Gilles Pittoors – Institutions & Policies of EU
2024-2025
Institutions and Policy of
the EU
Inhoudsopgave
PART I: THE EU IN CONTEXT
1. Conceptual approaches to the EU.....................................................5
1. State................................................................................................................ 5
2. International organization............................................................................... 6
3. Political system............................................................................................... 7
4. Which one is it?............................................................................................... 8
5. Federalism confederalism ?...........................................................................8
2. Theoretical approaches to the EU and European integration..............9
1. Functionalism................................................................................................ 10
Neo-functionalism.......................................................................................... 10
2. Intergovernmentalism................................................................................... 12
Liberal intergovernmentalism........................................................................12
3. Conclusion: What is the EU?...........................................................13
1. The EU’s institutions and bodies....................................................14
2. The European Commission.............................................................16
Evolution........................................................................................................... 16
5 organizational components............................................................................ 16
President of the commission – Ursula Von der Leyen.....................................17
College of the Commissioners........................................................................17
Directorates-General and Services.................................................................18
Secretariat-General........................................................................................ 19
Committees.................................................................................................... 19
Commission powers.......................................................................................... 19
Powers of initiation......................................................................................... 20
Powers of implementation.............................................................................. 20
Powers of the purse........................................................................................ 20
External relations........................................................................................... 20
1. The Councils.................................................................................21
2. The council of the EU / The council of Ministers...............................21
Evolution........................................................................................................... 21
Hierarchy:.......................................................................................................... 22
1
,Gilles Pittoors – Institutions & Policies of EU
2024-2025
Council of Ministers........................................................................................ 22
Permanent Representations...........................................................................22
Working parties.............................................................................................. 23
General secretariat of the Council..................................................................23
(Rotating) Presidency........................................................................................ 23
Trio/team Presidencies................................................................................... 24
Responsibilities................................................................................................. 24
3. The European Council....................................................................24
Evolution........................................................................................................... 25
Membership:..................................................................................................... 25
President........................................................................................................... 25
Meetings............................................................................................................ 25
Functioning........................................................................................................ 26
1. The European Parliament...............................................................26
Evolution........................................................................................................... 27
Responsibilities in the present.......................................................................28
Structure........................................................................................................... 28
3 cities............................................................................................................ 28
4 main elements................................................................................................ 28
The President................................................................................................. 29
Parliamentary Committees............................................................................. 29
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)................................................30
Political groups............................................................................................... 31
The working of the Parliament..........................................................................31
Powers over legislation.................................................................................. 31
Powers over the budget................................................................................. 33
Powers over other EU institutions..................................................................33
2. Guest Lecture: Klaus Welle............................................................33
1. Other institutions..........................................................................35
CoR – Committee of regions.............................................................................. 35
EESC – Economic and Social Committee...........................................................35
EEAS – European External Action Service..........................................................36
ECB – European Central Bank............................................................................36
Tasks.............................................................................................................. 37
Structure........................................................................................................ 37
ECA – European Court of Auditors.....................................................................37
EIB – European Investment Bank.......................................................................38
2
,Gilles Pittoors – Institutions & Policies of EU
2024-2025
Structure........................................................................................................ 38
CJEU – Court of Justice of the EU........................................................................38
Evolution........................................................................................................ 38
Tasks:............................................................................................................. 38
Structure........................................................................................................ 39
Sources of Law............................................................................................... 39
Other agencies (so NOT institutions).................................................................40
2. Institutional balance......................................................................40
1. EU law..........................................................................................41
Sources of EU law.............................................................................................. 41
Types of EU law/ output.................................................................................... 41
4 principles of EU law........................................................................................ 42
1. Competences............................................................................................. 42
2. Conferral.................................................................................................... 42
3. Subsidiarity................................................................................................ 42
4. Proportionality............................................................................................ 42
EU decision-making progress............................................................................ 42
Ordinary legislation procedure.......................................................................42
Consent procedure......................................................................................... 43
Consultation procedure.................................................................................. 43
Conclusions....................................................................................................... 44
Guest lecture: Lins Heivers................................................................44
European Agricultural Policy.............................................................................. 44
Evolution........................................................................................................ 44
The Council of the European Union...................................................................46
Decision making............................................................................................. 46
Belgium in the Council................................................................................... 46
The Belgian Presidency of the Council...........................................................48
Agricultural and environmental policy................................................48
Agricultural policy............................................................................................. 48
CAP – one of the greatest achievements of the EU........................................48
Environmental policy......................................................................................... 49
Evolution........................................................................................................ 49
EAP – Environmental Action Programme........................................................49
EEA – European Environmental Agency.........................................................49
EU as international climate change leader.....................................................49
1. Guest lecture: Saïd El Khadraoui....................................................50
3
, Gilles Pittoors – Institutions & Policies of EU
2024-2025
Problematics...................................................................................................... 50
EU’s role – Green Deal....................................................................................... 51
2019: EU’s response: Launch of Green Deal..................................................51
2024: interim results...................................................................................... 51
2025: Conclusions.......................................................................................... 52
The future of the Green Deal............................................................................. 53
Recent changes.............................................................................................. 53
1. Guest lecture by Gesine Weber......................................................54
Historic overview............................................................................................... 54
Key dates....................................................................................................... 54
Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)...................................................55
Key EU institutions in Security and Defence......................................................55
Tools Beyond CSDP Missions............................................................................. 55
Case study......................................................................................................... 56
2. Security and global policy..............................................................56
A common foreign policy................................................................................... 56
Problems with foreign policy / international role............................................57
A common security policy................................................................................. 57
Evolution........................................................................................................ 57
European security strategy............................................................................ 58
Foreign and security power now.......................................................................58
Main competencies and bodies......................................................................58
Trade policy and soft power.............................................................................. 59
3. Transatlantic relations...................................................................59
EU – US relationship.......................................................................................... 59
EU – US differences........................................................................................ 61
The EU and its (direct) neighbours....................................................................61
EU – Russia........................................................................................................ 62
EU – BRIC countries........................................................................................... 63
EU – global south............................................................................................... 63
4
2024-2025
Institutions and Policy of
the EU
Inhoudsopgave
PART I: THE EU IN CONTEXT
1. Conceptual approaches to the EU.....................................................5
1. State................................................................................................................ 5
2. International organization............................................................................... 6
3. Political system............................................................................................... 7
4. Which one is it?............................................................................................... 8
5. Federalism confederalism ?...........................................................................8
2. Theoretical approaches to the EU and European integration..............9
1. Functionalism................................................................................................ 10
Neo-functionalism.......................................................................................... 10
2. Intergovernmentalism................................................................................... 12
Liberal intergovernmentalism........................................................................12
3. Conclusion: What is the EU?...........................................................13
1. The EU’s institutions and bodies....................................................14
2. The European Commission.............................................................16
Evolution........................................................................................................... 16
5 organizational components............................................................................ 16
President of the commission – Ursula Von der Leyen.....................................17
College of the Commissioners........................................................................17
Directorates-General and Services.................................................................18
Secretariat-General........................................................................................ 19
Committees.................................................................................................... 19
Commission powers.......................................................................................... 19
Powers of initiation......................................................................................... 20
Powers of implementation.............................................................................. 20
Powers of the purse........................................................................................ 20
External relations........................................................................................... 20
1. The Councils.................................................................................21
2. The council of the EU / The council of Ministers...............................21
Evolution........................................................................................................... 21
Hierarchy:.......................................................................................................... 22
1
,Gilles Pittoors – Institutions & Policies of EU
2024-2025
Council of Ministers........................................................................................ 22
Permanent Representations...........................................................................22
Working parties.............................................................................................. 23
General secretariat of the Council..................................................................23
(Rotating) Presidency........................................................................................ 23
Trio/team Presidencies................................................................................... 24
Responsibilities................................................................................................. 24
3. The European Council....................................................................24
Evolution........................................................................................................... 25
Membership:..................................................................................................... 25
President........................................................................................................... 25
Meetings............................................................................................................ 25
Functioning........................................................................................................ 26
1. The European Parliament...............................................................26
Evolution........................................................................................................... 27
Responsibilities in the present.......................................................................28
Structure........................................................................................................... 28
3 cities............................................................................................................ 28
4 main elements................................................................................................ 28
The President................................................................................................. 29
Parliamentary Committees............................................................................. 29
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)................................................30
Political groups............................................................................................... 31
The working of the Parliament..........................................................................31
Powers over legislation.................................................................................. 31
Powers over the budget................................................................................. 33
Powers over other EU institutions..................................................................33
2. Guest Lecture: Klaus Welle............................................................33
1. Other institutions..........................................................................35
CoR – Committee of regions.............................................................................. 35
EESC – Economic and Social Committee...........................................................35
EEAS – European External Action Service..........................................................36
ECB – European Central Bank............................................................................36
Tasks.............................................................................................................. 37
Structure........................................................................................................ 37
ECA – European Court of Auditors.....................................................................37
EIB – European Investment Bank.......................................................................38
2
,Gilles Pittoors – Institutions & Policies of EU
2024-2025
Structure........................................................................................................ 38
CJEU – Court of Justice of the EU........................................................................38
Evolution........................................................................................................ 38
Tasks:............................................................................................................. 38
Structure........................................................................................................ 39
Sources of Law............................................................................................... 39
Other agencies (so NOT institutions).................................................................40
2. Institutional balance......................................................................40
1. EU law..........................................................................................41
Sources of EU law.............................................................................................. 41
Types of EU law/ output.................................................................................... 41
4 principles of EU law........................................................................................ 42
1. Competences............................................................................................. 42
2. Conferral.................................................................................................... 42
3. Subsidiarity................................................................................................ 42
4. Proportionality............................................................................................ 42
EU decision-making progress............................................................................ 42
Ordinary legislation procedure.......................................................................42
Consent procedure......................................................................................... 43
Consultation procedure.................................................................................. 43
Conclusions....................................................................................................... 44
Guest lecture: Lins Heivers................................................................44
European Agricultural Policy.............................................................................. 44
Evolution........................................................................................................ 44
The Council of the European Union...................................................................46
Decision making............................................................................................. 46
Belgium in the Council................................................................................... 46
The Belgian Presidency of the Council...........................................................48
Agricultural and environmental policy................................................48
Agricultural policy............................................................................................. 48
CAP – one of the greatest achievements of the EU........................................48
Environmental policy......................................................................................... 49
Evolution........................................................................................................ 49
EAP – Environmental Action Programme........................................................49
EEA – European Environmental Agency.........................................................49
EU as international climate change leader.....................................................49
1. Guest lecture: Saïd El Khadraoui....................................................50
3
, Gilles Pittoors – Institutions & Policies of EU
2024-2025
Problematics...................................................................................................... 50
EU’s role – Green Deal....................................................................................... 51
2019: EU’s response: Launch of Green Deal..................................................51
2024: interim results...................................................................................... 51
2025: Conclusions.......................................................................................... 52
The future of the Green Deal............................................................................. 53
Recent changes.............................................................................................. 53
1. Guest lecture by Gesine Weber......................................................54
Historic overview............................................................................................... 54
Key dates....................................................................................................... 54
Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)...................................................55
Key EU institutions in Security and Defence......................................................55
Tools Beyond CSDP Missions............................................................................. 55
Case study......................................................................................................... 56
2. Security and global policy..............................................................56
A common foreign policy................................................................................... 56
Problems with foreign policy / international role............................................57
A common security policy................................................................................. 57
Evolution........................................................................................................ 57
European security strategy............................................................................ 58
Foreign and security power now.......................................................................58
Main competencies and bodies......................................................................58
Trade policy and soft power.............................................................................. 59
3. Transatlantic relations...................................................................59
EU – US relationship.......................................................................................... 59
EU – US differences........................................................................................ 61
The EU and its (direct) neighbours....................................................................61
EU – Russia........................................................................................................ 62
EU – BRIC countries........................................................................................... 63
EU – global south............................................................................................... 63
4
