As European telecommunications law is renegotiated, Oftel News presents an update on the institutions of the European Union

The European Union (EU) is the name commonly given to the formal association of fifteen European countries (Member States): Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

The EU is not an international body like the OECD or United Nations (for example), but a single political structure joining (but not supplanting) the political structures of its Member States.

It is built on a unique institutional system based on inter-governmental treaties which grant powers to central institutions. These principal institutions are the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and two supranational Courts.

The European Commission (EC) is based in Brussels and headed by 29 commissioners nominated by the 15 governments of the Member States. They act for the Union as a whole, rather than for their respective member states, and are subject to supervision by the European Parliament.

The Commission's decisions are taken collectively. Each commissioner is allocated at least one portfolio, such as agriculture, transport - or telecoms. In addition each commissioner assumes political responsibility for the relevant department of the commission, or Directorate General.

The Directorate General for Information Society covers telecoms. Its remit is to implement the Commission's policy on information society.

The Commission is the executive arm of the EU, and its central administrative and policymaking body. It ensures that Member States fulfil their obligations under EU rules. It initiates legislation and presents legislative proposals to the Council and to the Parliament, as well as formulating and reviewing policy. It is responsible for implementing most aspects of EU policy, managing funds and determining whether to grant temporary exemptions to particular EU rules to individual Member States.

The Commission also defends EU interests before the Council. It can and does challenge Member States and other EU institutions at the Court of Justice if it considers that EU Treaties and legislative provisions are not being observed.

The Council of the European Union, composed of ministers from each Member State, is the main decision-making body of the EU where interests of Member States are directly represented. Member States hold the Council Presidency for six months, setting specific priorities to be achieved during the term of office. Belgium currently holds the Presidency, until 31 December 2001.

The Council meets in different compositions depending on issues to be discussed, including telecoms. The Council is often referred to as the Legislative body of the EU as it decides on and reviews overall policy, ratifies certain Treaties and shares budgetary authority with the Parliament.

The Council has two levels below ministerial level: the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER), composed of senior civil servants and responsible for scrutinising all legislation, and expert working groups made up of national experts. Most of the day-to-day work and the intensive debate happens in these two groups before a measure goes to Ministerial level for voting and adoption.

The third institution of the EU is the European Parliament. Based in Strasbourg, it has 626 members called MEPs, directly elected by universal suffrage every five years by the citizens of the Member States. The number of MEPs from each Member State is roughly proportionate to the Member States' population.

The role of the Parliament can be divided into three categories: legislative (there is a procedure of co-operation between the Parliament and the Council), budgetary (it can reject the Commission's annual draft budget and ask for it to be revised), and supervisory (it has the power to dismiss the Commission by adopting a motion of censure).

The role of the Court of Justice is to provide judicial safeguards necessary to ensure that the law is observed in the interpretation and application of the Treaties and more generally in all the activities of the Union. It has jurisdiction in disputes involving Member States, EU institutions, businesses and individuals. Since 1989, some cases have been handled by a Court of First Instance which eases pressure on the Court of Justice.

The role of the Court of Auditors is to audit the accounts and the implementation of the budget of the Union and its various institutions. Its aim is to improve financial management and to report to the citizens of Europe on the use made of public funds by the authorities responsible for their management.