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How a new EU law is proposed and debated
Who makes new laws?
- There are many people and groups involved in suggesting new laws and how they should work.
- Pressure groups see where particular problems are and how new laws could solve them.
- Lobbyists represent the interests of both commercial organisations and pressure groups.
There are three main institutions that need to agree on new EU laws . .
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European Parliament The European Parliament has elected representatives from each of the member states. |
European Commission The European Commission is the organisation in Brussels that drafts the laws. It is the EU's civil service, consisting of 25,000 permanent officials who come from the member states in numbers that are roughly proportional to the size of the member state. |
Council of the European Union The Council of the European Union is the main decision-making body. There are committees of officials from each of the member states on each of the matters that the EU deals with, for example, consumer affairs, agriculture, the environment, foreign affairs, justice and home affairs. |
Chart
Now look at a chart showing how proposals for new laws go through the system. They can be amended, approved or thrown out. All three institutions must agree.