|year=2007|isbn=978-90-209-7022-7|page=[https://archive.org/details/lifeofeuropeanma00eppi/page/119 119]|url=https://archive.org/details/lifeofeuropeanma00eppi/page/119}}</ref> Once proposed, the President delegates [[List of European Commission portfolios|portfolios]] among each of the members. The power of a Commissioner largely depends upon their portfolio, and can vary over time. For example, the [[European Commissioner for Education, Training & Culture|Education Commissioner]] has been growing in importance, in line with the rise in the importance of education and culture in European policy-making.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/99410.pdf|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080705113103/http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/99410.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 July 2008|title=Brussels European Council, Presidency Conclusions|publisher=Council of the European Union|year=2008|access-date=20 August 2009|quote=See paragraphs 7, 8 & 13 of the Presidency conclusions of the European Council on 13/14 March 2008}}</ref> Another example is the [[European Commissioner for Competition|Competition Commissioner]], who holds a highly visible position with global reach.<ref name="bbc examine"/> Before the commission can assume office, the college as a whole must be approved by the Parliament.<ref name="Europa Institutions"/> Commissioners are supported by their [[Cabinet (European Commission)|personal cabinet]] who give them political guidance, while the [[European Civil Service|Civil Service]] (the DGs, see below) deal with technical preparation.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/europeancommissi0000nuge|url-access=registration|title=The European Commission|first=Neill|last=Nugent|date=2 July 2001|publisher=Palgrave|via=Internet Archive|isbn=9780333587430}}</ref>

===Appointment===
[[File:European Commission Room (Open Day) 1.jpg|thumb|upright|Floor 13 of the Berlaymont, Commission's meeting room]]
The [[President of the European Commission|President of the Commission]] is appointed in an [[indirect election]]. The candidate is first selected by the [[European Council]], according to the [[Voting in the Council of the European Union|Qualified Majority Vote]] (QMV), taking into account the latest [[Elections in the European Union|parliamentary elections]] (any person from the largest party can be picked<ref>{{Cite web |first=Jorg |last=Himmelreich |title=Ursula von der Leyen's EU nomination is a win for Emmanuel Macron DW 05.07.2019 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/ursula-von-der-leyens-eu-nomination-is-a-win-for-emmanuel-macron/a-49494510 |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=DW |language=en-GB |archive-date=25 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325224810/https://www.dw.com/en/ursula-von-der-leyens-eu-nomination-is-a-win-for-emmanuel-macron/a-49494510 |url-status=live }}</ref>). That candidate then faces [[Approval voting|approval]] by the [[European Parliament]]. If the European Parliament fails to elect the candidate, the European Council shall propose another within one month.<ref name="Article 17:7 TEU" /><ref name="Schütze 2012">{{cite book|last1=Schütze|first1=Robert|title=European Constitutional Law|url=https://archive.org/details/europeanconstitu0000schu/page/99/mode/2up|date=2012|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0521-73275-8|pages=99–100, 118}}</ref>

Following the selection of the President, and the appointment of the [[High Representative]] by the European Council, each [[European Commissioner|Commissioner]] is proposed by their member state (except for those states who provided the President and High Representative) in consultation with the Commission President and the [[Council of the European Union]], who formally adopts the list of candidates. The President's proposed College of Commissioners is then subject to hearings at the [[European Parliament]] which will question them and then vote on their suitability as a whole. If the European Parliament submits a negative opinion of a candidate, the President must either reshuffle them or request a new candidate from the member state to avoid the college's outright rejection by the European Parliament. Once the college is approved by parliament, it is formally appointed following a QMV vote by the [[European Council]].<ref name="Article 17:7 TEU" />

Following the college's appointment, the President appoints a number of [[Vice-President of the European Commission|Vice-presidents]] from among the commissioners. Vice-presidents manage policy areas involving multiple Commissioners.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Commissioners |url=https://commissioners.ec.europa.eu/index_en |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=European Commission |language=en}}</ref> One of these includes the [[High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy|High Representative]], who is automatically one of the Vice-presidents [[Ex officio member|''ex officio'']] rather than by appointment and confirmation. Commonly referred to as the 'HR/VP' position, the High Representative also coordinates commissioners' activities involving the external relations and defence cooperation of the European Union. The [[Von der Leyen Commission I|von der Leyen Commission]] also created the position of more senior [[Vice-President of the European Commission|Executive Vice-presidents]], appointed from the three largest political groups in the European Parliament. Unlike the other vice-presidents, their mission is to manage the incumbent Commission's top priority policy areas, for which they receive additional support from a dedicated [[Directorate-General]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-04 |title=The Working Methods of the von der Leyen Commission |url=https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/what-european-commission-does/delivering-political-priorities/working-methods-von-der-leyen-commission_en |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=European Commission |language=en}}</ref>

===Dismissal===
The European Parliament can dissolve the College of Commissioners as a whole following a [[vote of no-confidence]], which requires a two-thirds vote.

Only the President can request the resignation of an individual Commissioner. However, individual Commissioners, by request of the council or Commission, can be compelled to retire on account of a breach of obligation(s) and if so ruled by the European Court of Justice (Art. 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 2007 the Commission increased from 25 to 27 members with the accession of Romania and Bulgaria who each appointed their own Commissioners. With the increasing size of the commission, Barroso adopted a more presidential style of control over the college, which earned him some criticism.<ref>{{cite web|last=Beunderman|first=Mark|publisher=EU Observer|title=EU commission sees civil servants' power grow|date=22 February 2007|url=http://euobserver.com/843/23553|access-date=27 February 2007|archive-date=23 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023004954/http://euobserver.com/843/23553|url-status=live}}</ref>

However, under Barroso, the commission began to lose ground to the larger member states as countries such as France, the UK and Germany sought to sideline its role. This has increased with the creation of the [[President of the European Council]] under the [[Treaty of Lisbon]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Iey Berry|first=Peter Sain|publisher=EU Observer|title=[Comment] Power is slipping from the commission to the council|date=18 January 2008|url=http://euobserver.com/9/25484|access-date=18 January 2008|archive-date=5 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605071233/http://euobserver.com/9/25484|url-status=live}}</ref> There has also been a greater degree of [[European Commissioner#Politicisation|politicisation within the Commission]].

==Administration==
{{Further|European Civil Service}}
[[File:Androulla Vassiliou2.jpg|thumb|Cypriot politician [[Androulla Vassiliou]] was European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth between 2010 and 2014.]]
The commission is divided into departments known as [[Directorate-General|Directorates-General]] (DGs) that can be likened to departments or [[Ministry (government department)|ministries]]. Each covers a specific policy area such as agriculture or justice and citizens' rights or internal services such as human resources and translation and is headed by a director-general who is responsible to a commissioner. A commissioner's portfolio can be supported by numerous DGs; they prepare proposals for them and if approved by a majority of commissioners proposals go forward to the Parliament and Council for consideration.<ref name="Europa Institutions"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Eurojargon|publisher=Europa (web portal)|url=http://europa.eu/abc/eurojargon/index_en.htm|access-date=18 June 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029224734/http://europa.eu/abc/eurojargon/index_en.htm|archive-date=29 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[European Civil Service|Commission's civil service]] is headed by a [[Secretary-General of the European Commission|Secretary General]]. The position is currently held by [[Ilze Juhansone]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.contexte.com/pouvoirs/briefing/2020/01/15/#briefitem-110023|title=La Commission européenne a une nouvelle secrétaire générale|date=15 January 2020|work=Contexte|access-date=5 April 2020|archive-date=31 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731021301/https://www.contexte.com/pouvoirs/briefing/2020/01/15/#briefitem-110023|url-status=live}}</ref> The rules of procedure of the European Commission set out the commission's operation and organisation.<ref name=rules/>

There has been criticism from a number of people that the highly fragmented DG structure wastes a considerable amount of time in [[wikt:turf war|turf war]]s as the different departments and Commissioners compete with each other. Furthermore, the DGs can exercise considerable control over a Commissioner with the Commissioner having little time to learn to assert control over their staff.<ref name="LEM">{{cite web|last=Amies|first=Nick|title=Former EU Mandarin Spills the Beans on Commission Intrigue|publisher=Deutsche Welle|date=21 September 2007|url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2790009,00.html|access-date=17 October 2007|archive-date=23 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223074044/http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2790009,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Press Releases"/>

According to figures published by the commission, 23,803 persons were employed by the commission as officials and temporary agents in September 2012. In addition to these, 9230 "external staff" (e.g. Contractual agents, detached national experts, young experts, [[Traineeship scheme of the European Commission|trainees]] etc.) were employed. The single largest DG is the [[Directorate-General for Translation (European Commission)|Directorate-General for Translation]], with a 2309-strong staff, while the largest group by nationality is Belgian (18.7%), probably due to a majority (17,664) of staff being based in the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Civil Service: Staff figures|publisher=Europa (web portal)|url=http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/about/figures/index_en.htm|access-date=5 September 2012|archive-date=19 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019233512/http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/about/figures/index_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Press===
[[File:Berlaymont Press Room.jpg|thumb|Press Room in the Berlaymont]]

Communication with the press is handled by the [[Directorate-General Communication (European Commission)|Directorate-General Communication]]. The Commission's chief spokesperson is Paula Pinho who holds the midday [[Mass media|press]] briefings, commonly known as the "Midday Presser". It takes place every weekday in the Commission's press room at the Berlaymont where journalists may ask questions to the Commission officials on any topic and legitimately expect to get an "on the record" answer for live TV. Such a situation is unique in the world.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lynam|first=Joe|title=The peculiar world of the European Union|work=BBC News|date=1 April 2007|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6496813.stm|access-date=17 June 2007|archive-date=9 May 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509160441/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6496813.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

As an integral part of the Directorate-General for Communication, the Spokesperson's Service, in coordination with the Executive Communication Adviser in the President's Cabinet, supports the President and Commissioners so that they can communicate effectively. On political communication matters, the chief spokesperson reports directly to the President of the European Commission.

It has been noted by one researcher that the press releases issued by the commission are uniquely political. A release often goes through several stages of drafting which emphasises the role of the commission and is used "for justifying the EU and the Commission" increasing their length and complexity. Where there are multiple departments involved a press release can also be a source of competition between areas of the Commission and Commissioners themselves. 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.<ref name="Press Releases">{{cite web|last=Mahony|first=Honor|title=EU carefully manages PR through 1000s of press releases|publisher=EU Observer|date=17 October 2007|url=http://euobserver.com/9/24971|access-date=17 October 2007|archive-date=21 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521020129/http://euobserver.com/9/24971|url-status=live}}</ref>

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]]. Although there has been a worldwide cut in journalists, the considerable press releases and operations such as [[Europe by Satellite]] and [[EuroparlTV]] leads many news organisations to believe they can cover the EU from these source and [[News agency|news agencies]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Castle |first=Stephen |title=As the E.U. Does More, Fewer Tell About It |work=International Herald Tribune |date=21 March 2010 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/business/global/23press.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/business/global/23press.html |archive-date=1 January 2022 |url-access=limited |access-date=3 April 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The Commission shut down [[Presseurop]] on 20 December 2013,<ref>{{Cite news |author= Editorial |date= 2 December 2013 |title= Without Presseurop? |url= http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/editorial/4369791-without-presseurop |work= Presseurop |access-date= 9 December 2013 |archive-date= 4 December 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131204234653/http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/editorial/4369791-without-presseurop |url-status= dead }}</ref> though the decision was criticised.<ref>{{cite news |author= Martin Schulz |author-link= Martin Schulz |date= 10 December 2013 |title= Presseurop's role is essential |url= http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/blog/4390871-martin-schulz-presseurop-s-role-essential |access-date= 14 December 2013 |work= Presseurop |archive-date= 14 December 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131214062137/http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/blog/4390871-martin-schulz-presseurop-s-role-essential |url-status= dead }}</ref>

==Legitimacy and criticism==
{{See also|Democratic legitimacy of the European Union#European Commission}}
As the commission is the executive branch, candidates are chosen individually by the {{EUnum}} national governments. Within the EU, the legitimacy of the commission is mainly drawn from the vote of approval that is required from the European Parliament, along with its power to dismiss the body. Eurosceptics have therefore raised the concern of the relatively low turnout (often less than 50%) in elections for the European Parliament [[1999 European Parliament election|since 1999]]. While that figure may be higher than that of some national elections, including the off-year elections of the [[United States Congress]], the fact that there are no [[direct election]]s for the position of Commission President calls the position's legitimacy into question in the eyes of some Eurosceptics.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mulvey|first=Stephen|title=The EU's democratic challenge|work=BBC News|date=21 November 2003|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3224666.stm|access-date=17 June 2007|archive-date=9 February 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060209192448/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3224666.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> The fact that the commission can directly decide (albeit with oversight from specially formed [[Comitology|'comitology committees']]) on the shape and character of implementing legislation further raises concerns about democratic legitimacy.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/1468-0491.00185 | volume=15 | issue=2 | title=The Democratic Legitimacy of the European Union Committee System | year=2002 | journal=Governance | pages=185–210 | last1 = Rhinard | first1 = Mark}}</ref>

Even though democratic structures and methods are changing there is not such a mirror in creating a European [[civil society]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Lamming|first=Richard|title=The democratic credentials of the new European Union: does the Constitution increase the EU's democratic legitimacy?|publisher=[[Federal Union]]|date=10 September 2004|url=http://www.federalunion.org.uk/europe/democraticcredentials.shtml|access-date=17 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070515052243/http://www.federalunion.org.uk/europe/democraticcredentials.shtml|archive-date=15 May 2007}}</ref> The [[Treaty of Lisbon]] may go some way to resolving the perceived deficit in creating greater democratic controls on the commission, including enshrining the procedure of linking elections to the selection of the Commission president. Historically, the commission had indeed been seen as a technocratic expert body which, akin with institutions such as independent [[central bank]]s, deals with technical areas of policy and therefore ought to be removed from party politics.<ref>{{cite web|last=Thiemeyer|first=Guido|title=Das Demokratiedefizit der Europäischen Union. Geschichtswissenschaftliche Perspektiven|work=Themenportal Europäische Geschichte|date=2008|url=https://www.europa.clio-online.de/essay/id/fdae-1456|access-date=24 September 2019|archive-date=24 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190924073015/https://www.europa.clio-online.de/essay/id/fdae-1456|url-status=live}}</ref> From this viewpoint, electoral pressures would undermine the commission's role as an independent regulator.<ref name="Majone 2002 375">{{cite journal|last=Majone|first=Giandomenico|year=2002|title=Perils of Parliamentarization|journal=Governance|volume=15|issue=3|pages=375–392|doi=10.1111/0952-1895.00193}}</ref> Defenders of the Commission point out that legislation must be approved by the Council in all areas (the ministers of member states) and the [[European Parliament]] in most areas before it can be adopted, thus the amount of legislation which is adopted in any one country without the approval of its government is limited.<ref name="Majone 2002 375"/>

In 2009 the European ombudsman published [[statistics]] of citizens' complaints against EU institutions, with most of them filed against the commission (66%) and concerning lack of transparency (36%).<ref>{{cite web |last=Mahony |first=Honor |url=http://euobserver.com/18/28008 |title=EU citizens complain about lack of transparency |url-access=registration |work=EUobserver |date=April 27, 2009 |access-date=25 October 2011 |archive-date=18 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518153638/http://euobserver.com/18/28008 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010 the commission was sued for blocking access to documents on EU biofuel policy.<ref>{{cite web |last=Willis |first=Andrew |url=http://euobserver.com/19/30853 |title=EU sued over lack of transparency |url-access=registration |work=EUobserver |date=September 21, 2010 |access-date=25 October 2011 |archive-date=18 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518153651/http://euobserver.com/19/30853 |url-status=live }}</ref> This happened after media accused the Commission of blocking scientific evidence against biofuel subsidies.<ref>{{cite news |last=Harrison |first=Pete |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-biofuels-europe-idUKTRE6641G020100705 |title=Special Report&nbsp;– Europe finds politics and biofuels don't mix |date=Jul 5, 2010 |work=Reuters |access-date=5 July 2021 |archive-date=24 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124024529/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-biofuels-europe-idUKTRE6641G020100705 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Lack of transparency, unclear lobbyist relations, conflicts of interests and excessive spending of the commission was highlighted in a number of reports by internal and independent auditing organisations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/06/01/analysis-eu-commission-expense-scandal-highlights-lack-of-transparency-in-brussels/ |title=Analysis: EU Commission expenses highlight lack of transparency in Brussels |date=June 1, 2011 |first1=Caelainn |last1=Barr |publisher=TBIJ |access-date=25 October 2011 |archive-date=23 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123201657/https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/06/01/analysis-eu-commission-expense-scandal-highlights-lack-of-transparency-in-brussels/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/06/01/get-the-data-eu-commission-expenses/ |title=/EU Commission Expenses: Cocktail parties, private jets, luxury away-days and limousines |date=June 1, 2011 |first1=Caelainn |last1=Barr |publisher=The Bureau of Investigative Journalism |access-date=25 October 2011 |archive-date=23 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123201310/https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/06/01/get-the-data-eu-commission-expenses/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.euractiv.com/en/pa/ex-commissioners-face-conflict-interest-accusations-news-494139 |title=Ex-commissioners face conflict of interest accusations |publisher=EurActiv |date=14 May 2010 |access-date=25 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609152827/http://www.euractiv.com/en/pa/ex-commissioners-face-conflict-interest-accusations-news-494139 |archive-date= Jun 9, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Sarah McInerney |url= http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/world_news/article162250.ece |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121115171936/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/world_news/article162250.ece |url-status= dead |archive-date= 15 November 2012 |title=Be careful what you write, Eurocrats told |work=The Sunday Times|date=18 April 2009}}</ref> It has also been criticised on IT-related issues, particularly with regard to [[Microsoft]].<ref>{{Cite news |last= Hourdaux |first= Jérôme |date= 17 December 2013 |title= The EU and Microsoft's 20-year marriage |url= http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/4411131-eu-and-microsoft-s-20-year-marriage |work= Mediapart |publisher= [[VoxEurop]] |access-date= 17 December 2013 |archive-date= 19 December 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131219073004/http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/4411131-eu-and-microsoft-s-20-year-marriage |url-status= dead }}</ref>
In September 2020, the European Commission put forward an Anti-Racism Action Plan to tackle the structural racism in the European Union, including measures to address the lack of racial diversity among the European decision makers in Brussels, as denounced by the [[Brussels So White|#BrusselsSoWhite]] movement.<ref>{{cite news| last = Islam| first = Shada| title = In a messy world, EU's clout depends on respecting values| newspaper = EUobserver| date = 16 December 2020| url = https://euobserver.com/opinion/150394| access-date = 7 May 2021| archive-date = 7 May 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210507213732/https://euobserver.com/opinion/150394| url-status = live}}</ref>

==Initiatives==

===Anti-terrorism===
The European Commission has an Action Plan to enhance preparedness against [[CBRN defense|chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear]] (CBRN) security risks as part of its anti-terrorism package released in October 2017. In recent times Europe has seen an increased threat level{{Quantify|date=April 2022}}{{From whom?|date=April 2022}} of CBRN attacks.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}{{According to whom|date=April 2022}} As such, the European Commission's preparedness plan is important, said Steven Neville Chatfield, a director for the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response in the United Kingdom's [[Health Protection Agency]]. For the first time, the European Commission proposed that medical preparedness for CBRN attack threats is a high priority. "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)."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://homelandprepnews.com/countermeasures/26013-european-anti-terrorism-package-prioritizes-cbrn-preparedness-experts-say/|title=European anti-terrorism package prioritizes CBRN preparedness, expert says|last=Riley|first=Kim|date=2 January 2018|work=Homeland Preparedness News|access-date=8 January 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=13 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413173101/https://homelandprepnews.com/countermeasures/26013-european-anti-terrorism-package-prioritizes-cbrn-preparedness-experts-say/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===COVID-19 response===
The European Commission organized a video conference of world leaders on 4 May 2020 to raise funds for [[COVID-19 vaccine]] development. US$8 billion was raised.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Stevis-Gridneff|first1=Matina|last2=Jakes|first2=Lara|date=4 May 2020|title=World Leaders Join to Pledge $8 Billion for Vaccine as U.S. Goes It Alone|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/04/world/europe/eu-coronavirus-vaccine.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200504224053/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/04/world/europe/eu-coronavirus-vaccine.html |archive-date=2020-05-04 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=10 May 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The European Commission issued a new multi-year data plan in February 2020 pushing the digitalization of all aspects of [[European Union|EU]] society for the benefit of civic and economic growth.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=Does This Change Everything? Coronavirus and your private data|url=https://www.eib.org/en/stories/coronavirus-impact-data-privacy|access-date=7 June 2021|website=European Investment Bank|language=en|archive-date=7 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607142044/https://www.eib.org/en/stories/coronavirus-impact-data-privacy|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title=Strategy for Data {{!}} Shaping Europe's digital future|url=https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/strategy-data|access-date=7 June 2021|website=digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu|language=en|archive-date=7 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607142031/https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/strategy-data|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web|date=7 November 2018|title=What is GDPR, the EU's new data protection law?|url=https://gdpr.eu/what-is-gdpr/|access-date=7 June 2021|website=GDPR.eu|language=en-US|archive-date=27 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427044901/https://gdpr.eu/what-is-gdpr/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite web|title=Data protection in the EU|url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/data-protection-eu_en|access-date=7 June 2021|website=European Commission – European Commission|language=en|archive-date=28 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428112513/https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection/data-protection-eu_en|url-status=live}}</ref>

The goal of this data strategy is to create a single market for data in which data flows across the EU and across sectors while maintaining full respect for privacy and data protection, where access rules are fair, and where the European economy benefits enormously as a global player as a result of the new data economy.<ref name=":7"/><ref name=":8"/><ref name=":9"/><ref name=":10"/>

==Location==
[[File:Belgique - Bruxelles - Schuman - Berlaymont - 01.jpg|thumb|Headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels (Berlaymont building)]]

The commission's political seat is in Brussels with the President's office and the commission's meeting room on the 13th floor of the [[Berlaymont building]]. The commission also operates out of [[Brussels and the European Union|numerous other buildings in Brussels]] and [[Luxembourg City]].<ref name="European Commission locations">{{cite web|title=European Commission|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)|Europa]]|url=http://europa.eu/about-eu/institutions-bodies/european-commission/index_en.htm|work=European Union|date=16 June 2016|access-date=17 September 2013|archive-date=10 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160710040146/http://europa.eu/about-eu/institutions-bodies/european-commission/index_en.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Castle |first=Stephen |work=[[The Independent]] |title=After 13 years of hold-ups and incompetence, the EU's 'Berlaymonster' rises like a phoenix |date=5 August 2004 |url=http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article50224.ece |access-date=18 June 2007 |location=London |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071001085743/http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article50224.ece |archive-date=1 October 2007}}</ref> When the Parliament is meeting in [[Strasbourg]], the Commissioners also meet there in the [[Seat of the European Parliament in Strasbourg#Secondary buildings|Winston Churchill building]] to attend the Parliament's debates.<ref>{{cite book|last=Eppink|first=Derk-Jan|translator=Ian Connerty|title=Life of a European Mandarin: Inside the Commission|publisher=Lannoo|edition=1st|location=Tielt, Belgium|year=2007|page=[https://archive.org/details/lifeofeuropeanma00eppi/page/213 213]|isbn=978-90-209-7022-7|url=https://archive.org/details/lifeofeuropeanma00eppi/page/213}}</ref> The Members of the Commission and their "cabinets" (immediate teams) are also based in the Berlaymont building in Brussels. Additionally, the European Commission has in-house scientific facilities that support it in: [[Ispra]], Italy; [[Petten]], Netherlands; [[Karlsruhe]], Germany; [[Geel]], Belgium and [[Seville]], Spain. In [[Grange, County Meath]], Ireland, a Commission site is hosting part of DG Santè.

==See also==
{{Portal|European Union}}
* [[European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority]]
* [[List of European Commissioners by nationality]]
* [[EU Open Data Portal]]
* [[European Data Portal]]
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== References ==
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==External links==
{{Sister project links|European Commission}}
* [https://commission.europa.eu European Commission] European Commission welcome page
* [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/browse/institutions/eu-commission.html Access to documents of the European Commission] on [[EUR-Lex]]
* [http://archives.eui.eu/en/fonds/ Documents] of the European Commission are consultable at the [http://www.eui.eu/Research/HistoricalArchivesOfEU/Index.aspx Historical Archives of the EU] in Florence.
* [http://www.cvce.eu/obj/european_commission-en-281a3c0c-839a-48fd-b69c-bc2588c780ec.html European Commissions] on CVCE website&nbsp;– Multimedia website with historical information on the European integration Studies. No such material is found on the page. This page contains a legal Notice and warning about copyrighted material. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120304094407/http://www.bernardromain.com/statueofeurope.html Statue of Europe]. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
* [https://ec.europa.eu/info/contact/press-services/press-contacts/press-contacts-spokespersons-service_en Spokesperson's Service]. Retrieved 16 September 2023.

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{{European Union topics}}
{{Charlemagne Prize recipients}}

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[[Category:European Commission| ]]
[[Category:Anti-dumping authorities]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1967]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Brussels]]