EU INSTITUTIONS AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
Based primarily in Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg, the EU institutions can often feel removed from the majority of its citizens. Increasingly, efforts are being made to make the institutions more accountable and democratic and to engage citizens more effectively.
This section provides an overview of the three EU institutions involved in the legislative process: the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament. The Commission represents the interests of the European Union as whole while the Council allows national governments to influence legislation and the Parliament acts as the citizens' voice in the EU. While the Commission proposes new EU legislation the Council and the Parliament debate and negotiate on proposals before voting on a final text.
There are also a number of other EU bodies and committees that are involved in the running of the EU including the European Court of Justice, the European Court of Auditors and the European Central Bank. These bodies are an integral part of the administration of the EU but do not have power to either propose or approve legislation.
It should be noted that if the Lisbon Treaty - the EU Reform Treaty - is successfully ratified by all member states in 2008 fundamental changes will be made to a number of the institutions and the legislative process.